Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1903-03-05
COURT HALTS sTRIKE
JUDGE ADAMS ISSUES INJUNc.
TON AGAINST TRAiNMEN

President Ramsey of the Wabash
Goes Into Court for Relief Before
Answering the Mcn-Unons Decide
to Obey Order.
ST. Louis March Am injunction
granted by Judge Adams of the Unit
ed States district court prevented the
elimination yesterday of the threat
ened strike of the LOO firemen and
trainmen of the Wabash railroad for
higher wages. AS the result of the
employees over the question of striking
in case President Ramsey ultimately
refused to grant demanded wage con-
cessions on the Wabash east of the
Mississippi river, the engineers and
conductors refused to participate in
strike, but the firemen and trainmen
favored it emphatically Their com
mittees Monday notified President
Ramsey that he would be given until
Tuesday at noon to grant their de-
mands. If at that time he still re-
fused a strike would be Immediately
called.
President Ramsey requested little
more time and the two committees
granted him until IS o'clock to make
final reply. Before the allotted time
had expired, President Ramsey had
secured a restraining order from the
court and it had been served on all Of
ficials of all the orders and
members of the grievance commit
tees. The injunction was most
sweeping instrument and effectually
blocked any strike proceedings. In
part. it reads:
I'VE, therefore. do strictly command
you, until the further order of the
court absolutely to desist and re-
frain from in any way or manner or
dering, coercing, persuading. inducing
or otherwise causing directly or indi-
bash Railway company to strike or
quit the service of said company"
The injunction was issued against
the officials, clerks, agents and attor-
neys of the Brotfferhoods of Railway
Trainmen and Locomotive Firemen.
The INDUCTION is temporary and the
Writs are not made returnable. The
persons against whom the injunction
IS issued may appear in court at any
time and present a plea to have the
injunction dissolved, or if no one asks
that it be dissolved it may be made
permanent.
After President Ramsey learned
that the injunction had been served
he said: 1--WE will go on dealing with
our own employees the same as usual
This order will not affect them at all
If strike takes place it will be due
| to outside interference. The order is
meant to restrain others on the out
side from interfering with our EN-
| ployes Or of ordering a strike. 1t was
outside influences that caused dissen
sion. The employees of the Wabash
were satisfied and would have re
manned satisfied if left to their OWL
accord"
Meantime the grievance committees
had Prepared and submitted to Presi
| dent Ramsey a letter setting forth
the increased concessions they de
sired. 1t was soon after the delivery
| of this letter to President Ramsey
that the injunction was served. Short
| ly after the injunction proceedings
| President Ramsey sent to the griev
ance committees his reply to their let
| ter practically rejecting all their de
| mands. Before leaving his Office to &c
| home, he said that he did not believe
| committees of firemen and trainmer
met and talked over the situation las
evening and then dispersed for the
night. Grand Master Morrissey of tn,
Brotherhood of Railway Tralnmel
said after the meeting: 1--WE have de
cided to make no move until after
consultation with our attorneys. Thl
consultation will be held today"
Mr.. Morrissey, in a signed state
ment, said that nothing will be done il
violation of the injunction and tina
the dissatisfied employees would bow
in submission to the law
Wells H. Blodgett, vice president an,
general counsellor of the Wabash
made the following statement on tn
legal aspect of the situations 9TH
court proceedings are based on tn
provisions of the interstate commerc
law. That act makes it the duty O
the railroad companies to receive an
transport all kinds of interstate tra1
fic and requires them to interchang
traffic with each other at connectin
points and any conspiracy on the par
Of any number of persons to defea
that act is wrong. and renders the pal
ties liable criminally and civilly. Tha
is not mere theory; it Is the settle
law, and the Injunction only goes t
that exteR Should the order b.
violated it will he for the court =
say what steps 1t will take to enforc
the order, but we have no reason t
believe that any one intends to violat
It,"
GOVERNOR CALLS OUT TROOPS