The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-08-05
Boilermakers' Strike on the
Coast Line is Ended.
Both Sides Made Concessions,
the Men Getting More Pay.
ALL RETURN TO WORK.
None Of the Strikers Will Be
Turned Out.
Story Of the Stubborn Fight
Since May %.

At noon Monday. the strike of the
Santa Fe boilerma kers which has been
in progress at Needles and San Ber-
mardino, Cal, since May 30 was declar-
ed off, both the company and the men
having made concessions and the terms
having been arranged satisfactorily to
both parties. For some days and in
deed almost for weeks the settlement
has been hanging fire. At each confer
ence which the striking boiler men held
with General Manager Wells OF the
coast lines the stipulations were all but
agreed to, but until the last there was
some little turn which defeated the pur-
pose of the meeting.
A special dispatch to the State Jour-
nal from San Bernardino received late
Monday night says: Boilermakers'
strike declared off II o'clock today at
San BernardinO and Needles. All the
men return to work without prejudice.
Company and men made concessions;
settlement satisfactory to both. Wages,
Needles, 80 cents hour
It was known in Topeka Monday that
the Needles boilermakerS were ready to
go back to work; that the terms which
they sought had been granted. But the
San Bernardino men could not be rec
onciled to the agreement which
and which the Needles men
favored. 1t is understood that in addi-
ton to the SO cents an hour the men
get time and a half for all overtime
worked. This much was conceded by the
Santa Fe; but at San Bernardino other
demands were made, one that Boiler
maker Foreman James Madden be dis
charged and that there be an apportion-
ment of apprentices in the ratio of five
bOilermakerS to every apprentice. This,
however, with the understanding that
all the apprentice boys already employ
ed be taken back as such but after that
time the rule regarding the new ap-
portionment be enforced.
1t was understood that General Man
ager Wells might have made some ar
rangement satisfactory to the men as
regards Mr.. Madden, but he couldn't
see how to grant the other demands. So
that the matter rested virtually between
Wells and the San Bernardino boiler
makers.
The contest between the Santa Fee
company and the boilermakers on its
western lines, between As and so in num-
Der at Needles and San Bernardino to-
gether, and about six at Point Rich
mond who walked out in sympathy for
their brother craftsmen only a few
weeks ago, has been particularly stub
born. The trouble began brewing in the
early spring when the men went to the
company with their demands for an in
crease of pay from 38 to 40 cents an
hour. They claim that they gave the
company SO days notice before quitting
the shops and after they had used every
possible means to adjust the difficulties
which seemed to approach. They pre-
scented the claim that boilermakers on
the Southern Pacific at Tucson, Arizona,
on the Rock Island at Alamagordo N.
M, and on the Southern Pacific at Ell
PasO, Tex, received a wage of 81 for a
ten hour day and time and a quarter
for overtime, while they got but 38 cents
an hour for straight time and time and
one half for all overtime. The officials
of the Santa Fe answered that in the
end the men on the Santa F'e were get
ting as much as boilermakers on the
other roads. But the men stuck to their
claim, that they should have more
money-what they deemed was equal
to the pay of other roads in territory
where conditions were the same. After
numerous conferences with Superintend-
ent of Motive Power Henderson and
General Manager Wells representing the
company soon after the inauguration OF
the strike, the men and officials were
unable to get together and the contest
settled down to one in which it was q
question of which should wear the other
out first. The tradesmen being men of
no large financial means and living in
a country where expenses were skyhigh
were soon reduced to the necessity of
receiving aid from the boilermakers'
and shipbuilders' union. 1t is understood
that single men were given 81 a week
by the order while the struggle was on.
Throughout all they maintained a de-
meanor that won compliments from the
officials for their orderliness.