The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-04-17
Il DID IT ALL"
Mr.. Buckalew Claims Credit for
BOilermakers' Strike.
Machinists' Vice President Came
Here for That Purpose.
THOUGHT ALONG TIME.
Union Not Financially Able to
Withstand Long Strike.
Rumor That Blacksmiths Will
Join the Strikers.
MIR. I'll. U. NUDGE TALKS
He Goes Into Details About the
Strike.
Explains About Coast Work Be-
ing Done Here.
MIR. H. U. NUDGE TALKS
He Goes Into Details About the
Strike.
EXPLAINS About Coast Work Be-
ing Done Here.

J. d. Buckalew. third vice presi-
dent of the International Association
of Machinists, who is one of the lead
ers in charge of and directing the
strike of the union machinists against
the Santa Fe railroad. is in Topeka.
He has been here he says for several
weeks although the public has known
nothing of it.
Mr.. Buckalew claims the credit of
having induced the boilermalSers to
strike on the east end of the Santa
Fe.
"I came here in January for the ex-
press purpose of arranging for the
calling out of the boilermakers. It
was said by some that could not get
the boilermakers out, but it is seen
now that L was successful.
1--WE considered for a long time the
advisability of calling out the boiler
makers. The boilermakers' union is
financially not able to stand a long
drawn out strike like the machinists,
and we hesitated about calling the
men out from a humanitarian stand
point
"The machinists have spent up
wards of S350,000 in the strike against
the Santa Fe during the past year
to stand the financial drain and also
TO help the bOilermakers out if it is
necessary.
The boilermakers viii not go back
to work until all demands are settled
both on the east end and on the coast
lines. The settlement of the demands
of the boilermakers also involves the
settlement of the matters complained
of by the machinists, and If any go
back to work for the Santa Fe, all go
back"
Blacksmiths May Quit
The announcement is now made at the
strike headquarters that unless the de-
mands of the machinists and the boiler
makers are adjusted at once, strike of
the blacksmlths will next be called, and
If that does not bring the company to
the terms proposed by the strikers. it is
asserted the car repairers will then be
called out.
The strikers are pinning great faith
to the effectiveness OF a strike of the
blacksmiths. This move they believe /
viii prove to be the last straw and /
that after that shall have occurred, the /
Santa Fe company will not be able to /
long hold out against them.
Although the Santa Fe officials de- |
clare that they are cognizant of the fact /
that the union bOilermakers who were /
in the employ of the company have
walked out, and that the union men re-
gard the trouble as q strike the rail I
way officials at the same time protest /
that the walkout has not affected the /
work OF the shops, and that all the |
shops are running smoothly in the same /
groove is heretofore, with hardly a rim /
pie to disturb the serenity of the surface /
appearance.
The total number of men employed in |
the boilermaking department of the /
santa Re proper between Chicago and /
Albuquerque is estimated to apDroxi- |
mate 1000 men including skilled boiler
llakeIs, helpers handy men and ap- |
The reports Of the railway officials at |
the various shop points to General Man /
agef H T. Nudge at Topeka indicate /
that lSf men, including boilermakers /
helpers handy men and apprentices, are /
out on the socalled strike.
Nh Nudge Talks.
Today General Manager H tt Arudee
gave reporter for the State journal a I
statement covering the causes and /
eNSHts Whlch led up to the present so /
called strike of the boilermakers:
hen the machinists of the entire /
santa te system went out on a strike /
ADout a year ago." Mr. Nudge said /
1He oollermakers of the shops of the |
santa fe coast lines went out in a |
sympa thetc strike.
John Mcneil was nresidept Of +t
ooIermakers' union at thar time sr7 I
as luhs as MIR. Mcneil was prpsi6enr /
OF the organization the executive com
en- OF lhat union refused to sanction or /
q 1ra7-
Illegal strike. 40 an
The boilermakers of the coast lines
haq an agreement with the con7Dar7Z1 |
and they broke it without having
grievance to go out i'm symDat7y Tyifb I
the machinists. "i'i
Two months ago Mr. Mcneil ,,as
deposed from the presidency of ~
union ana following that action the
strike of the coast lines boilerr9e1-1--r.l
was formally and officially recopni7e5
1ully seven months after the time 49,
strike actually occurred
Two Of the coast lines strikers Y
K. hyler and T. J. Donahue were a.
that time appointed as organizers to
work among the men employed il, +l7s
boiler shop departments of the Va
Tlous shops on the Santa Ne Drooar
belWeen Chicago and Albuquerque
IheSe organizers We're to Continue
their work of organizing the n7eD at
the various points for a period Of
sixty days, with the understandine
that If ct the end of that period if
was thought the men were sufficiently
wen lined up the strike would be
called.
The officials of the railroad com
pany have been fully aware of these
moves and have also known that if
was not intended to organize the men
Ior the purpose of calling q confer
ence to consider any grievance. byt
that 1t was for the avowed purpose of
getting the men ready to be called