The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-05-14
MEN
INTERESTED
Strong Effort to Avoid a Strike
on the Great Northern.
CONFERENCES BEING HELD
WHOLE MATTER MAY BE SET
TIED TODAY.

q T. Paul, Nay 13.-No strike was
declared upon the Great Northern
railroad tonight and affairs have
assumed a much more encouraging as
pect. Negotiations between the COM
naittee representing the men and Of
fcfals of the road, which were broken
off Tuesday. have been renewed, and
the outlook tonight is for an amicable
settlement. Neither side will say what
concessions. if any, have been offered
by the road, but that concessions have
been offered and that they are more
favorable than any 50 far made IS eNl-
denced by the fact that the calling OF
a strike has been deferred until the
conference tomorrow morning
The committee of business men from
St. Paul and Minneapolis that last night
secured the consent of the grievance
amicable arrangement or the dlf1lcuiUy
is understood to be largely responsible for
the happy turn affairs have taken, ee Ihey
held a conference with the grand ofucers
and the general committee during this
morning and part of the afternoon
Position of the Men.
The demands of the men were fully
discussed. MesSrs. GarretsOn and New
man representing, respectively, the con-
ductOrs association and the tfalnmen ;
brotherhood, fully explaining their side
The stand they take is that all trans
continental roads have granted the de
uands upon them by the unions with
reference to the running OF double-heao-
ers, and that If the Great Northern is
given great ter concessions in reference 20
this matter than have been granted the
other roads the latter viii charge a
breach of faith on the part of the grand
officers. The business men $ committee
advised the men to refrain. if possible
from tying up the road, pointing out The
disastrous effect such a move would have
int tacre- of no H.
west. and recommended spirit Of nu-
tual concessions
Mr. GarretsOn. on behalf OF the men,
declared that they would not allow any
one to exceed them in yielding. once q
spirit of yielding were shown Dy the
company He further stated that all
preparations had been made for the dec
laTatiOu of a strike and that unless some
tangible offer We're made on Denall or
the company. looking 20 concessions OF q
satisfactory character. a strike would be
declared after o'clock
The Company's Side
After their conference with the men
the business mems committee waited
upon General Manager Ward and lis
tened to the COmpany'S side OF the case
Then conference was arranged between
the general manager and the grievance
committee at which members of the
business men s committee were also pres
ent This conference lasted until SIS p.
m. and BpOn its breaking up, Chairman
Cooper of the business men commute
assurance that no strike would be or
dered tonight and thar the conference
would be resumed at 10 O'Clock tomorrow
morning with every prospect of a sue
cessfui termination.
While all Of those present al the con-
ference were extremely reticent- It ~
learned from an authoritative source INA [
concessions satisfactory to the men had
been offered by the road and that all
that remained to be done was TO decide
upon certain matters of detail
What is Feared
What has been the result of the entire
matter so far as the officials of the road
are concerned, has been the fear that to
cOncede the demands of the men on the
double header question would simply
open the door TO a demand for q stand
ardization of trains. The Great Northern
runs only about per cent dOuble-heac-
erS. but owing to its low grades and
heavy motive power it Is able to haul
much longer trains with a single engine
than is any of its competitors With a
standardiza zion Of trains. however the
advantage the road enjoys by reason OF
its low gradient and high motive power
would be done away with For this rea-
son it is understood the road has stood
out 50 strenuOUsiy against the demands
/ OF the men on this question.