Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-05-29
BOILER MAKERS STRIKE.
A Score Of them in the San Bernar-
dino Shops Walk Out.
APPRENTICES AND HELPERS.

Inc santa re SHOPS In this city was
the Gene of another walk out shortly
after Z o'clock yesterday morning.
when. because one of their number,
George Wilson, had been asked to
leave the local department to take a
place at Seligman, Ariz., twenty union
boiler makers struck, and present indi-
cations are that they are likely to re-
main out until the cause of their griev-
ance has been reinstated in his former
position. With the men there went out
seventeen apprentice boys and seven
helpers, who say that they will stand
by the boiler makers until the matter
is settled one way or the other.
This leaves, at the present time, not
over three regular boiler makers and a
half dozen handy men to carry on the
work at the shop and round house.
The strikers grievance is in effect
an assertion on their part that the men
who participated in the last strike at
the local shop have been black-listed
by the company, and that the removal
of Wilson vas not because he was act
ually needed at Seligman, but because
he was among the strikers of several
months ago, and hence was not wanted
by the company in the San Bernardino
shop. How, according to a member of
the present strikers grievance commit
tee, late instances have worked to
prove the truth of this assertion is best
told in his own words:
"As regards the present trouble. it
may be said that it has been brewing
more or less directly ever since the
last strike. At the settling of that
trouble it was understood that the men
who figured in the walk-out should be
re-instated, the company holding no
prejudice against them. So far as that
understanding is concerned. it was
made. but has, in our opinion, remain
ed far from being carried out.
The first suspicious action on the
part of the railroad people occurred
several months ago, when the big cut
o in force was made. At that time
IL was a notable fact that, so far as
possible. the men in the boiler depart
ment WHO were let out outnumbered
those employees who had been among
the strikers. Some time passed, during
which it is plain to see that more
boiler makers were needed to do the
work, which was crowding the shops
day by day, yet when men who were
let out in the cut applied for work it
was refused them on the plea that
business and repairs would not war
rant il. Shortly after this leading
newspapers from Chicago and Topeka
found their way here, in which APP
peared advertisements inserted by the
Santa Fe company asking for boiler
makers to work in the company's
shops at San B~ernadino.
Last week we heard on authority
that this advertisement had proved eff
f~ective, and that a dozen men were on
their way to this place from Point
Richmond, Chicago and other eastern
points. The arrival of some ten of
these men on Sunday proved the in
formation to be correct.
Thus did the feeling grow that all
vas not as it ought to be, and on last
Friday a committee of three wen to
Mr.. Park and asked him why it was
that the men who had applied for work
were not given it, when it was appar-
ent to all that the company needed the
services of more men. To this Mr.
Park answered that he was as yet a
stranger to the local shops, giving the
men to understand that any good work
men would be employed, providing
there was work for them and that If
any had been refused he was certain
that it was because they were not
fitted for the peculiar work requiring
attention.
With such assurance did he speak
that the men were inclined to think
that everything might turn out well
after all.
"On Sunday morning, however. he
called Mr.. Wilson into his Office, tell
ing him that he wanted him to go "a
Seligman, Ariz., that his pass had been
made out, and that he was to leave on
No. 2 that evening. Mr.. Wilson remon
strated, saying hat he had been 10
Gated here for a year n bis interests
domestic and otherwise, were all In
San Bernardino. Mr.. Parks final an
swer to Wilson was to the effect that
he might obey orders or do what was
next in order, and Wilson left the of
flee, naturally inferring hat he would
either have to accept h transfer oil
quit. He acquainted the remainder OF
the boiler shop men with his predica
ment and a meeting called at the lodgt
rooms of the union, was held on u
day evening to discuss the situation. A
plan of action was agreed upon ant
this morning it was carried out.
AT the sound of the whistle all OF
the men, in company with ten mer
who had been brought to the city 10y
the company, were III llnS III bhtl
blocks, which they received. Will
them was Mr.. Wilson, and a few min
utes after leaving the block case win
dow Foreman Richie, of the boiler de
partment, went to Mr.. Park, at IA re
quest. and stated hat his men wer'
without and desired, before going t
work, that Wilson be restored to hi
regular duties in the shop. Mr.. Parl
desiring to see the men personally re
gaTding the matter, three OF us wen
to him. Aftersa few words we Were
given to understand that Wilson ha,
been transferred, and if We did not like
the state If affairs we might quit. Act
ing upon this, we accepted the latte
alternative and walked out.
Noting our action, the apprentice
boys gathered about to ascertain tn,
reason for our action, and being &C
quainted with the facts of the case
they pulled off their jumpers and lef
with us. Some half dozen helpers die
the cana thing WhiIa those ramainint