The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-03
WABASH TRAINMEN MAY STRIKE
Continued From Page One.


| that in case 4 general walk-out should TAX
; place among the switchmen and yardmen o
| the western and eastern divisions, me,
| will be hand to take their places an,
! traffic will be practically unimpaired.
| The number of men who will obey strike
| orders Is -ariously estimated.
! The engineers AMI conductors have in
! timated that under TO condition would they
! join the strike but it is generally believed
| that if the strike continues for any length
of time not only will the conductors and en-
| gineers of the Wabash go out. but the en-
ployes of other systems in Wabash territory
Will be ordered out.
The division points on the Wabash arc
St Louis. East St. Louis. Chicago, De-
catur. Springfield. Moberly. Danvi,le. Peru
Ashley. Montpelier. Toledo ard Kansas
City. At these points the Wabash has yards
and is dependent upon the yardmen and
switchmen for the rapid and efficient Gis-
position Of its trains.
PASSENGER SITUATION
CAUSES LEAST TROUBLE
The passenger situation seems to be tie
least point of trouble. 1t is generally be-
lieved that the collectors employed to assist
the conductors will be pressed into service
to fill the places made vacant by the strik-
Ing brakemen. but as freight trains have
no collectors. II will be necessary to have
new men to fill their places In case a strike
should be declared.
In fact the freight situation Is said to be
the only phase OF the trouble which has a
serious outlook. but that is said to be e.
most grave enough to be a matter of ma
tional importance
For some time the Chicago, st. Louis and
Eastern lines have been forced to declare
embargocs on commodities received from,
other lines. as well shipments, and in
occasional instances. on their own lines as
a result of the almost unparalleled blockade
which has existed in their yards.
The loss OF another outlet of the impor-
tance OF the Wabash would serve to in
crease the bIockades. add to the overbur-
dened trains of the lines. and increase the
traffic congestion 10 a point which would
break down the motive power and In a
measure tie up the other systems
Discussing the situation. railroad Of
fetal said: President Ramsey has been
placed in difficult position. 1t Is believed
what is done on the Wabash will be done
on other lines, and that ultimately the
same demands will be made on roads in the
Wabash territory.
WABASH HAS BEEN
SOMEWHAT ANTAGONISTIC.
1.-The Wabash has for a long time been to
certain extent antagonstic to the railway
organizations, and 1t will not surprise us II
every effort will be made to win IL there is
a strike.
1T is believed that In case the Wabash
proves TO strong for the orders the
members OF the orders on other roads Will
be called out. and a general strike will re-
suit, the effect OF which In loss to property
and probably life cannot be estimated
THE Order of Trainmen and Ffremen has
fund Of nearly n million dollars to he
used in case of a strike. II the system
should hold out until this fund is exhaust
ed. the men will become desperate and NAV
order a strike in the other lines.
"Candidly. this is what we fear the most
and what tends to make the situation ex-
ceedingiy serious.
IN all my railroad experience I cannot
recall a time when a strike would have
proven as disastrous to the general pos
perity as now.
whether the Wabash can run its trains
il the men go out. do not know. but 1 do
believe that whether 1t can or cannot run
them, the result CT strike will be far
reaching and costly"
A dispatch was sent by the committees Of
the trainmen and conductors to George /
Gould yesterday, but at a late hour no an
swer had been received. The telegram con-
tanned in substance the notification that
had been sent Mr.. Ramsey
1t is said that Mr. Gould has left the con-
duct OF the matter entirely with Mr.. Ram
sey.
Exclusive Of the Buffalo division. which
is net affected by the present troubles. the
Wabash has mileage of 2,a0s
Its position is different from other sys-
TENS. iDasmuch 1t has divisions east and
west of the Mississippi River.
The demands of the trainren Is for an
increase of Is per cent for freight brake
men and Il per cent for passenger brake
men. the increase to apply over the entire
system.
Recently President Ramsey granted the
Increase over the January. 1902. schedule for
the trainmen west of the Mississippi. but
refused the compromise demand of the
committees that the increase be granted for
the lines west Of line drawn through Dar-
vile. and Chicago.
Upon this refusal the road was polled by
the conductors as well as the trainmen for
the demand to be enforced over the entire
system.
1t is stated that though the demand of
the firemen. which was for a change in
their schedule and not for wage increase.
was granted, the firemen notified President
Ramsey that they had agreed TO 20 o,It n
the trainmens demands were not granted
or COMPROMISED.
At late hour last night President Ram
sey in an interview, said:
"Messrs. Lee. Hannahan and Wilkins. in |
the presence of the committees Friday |
two weeks ago. assented practically to have
the dividing line at the Mississippi River !
provided the Wabash employees west of the |
river were granted the increase
THE committees returned to ST. Louis on |
all in favor of the dividing line at !
the river. except two. who were Western /
men. and had received instructions not to
accept any proposition except that which /
would include Illinois.
Kentucky Political Pot Boils.