The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-02-01
THEIR MINDS
ARE MADE UP
Shopmen Waiting For Instruc.
tons to Walk Out.
JOINT TRACK ORDER is OFF
SHORT LINE MAN GOES TO
PORTLAND.

No word was received in the city
yesterday from headquarters by the
boilermakers and machinists OF the
Oregon Short Line, although they ex-
pected to hear from Omaha. There
was a sentiment that the men would
not go out, but this hope is disappoint-
ed by the men themselves, who took
a vote upon the question about n week
ago. None of the high officials Of
the road has returned to the city, al
though General superintendent Calvin
and Motive Superintendent Dunn are
expected today.
SUPERINTENDENT Henderson and Mas
ter Mechanic Tollerton did not look
for any trouble among the men here.
The force in the boiler and machine
shops is small and the officials did not
think the men would go out. Mr.. Toll
lertOn who is in close touch with the
employees. said that he had had no ex-
preston from the men as to their in
tentions. An official of the road said
yesterday:
The men have no reason to go out.
They have nothing to gain by such
action. They are working by the week
and they have always been granted
any demands made by the company. 1
think they saw enough of the workings
of the strike of 1894 to convince them
that there is nothing to be gained by
a sympathetic action. The men here
have no grievance, they are getting
good wages and it would be an I'M
wise act TO enter into a purely sympa-
thetic strike
Fear Contract System.
The men seem to look at the matter
in a different light. They believe that
unless the Omaha strike is won by the
men that the contract system of work.
ing may be introduced on the other
branches of the Hartman lines, This
is the bone of contention and the men
do not appear to look with favor upon
the piecework system.
one of the boilermakers said yester-
day that the matter had been carefully
weighed from all sides and that they
were ready to carry out the wishes of
the Omaha leaders and walk out The
matter has been thoroughly discussed
in anticipation of such a crisis as now
appears.
The effect upon the operating de-
partment. it must be admitted, would
be serious il the shopmen in this city
and Pocatello walk out. The road has
several hundred locomotives to keep in
repair and. Notwithstanding the inn
provements to its shops, has not been
able TO catch up with the work on
hand although the men have been
working over hours. In many cases
they have been forced to rob one en-
CINE to supply parts for another.
Support For Strikers.
A Rio Grande boilermaker said yes
terday that there are 5000 men in the
union from whom the strikers will
draw support. The unions all over the
country have been contributing to the
strike fund for the Omaha shopmen
If the trouble goes far enough it can
be carried to a point where every boil
ermaker in the country would be called
ont. The effect Of this would be to prac-
tically tie up every road in the United
States.
This is just where the thing is drift
ing to-" said one of the railroad en-
ployes. and before this question is set
tied it may be done. ] do not want to
see things go 20 that extreme. but when
these troubles spread there is no tell
ing where they are liable to end
The Rio Grande men sent a request
for an increase to the officials at Den
yer several weeks ago. ana the matter
is still under consideration. The mat
ter has since passed into the hands of
the board of adjudication at st. Louis
and the shOpmen are awaiting patiently
the result of the deliberations of that
body What the result will be in case
the request of the men is not complied
with is yet speculative. The company
is anxious to avert trouble, and the
conservative woFkmen hope that the
difficulty win be satisfactorily adjusted
without making it necessary for the
men to consider the question of resort
ing To extreme measures.