The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-10
Demand an Increase I'm Pay Of II
Per Cent. for Passenger and Is
Per Cent. for Freight Service.
TRAINS RUNNING LAST NIGHT
ONLY TWO DIVISIONS OF THE ROAD
AFFECTED so FAR.
Company Employing Nonunionists-
Statements from strike Leaders
and the General Manager.

MERIDIAN, Miss, May AT u o'clock
moor to-day all the conductors. brakemen
and .switchmen on the divisions OF the Mo-
bile & Ohio Railroad between here and
Mobile and Jackson. Tenn. went on strike
for An increase IN wages. 1t is understood
that. all trains in transit before the hour
set for the walkout will be taken to the end
of the division. The strikers demand
raIs4 OF u per cent. for passenger and 10
per cent for freight service. The railroad
had a number OF nonunion men on hand,
and was ready for the beginning of the
struggle. All passenger trains came and
departed as usual to-day. and just before 6
O'Clock "a banana train arrived from the
south and was manned here with a nom
unioh crew and sent on north.
ST: LOUIS. May "a statement to the
public was given out by the employees Of
the Mobile & Ohio Railway as follows:
''Thi:s is official notice that, failing to agree
upon satisfactory wage rates and other
matters governing working conditions,
after several months spent in honest en-
deavpr TO reach middle grounds satisfac-
tory to all, the conductors. brakemen. bag
gage!nen and yardmen employed by the
Mobile & Ohio Railroad voted almost unani-
mOusiy 10 leave the service of the company
unless an increase of 10 per cent. in freight
service, except local freight, and per cent.
Increase for passenger employees was
granted. This offer was made TO the gen.
eral manager at Mobile on April Is, with
the hope that trouble might be avoided. He
replied with a proposal amounting TO about
~ per cent. increase for freight men, local
freight excepted, and So per cent. increase
for passenger men, and refusing TO regulate
the custom OF the running of double-head-
sg4tfgfqCfnTW
Original request of the men was for an in
creasss OF 10 per cent. I'm freight service,
local freight excepted, II per cent. increase
in passenger service and satisfactory ad-
Justn.ent OF yard rates.
The men feel that the company has used
everyi method in order to postpone final set
tlemeslt, thereby causing unnecessary ex-
pense TO them, and as a result all members
OF the Order of Railway Conductors and
Brotherhood OF Railroad Trainmen and
othtrt IN train and yard service employed
by tlgs company have voted and are now
Instructed to leave the service in body.
They will use all honorable means TO make
the strike effective, but must not permit
or allow any act of violence TO be COM
mites. They have a right to peacefully
Withdraw from the service and may honor
ably influence others of their craft to do
likewise. Employees of other companies,
memnCrs OF these organizations, must not
violate their schedules or break faith with
their employers or allow sympathy TO in
tiuenGe them TO become involved in the
trouble.
The, statement is signed by c.. II. Wilkins.
Crane senior conductor or the Order OF
Railway Conductors; w. G.. Lee. first vice
grand master of the Brotherhood OF Rail
way Trainmen.
q. :. Clarke. general manager of the Mo-
bile e Ohio. in a statement given TO the
PUBLIC says that the strike of the men has
come ias a surprise TO the company, and
that she men quit without notice. The
mana cement. according to his statement.
met Committees OF the men last winter
and eranted percentage of increase of
pay. AT the Mobile a Ohio office il is said
that this increase then granted was IA per
cent. passenger men and 5A per cent. to
freigh1. The officers say that not more
than 200 men will be affected by the
strike: IL is said that thus far the passen-
ser starvice has not been interrupted.