The Minneapolis journal., 1905-08-03
MANY INTERESTS
FEEL THE STRAIN
Merchants, Farmers, stockmen
and Miners Somewhat Ham
pered by Delays.
BOTH SIDES DECLARE
THEY ARE GAINING
Agents Now Held to Account by
Bonding Company-Per-
hams Offer.

Railroad managers and strike maj
ayers connected with the strike of the
railway telegraphers on the Great
Northern and Northern Pacific, assert
today that they are satisfied. The Of
icials of the roads declare that the,
strike is broken on it's second day and
that their business is proceeding as
for the strikers, says the strike has just
begun.
1T will take until Aug. for the full
effect Of the strike to be felt,'' said he
today. "By that time the business
which today may seem to be proceeding
fairly smoothly will become demoralized
owing to the impossibility Of communi-
cation and the inability of the central
officials to strengthen tangles that will
the high officials to find that they are
face to face with critical situation
and that they are dealing with lot of
determined organized men and not a lot
The Point at Issue.
"The differences existing between
the Order of Railway Telegraphers and
the Great Northern and Northern Pa
cific railways are now narrowed down
TO matter OF wages said Mr.. Per-
ham today. "With payments for ex-
ira Sunday work and increase in ths
minimum wage scale granted, we will
waive all other disputed questions.
We Will never submit to the sched-
ule offered by the railroads when par
ties Of ,sicials went out to intimidate
individual operators. That schedule
practically binds. each to continual serv-
Ice for the railroads, giving it the right
to discharge at any time, but not al
lowing the operators equal privileges
IN the matter Of resigning. I had
hoped for peaceful settlement, but my
hands were forced and now it is fight
to the fnish.''
Hold Agents to Account.
A new feature Of the fight came to
light today and threatened to precipi.
tate trouble. The bonding company
which assumes responsibility for the
, agents of the railroads issued cireu.
Tar letter to each agent yesterday, call
ing attention to his responsibility un.
. attend to business until formally
checked out by the company and until
they had receipts for property in theii
hands. This was taken at the strike
headquarters as move On the part OF
| the bond company to- assist the rail.
road by intimidating the strikers. A
representative Of the bond company ex.
| planned that nothing Of the sort was
intended, and that the company merely
ing liable to the railroads for loss by
negligence. A conference over the mat.
| ter wa, called for this afternoon.
At tie general offices Of the Great
Northern and Northern Pacific, officials
asserted with all confidence that they
were still operating and with little diff
ticulty: 1t was admitted, tho, that all
local freig ght was taken after prepay
ment of charges only, and that perish
able freights were being refused. Re-
frlgerator cars are operating only be-
tween large cities where there are
freight crews to care for them. Passen-
ger trains on both lines are very nearly
on time as far as heard from.
AT the Northern Pacific office reports
of wrecks were vigorously denied. Pas
senger officials Of both roads expect
little change in the amount of western
travel. Traffic in this direction has
been heavy and heavy eastern move
ment IS expected soon. They claim that
they already have the situation suffi-
GENTLY in hand to care for it.
Don't Fear Strike Breakers.
President Perham, the man behind
the movement that has crippled the two
great transcontinental inets, is appar.
emily as satisfied as if the strike were
iwon. Reports Of breakers shipped
from Chicago and other points do not
worry him. AS wire announcing the
shipment. of twenty-five breakers over
the Burlington from Chicago was re.
ceived today, he said:
The more men they send here tho
better for us. In this particular lot
there are seven machinists and six boil
ernlakers. The few operators in ths
party are buns, drunkards, whose ire
4 sponslb1l1ty will soon make itself ap-
i parent: Laborers and men with trades
aer taking advantage of the chance to
get to tn etwin cities and are represent
ing themselves as telegraphers. -
When asked how he communicated
with his men since the removal Of all
instruments, he said: "The men are
centered at places where wires are open
and others so located that they cannot
/ get away, l reach by mail in places
where the instruments are out. -
l Directing the Strike.
4 At the headquarters in st. Paul, Pres
ident Perham and Vice President New
man are in charge with force of about
| twelve people, including the two griev-
ance committees of four each. The gen
efal OInceS at OG. LOUIS, WITH thirty.
two employees, are working in connec-
tion with the st. Paul office. Circular
letters and orders prepared by Presi.
dent Perham are prepared and sent out
| to members all over the country, al
, well as those affected by the present
strike. Commercial telegraphers are
also being circularized.
Isolating the Strikers.
From st. Paul to the terminus Of thl
great lines of the Northern Pacific and
Great Northern on the western coast
wire-cutters in the hands Of the rail
! way superintendent an dother officer
are busy completing the destruction o1
means of communication between thu
cities. The private cars draw up at 1
station; the telegraphers are asked
whether they intend to accept the termi
of the roads. If they answer g No,
! the wires are cut without further dc
lay, and, If the station is small one
! it is locked Immediately.
: Altho no explanations are made by
: the railways for the cutting of the
/