Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1903-05-20

From last weeks OkOlona Sun.
AS time advances in the efforts
OF the management of the Mobile &
Ohio Railroad company to restore
service on their line of road, dis
turbed as it naturally is by all its
brakeman and most of its conduc-
tors quitting work practically
without fair notice, the serious
ness of such indiscretiOn becomes
more manifest. Important towns
along the line of road find that
business in all lines must be dis
rupted, the sensational newspaper
reports are damaging, and it may
be truly said that all are suffering,
and none are being benefited, or
can hope to be. The dispatches
sent out from OkolOna have been
misleading aud detrimental. In
stead of the town being wild and
woody, as some Of the dispatches
intimate, the strikers have dis
played the most rigid decOrum,
and everything has been quiet and
peaceful. No interference has
been offered to prevent the COM
pany from operating its train SER
vice, and as fast as men could be
obtained to take out trains they
have been dispatched and without
accident or unusual incident.
This morning Mr.. JnO. M. Beall,
assistant general passenger agent
OF the road, arrived from st. Louis,
and spent the day here looking
after his departments interests as
it might be affected at this point.
In this connection, we quote, as
evidence of the management's pO-
sitiOn to the present contest an in
terview from MI. Beall, as taken
by the editor Of the Jackson, Ten
nesee, Sun, while MI. Beall was
in that city Wednesday. He said:
0Mr. Clarke views the strike
situation not dispassionately but
without bitterness and with great
regret.
"The officials and employees of
the Mobile & Ohio railroad have
always been like one large family,
and in my connections with
various railroads in different parts
of the United States I have never
before found one where a feeling
of stronger personnel relationship
and regard existed throughout its
whole personnel. Through his
long connection with the NJ. & o.
and working from the bottom to
the top of the ladder, Mr.. Clark is
personally acquainted with almost
every man in the employ Of the
company and feels a deep interest
in the welfare Of each. In April
he met committees from the con-
ductOrs and breakmen and certain
demands then made we're cheer
fully acceded to. There were
others, however, which the inter
ests of the property compelled
him to decline.
Negotiations between the com
mittees and Mr.. Clarke cOntinu.
ed" said MI. Beall, shut during
their progress he was called to
Maryland to meet the other Lying
members of his family on May 6
to renter the remains of his father
and mother. Arrangements for
these sad rites had been made
some four months prior and the
grievance committees had advance
Information Of the date fixed upon.
When Mr.. Clarke reached FEEDER
lex, Maryland, on the morning Of
May 9th, a message from the
heads of the orders of conductors
and trainmen awaited him, to
which he replied as follows;
" 4 found your message of yes
terday, May fifth, awaiting me on
my arrival at eleven.thirty today,
at Frederick, Maryland, with the
remains Of my father and mother,
and accompanied by funeral party
Of family, according to arrange
ments made last January. You
must realize impossibility of my
meeting you on the eighth in st.
Louis, in accordance with your re-
quest and the sorrowful mission l
am on and which all of Us must
perform for those we love is, / am
sure, sufficient reason for your
agreeing to date of May ninth, in
Mobile, where / am compelled to
20 from here on business. I will