The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-14
RAILROAD NEWS.
Great Northern Strike Situation
Less Gloomy.
Opposing Forces Brought To-
gether by Business Men.
MUTUAL CONCESSIONS.
Company Said to Have Made
Satisfactory Propositions.
Further Conferences will Prob
ably Lead to a Settlement.

St. Paul. Mimi, May 14-No strike
has been declared upon the Great
Northern railroad and the affairs have
assumed a much more encouraging
aspect. Negotiations between the com
mittee representing the men and the
officials Of the road. which were broken
of on Tuesday. have been renewed and
ehe outlook is for an amicable settle
ment. Neither side win say what con-
cessions if any have been offered by
che road but that concessions have been
offered and that they are more favor
able than any 50 far made is evidenced
by the fact that the calling of strike
has been deferred until the conference.
The committee Of business men from
st. Paul and Minneapolis that last nighr
secured the consent of the grievance
committee to attempt to bring about an
amicable arrangement of the difficulty
is understood TO be largely responsible
for the happy turn affairs have taken.
They held a conference with tine
grand Officers and the general commit
tee during the morning and part of the
afternoon The demands of the mel
were fully discussed, Messrs. CarretsOn
and Newman representing respectively
the conductors association and the
trainmen's brotherhood, fully explain
ing their side to the controversy. The
stand they take is that all other trans
continental roads have granted the de-
mands made upon them by the unions
with reference to the running of dou-
bleheaders. and that if the Great North
egn is given greater concessions in ref
erence to this matter tnan have been
granted the other roads, the latter Will
charge a breach of faith on the part of
the grand officers The business mems
committee urged the men to refrain if
possible from tying up the road, point
ing out the disastrous effect such a
move would have upon the business in
terests of the northwest, and recon-
mended a spirit of mutual concessions.
Mr.. Garretson. on behalf of the men.
declared that they would not allow any
one to exceed them in yielding, once a
spirit OF yielding was shown by the
He further stated that all prepare
tions had been made for the declaration
of a strike, and that unless some tangii-
Bile offer were made on behalf of the
company looking to concessions Of a
satisfactory character strike would
be declared after 6 o'clock.
After their conference with the men
the business mems committee waited
upon General Manager +. +. Ward and
listened to the cOmpany's side OF the
case. Then a conference was arranged
between the general manager and the
grievance committee, at which members
of the business mems committee were
also present. This conference lasted I'M
til els in the evening, and upon its
brea king UP. Chairman Cooper, of the
business mems committee announced
that Mr.. Garretson had given assur-
ances that no strike would be ordered
last night and that the conference
would be resumed a 10 O'Clock this
morning with every prospect Of a sue
cessful termination.
While all of those who were present
at the conference were extremely retic-
emit it was learned from an authorita-
tive source that concessions satisfac-
tory to the men had been offered by the
road. and that all that remained to be
done was 10 decide upon certain mat
tiers of detail.
What has been the crux 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 doubleheader question would
simply open the door to a demand for
Standardization of trains. The Great
Northern runs only about 3 per cent Of
doubelehaders- but owing to its low
grades and heavy motive power is able
"a haul much longer trains with a sim
gle engine than is any of its COMPETE
tors With Standardization of trains
however, the advantage the road enjoys
by reason of its low gradient and high
motive power would be gone. This it
Is understood, is the reason the road has
stood out so strenuously against the de-
mands of the men on this question.