The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-03-04
WABASH MEN OUTWITTRD
IN INJUNCTION RESTRAINING
THEM FROM STRIKING.

Sweeping I'm Its Character but Only
Ttmporary-May be DissoI Ved at Amy
Ttms-BroGherhood of Locomotive
Engineers WiII Give support to the
Men in Case of Trouble.
st. Louis. March 3.-An injunction
granted by Judge Adams of the United
States district court prevented the cul-
Inination to-day of the threatened
strike of the LOO firemen and trainmen
of the Wabash railroad for higher
wages. AS the result of the poll during
the past week among the employees over
the question Of striking in case Presi-
dent Ramsey ultimately should refuse
to grant the demanded wage concession
on the Wabash east Of the Mississippi
river the engineers and conductors re-
fused to participate in strike, but the
firemen and trainmen favored it en-
phatically. Their committees yesterday
notified President Ramsey that he
would be given until noon to-day to
grant their demands. If by that time
he still refused a strike would be i'm
mediately called.
President Ramsey this afternoon re-
quested little more time and the two
committees granted him until o'clock
to make a final reply. Before the al
lotted time had expired President Ram
sey had secured a restraining order
from the court and it had been served
on all the officials of all the orders and
members of the grievance committees.
The injunction was a most sweeping in
strument 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 refrain
from in any way or manner ordering,
coercing, persuading, inducing or other
wise causing, directly or Indirectly, the
employees of the said The Wabash Rail-
way company to strike or quit the SER
vice os said company"
This injunction, while temporary,
may be dissolved at any time by those
named, in it appearing in court and
showing cause. Chiefs Shanahan and
Lee called meeting for conference
on the new phase of the situation.
Several of the leaders named in the
81
copies Of the writs. It was the plan for
these men to9avoid being served so that
they might order the strike, if neces-
sary, without violating the federal
courts order
Grand Chief P. M. Arthur, of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers,
said when asked about the situation:
ut is a fact that there are number
of conductors in the Trainmen's organ
ization and a number of engineers in
the Firemen's organization, and it is
fair to presume that the Brotherhood Of
Locomotive Engineers, in case of a
strike, will give the firemen and train
men at least moral support"
After considering the demands set
forth in the letter sent him by the COM
mittees representing the Wabash
Trainmen and Firenen this afternoon,
President Ramsey early this evening
made reply in letter of considerable
length. Regarding the firemen's de-
mands he said:
1--WE now pay higher rates for firing
our engines than nearly all other roads.
In this connection I would remind you
4lo& q
last, were for $40 per 100 miles on
heavy engines, and T gave you $3.50 in
our December LIST schedule, posted De-
cember 5, and on December 10 you
were raised to $3.50. The classification
of engines will stand on $3.50 and $3.50
rate until we find other lines paying
more for engines of same weights. The
demand is declined.
You now demand 10 per cent in
crease for all firemen on the Buffalo
division lin Canada). This is an alb
solutely new demand and was not vot-
ed on by the employees. can consider
no advance on the Buffalo division, ex-
cept in comparison with rates paid by
lines in that territory. We now pay
the same as the Grand Trunk railway,
whose tracks we run our trains over.
The demand is declined, subject to COM
parson as above"
Mr.. Ramsey reiterated that the de-
mands of 12 per cent increase for pas
senger men and Is per cent. for freight
men would not be considered east Of
the Mississippi until competitive roads
should make such advances above
present Wabash rates.
Regarding the demand for double
pay for double headers, or their abol-
ishment, Mr.. Ramsey said:
ut is our policy not to run double
headers, except in emergencies. I
must decline to do more in this item
than to say we will discourage double
heading as much as possible"
In conclusion the letter stated:
I'm my office, on January 20, Messrs.
Hannahan and Lee admitted that the
rates of pay, rules and regulations of
the Wabash company were as fair and
in many cases fairer to the men than
on other roads, only in some minor
points being out of line. When they
are not as fair as those of our COM
petitive lines we will correct theln.''
After sending this reply to the COM
mittees Mr. Ramsey waited in his Office
until $50 o'clock, half hour after the
time specified for the strike to be in
augurated, in case of his unfavorable
decision, and not receiving any further