Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-08
DENY STORY ABOUT STRIKE
Conductors and Trainmen's Representative
Contradict Briggs st'ry.
ASSERT NO MEETING WAS HELD FRIDAY
Committee at This Point waiting 60
Hear Results obtained from Com
ference with Gould Lines
at 81. Louis.

J. r. Murphy, chairman Of the Union Pa
cihc general committee OF the Brotherhood
OF Railway Trainmen. and J. J. Rhoades.
secretary Of the Union Pacific general COM
mlttee OF the order OF Railway Conductors,
state that no joint meeting Of the Union
Pacific and B.. g. NJ. general committees OF
those organizations was held Friday, thes
there is no B. g. NJ. general committee Of
those orders IN Omaha, thai o. e. Briggs
was not secretary OF such a meeting and
that there was no vote on any proposition
to strike on those two roads.
Yesterday o. z. Briggs asserted that be
acted as secretary Of a joint meeting Of the
general committees OF the order of Railway
Conductors and the Brotherhood Of Rail
way Trsinmen in room 81 OF the Dellone
hotel Friday afternoon, and at that meeting
It was once voted fatty to strike within
forty-eight hours unless the 20 per cent
wage increase demands we're granted. A
few minutes later, said Briggs, this action
was reconsidered. and after a hot debate
it was to leave the matter still
10 the arbitration In progress at st. Louis.
Messrs. Murphy and Rhoades. who speak
with authority, informed The Bee last night
that Mr.. Briggs was not connected with
their committees in any way and that his
statement has no foundation In fact.
Fifty-TwO Roads Involved.
To the Corn Belt, the Missouri Pacific,
the st. Louis & San Francisco and the
Missouri, Kansas & Texas roads the de-
mand on the part OF the conductors and
trainmen Of hfty-two roads was left for
settlement. The hfty-two cover all terri
tory west and south of Chicago, including
the Illinois Central southern lines, extend
ing then north to the Duluth, South Shore
e. Atlantic, west to the Pacific coast and
south TO the Gulf OF Mexico. When the
movement Tor higher wages was started o
general committee Of conductors and train.
men from every road waited upon each
general manager, but later 1t was decided
TO abide by the results accomplished with
the Gould lines.
After being in conference since January
6 these four committees finally, on las
Thursday, submitted an ultimatum to the
four Gould lines. This was that freigh'
train wages should be raised Is per cen
and passenger IL per cent, and tina.
double-headers should be run on no trsir
heavier than one engines rating. Thii
latter condition is simply equivalent t.
barring doubIe -headers altogether, for Il
is wasting an engine to add it to a trair
that needs but one.
Other Roads Give Increase.
ST. LOUIS, Feb. IA conference is be.
ing held today between the ~oficials OF thu
Missouri Pacific and A. B. Garretson. as
sistant grand chief Of the Order Of Rail
way Conductors, and P. II. Morrissey. gran,
master OF the Brotherhood of Railwa,
Trainmen.
II is reported that the ~oficials Of tina
road have decided to allow the same in
crease conceded by the Missouri, Kansas 1
Texas, and that its example will be fol
lowed by the st. Louis & Southwestern
Cotton Belt) and the St. Louis & Sal
Francisco.
The conference began at 10 o'clock an
at 1 o'clock was still In session. At tina
time It was said that several hours NOR
would be necessary before a conclusion wa
reached, and 1t may extend into a nigh
session. The meeting Is said to be entirel
harmonious.