The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-04-15

A settlement has been reached be-
tween the Northern Pacific officials
and the trainmen.
BY the agreement signed late yester-
day afternoon the company grants
all the demands made by the men, in
Guiding the abolition of double-header
trains
Other concessions granted to the
men are an advance of 10 per cent in
wages to freight trainmen; II per cent
increase to passenger brakemen and
conductors and the establishment of
the new Chicago scale for yardmen,
which is an increase of one-half a cent
an hour over the st. Paul schedule.
The settlement was reached when it
locked as if all negotiations between
the men and the company were about
to be declared off. However, after
further consideration of the question,
the Northern Pacific officials offered
the settlement on the basis above
stated. The company's proposition
was at once accepted by the men.
AT no time during the four months
that the committee of trainmen and
Northern Pacific officials have been in
conference has the wage question been
at issue. From the start the company
was willing to grant the advances in
wages asked by the men, but it was
Ioath to abolish the double header
train system.
Double Header the Issue.
However the double header matter
was the paramount issue with the men,
and for several weeks they have argued
no other question with the officials.
Monday the Northern Pacific sent what
was termed an ultimatum to the train
men committee, refusing to do away
with the helper system. At once the
men declared all further negotiations at
close, contending that they could en-
tertain no proposition that would not
include the abolition of double head
ers.
In the reply that the committee for
Warded to the company it was stated
that the members of the committee
would remain in the city until Wednes-
day evening, and if no agreement was
reached by that time they would aban-
don hopes for an amicable settlement.
1t was also stated that the next move
of the men would be TO poll the road to
ascertain the position of the employees
regarding the refusal of the company to
accede TO the committees demands.
RumorS that strike was brewing
were rife and rather than have any Sc
rlous labor trouble with their men, the
officials yesterday decided to yield a
point and abolish the double header
system on all lines, except the Yellow
stone and Rocky Mountain divisions.
Even on those divisions, the use of the
helper engines is restricted to tonnage
Fifteen minutes after the company
made known to the men that it would
abolish double headers, the agreement
was signed. All other concessions had
been granted
h.
settlement was effected, was called for
o'clock yesterday afternoon, but it
was not until late last night that the
announcement of the agreement was
made.
Benefits 1900 Employees.
More than 1900 Northern Pacific en-
ployes are benefited by the increase in
wages and other concessions granted.
The negotiations were conducted on the
part of the men by a large committee,
of which j. w. B. Johnson, of Tacoma.
Wash, was chairman. General Man
ager Cooper represented the Northern
Pacific.
A. b. Garretson, who was one of the
trainmen prominent in bringing about
the settlement, said last night that the
agreement signed yesterday afternoon
was in all particulars satisfactory to
the men.
we have been granted all the con-
cessions we have asked" said he. 'and
that is all we can expect. There are
few details to be arranged, then
We will disband after four months of
hard work"
General Manager Cooper and other
Northern Pacific officials declined to
discuss the settlement last night. They
would neither deny or confirm the
announcement that an agreement had
been reached.
From an authoritative source it was
learned last night that the outcome
of the Northern Pacific negotiations
means that the Great Northern and
possibly the Omaha will at once make
q similar settlement with their train
men. 1t was said that the two roads
were holding off from signing an
agreement to await the action of the
Northern Pacific
Trainmen representing both the
omaha and Great Northern when seen
last night declared that the DISPOSE
ton of the Northern Pacific train
men case would mean a similar SET
tlement of the labor troubles on their
roads.
The committee of Northern Pacific
trainmen has been in session since
Jan. b. Conferences with the COM
pany's officials have been held at req
ular intervals since the committee con-
vened.