Omaha daily bee., 1905-07-31
BURLINGTON MEN STILL IDLE
Superintendent Bignell Apparently Absn-
dons Intention to Build Switch.
WHEREABOUTS OF HIS CREW UNKNOWN
Union Pacific Announces that IL Pro-
poses to Put In Ninth street
switch Under the City
Ordinances.

lington railroad after the issuance of the
injunction by Judge Munger Saturday night
about midnight restraining 1t from laying
tracks on Ninth street. large crew of
men was gathered at Lincoln by superin-
tendent Bignell of the Burlington, and
brought to Omaha shortly before midnight
Saturday night for the supposed intention
OF laying tracks on Ninth street. which
privilege was last week granted to the
Union Pacific by the city council.
This action of the council has been hang
ing fire for some time, but the ordinance
was passed at the regular session Tuesday
night and signed by the mayor. The North
western and Burlington were opposed to
the Union Pacific having this concession at
first, but the Northwestern finally with
drew It's objections and stood aside. The
Burlington, however, did not fall into line,
but secretly opposed the scheme. 1t ap-
parently did not propose to make an open
fight
The first move was to line up st. Phllo-
mena parish authorities against the under
taking of the Union Pacific, but the argu-
ments of the church were easily knocked
In the head when once the arguments for
the switch were presented. In the first
place the cathedral will not be used as such
very much longer, for a new building Is
being constructed at Fortieth and Burt and
the construction OF this track will make the
church property that much more valuable.
Bignen Obeyed Court order.
The crew of men from Lincoln arrived in
Omaha to find that Judge Munger had
granted a temporary order, on application
of the Union Pacific, restraining them from
pursuing the work, so Superintendent Big
nell withdrew. II could not be learned on
Sunday where they had been taken but
II was thought in some quarters that they
would be brought back and put to work
in violation of the order This was not
done, however, and everything remains as
it was at midnight Saturday night
The Burlington officials claimed that they
had no intention Of putting in tracks on
Ninth street, but intended to lay tracks
under an old ordinance which gave them
permission to occupy the alley between
Farnam and Harvey west to Twelfth street.
Proposes to Push work.
Orders have been given out to proceed
with preparations for the work with all
possible haste" was the statement made
at Union Pacific headquarters yesterday re-
gardlng the laying Of the tracks by that
road.
Work will begin this week, then?" was
asked.
"Oh, yes, the first of the week; just as
soon, in fact, as it will be possible We
do not intend that a moments time will
be wasted. We secured the right honorably
and fairly from the city council and now
we propose to give to the city the sd-
vantage which these tracks will afford.
We invited the Burlington, as well as the
Northwestern, at the outset. before we sub
mitted the matter to the council. to join
us in this deal. and they refused, and the
Burlington went as far as II could to fight
the ordinance. 1t certainly comes in poor
grace now for that road to take unfair
means OF us"
Cars Placed Across street.
At 1 o'clock this morning an attempt was
made by the Burlington road to stop what
was supposed TO be an attempt by the
Union Pacific company to build a track
along Ninth street from Jones TO Capital
avenue. the right of which was given them
by the city council at last Tuesday nights
session.
The Burlington officials evidently thought
the Union Pacific would try to start the
construction in the hours of the early
morning, and in order to head them off
placed cars across their tracks in the alleys
between Farnam and Harney streets and
between Harney and Howard streets and
on jackson The cars were brought to the
alleys by the switching crew and left there,
blocking the crossing on either side of the
street, leaving only enough space for teams
to pass in the middle of the street. The
police officials were notified of the blockade
and a squad of patrolmen made the Bur-
lington company remove the cars. Four
switchmen of the Burlington were placed
under arrest and when they told that they
were acting under orders from the COM
pany were released.
Yardmaster Robinson of the Burlington
was on hand and directed the proceedings