The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1903-05-22
Asst. Gen. Pass. Agent.

GayOSO last HlSHI Was JOhh u
Beall, assistant general passenger
agent of the Mobile and Ohio rail
road, whose headquarters are at St
Louis.
Mr.. Beall arrived yesterday after
noon from Jackson, Tenn, where
he spent a few hours surveying the
field. When approached by a re.
porter for the Commercial Appeal
in the lobby of the Gayoso, Mr..
Beall showed the proverbial reti-
cence of the railroad official. He
was rather averse to a discussion OF
the issues of the present strike on
the system which he represents.
"What was the status of the sit
uatlon when you left Jackson?' Mr..
Beall was asked.
Il was only at Jackson few
hours" was the reply, ''but during
that time | talked with number of
leading citizens of the place and
found unanim1ty of sentiment in
deploring the violent turn which
was given to the strike on Satur-
day. All was quiet at Jackson.
From what could gather there, no
further violence is apprehended."
1.-The strike has not impaired the
passenger service on any OF the
lines of the company. We have
been able to run our passenger
trains and mail and express trains
without interference. AS many OF
the old employees remained at their
posts we experienced no great diff
fculty in manning these trains.
Yesterday we secured a number OF
men from St. Louis and Chicago, to
send out through freight trains.
Except at Jackson there have been
no acts of violence.
I'm ordering the strike the action
of the unions was precipltate, and
it is believed that many of the older
employees of the company were op-
rosd to this radical procedure. A
number of them have shown their
fidelity to the company and their
belief IN It's good faith by resigning
from the order and remaining at
posts.
RELATIONS WE'RE CORDIAL.
1.-The relations between the Off
Gals and men on the Mobile & Ohio
have always been of the most ami
cable character. This is the first
serious strike in the history of the
road. The officials have invariably
shown the greatest consideration
for the interests of the men, and a
great majority of the employees
were practically raised on the line.
When l entered the service OF the
system l was struck with the cor
dial relations existing between
them, and which continued to exist
until the recent action of the con-
ductors and trainmen. This friend
lv mutual interest was so marked
that it became a sort of proverbia1
saying that the attaches of the NJ T..
& o. appeared as one great family.
General Manager c. S. Clarke,
who has himself risen from the
ranks, is personally acquainted
with fully 95 per cent of the en-
ployes."
Mr.. Beall was asked to outline
the issues between the company
and its employees.
"Well," he answered, rather hes
itatingly, "it began back in April.
The committees from the conduc-
tors and trainmen's unions met
Mr.. Clarke at Mob1l. and made GER
tain demands for revision of rules
of service and pay for overtime.
The changes in the rules of service
and the pay for overtime were
agreed upon, but other demands
touching remuneration were re-
fused. These were concessions
which Mr.. Clarke felt that he could
not in justice to the company grant.
However, he offered a compromise
based upon IS per cent OF the
amount that was asked for. This
proposition was rejected, and the
negotiations ended for the time.
MR.. CLARKE'S ADMISSION.
Several months prior to this,
Mr.. Clarke had announced that on
May s, he, in company with men,
bers of his family, had arranged to