The Topeka state journal., 1905-04-18
President of BOilermakers' Says
Strike Isn't Sympathetic.
Denies Flatly Statements of j.
ID. BuckaleW.
VIOLATION CONTRACT.
Claims Santa Fe Broke Agree
ment With Union.
Refused to Give an Audience to
WOrkmen.

William j. GiIthorpe, of Kansas
City, Kan, president of the Brother
hood of Boilermakers and Iron Ship
builders of America, who is directing
the strike of boilermakers fnaugu-
rated on the Santa Fe system a few
days ago, gave out an interview last
night denying the report that the
boilermakers' strike is in sympathy
with the machinists who are striking
on the same road.
1--WE are not striking out Of sympa-
thy with the machinists or anybody
else he said. "Our strike is entirely
independent of the machinists' strike.
and we expect to fight it out or settle
it absolutely Independent of that or
ganizauon.
The bOilermakers' strike is for
breach Of contract with US on the part
of the Santa Fe company. The com
pany is under contract to give audi
ence to committee from our union
at any time the union may desire.
The officials repeatedly refused to
meet our committee or to allow US to
confer with them on matters regard
ing our contract. For this reason the
strike was ordered. It is not true that
we viii refuse settlement until the
machinists have their difficulty set
tied We are not tied to any one or
to any other union, and we do not
need any help from any of the rest
of them.
The company cannot get men in
the country to take the places of our
men, and it viii continually lose mon
ey until our difficulties are settled and
our men are taken back. We can
fight for ten years, but we do not in
tend to do anything but Just stav out
until we can have the terms of our
contract compiled with. No other
unions viii be asked to go out OF to
take any other action out of sympa-
thy for us nor to aid US. We can
do it alone
The Emporia Gazette saws. There is
no danger of a bOilermakers' strike in
Emporla, as there is no union Organiza-
tlon here, and none Of the boilerua keFs
are union men. The result of the strike
mas ugntened the guard system about
the Hin0prla shops and no one IS al
lowed inside the rOundhouse fence .cx-
cept the workmen, and those who have
special passes The fence was built
year ago when the company was hav-
ing trouble with the union rnachinists
That no one may enter the roundhouse
to damage the engines, or try to per
suade the men to strike, a special guard
is maintained both day and night
The Ottawa Herald says. So far the
4lAOFE mas not dItCLEQ Lle DOllerfndk kerS
In Ottawa, as there are no active mem
bers of the union employed in the shops
here No orders to strike have therefore
been sent from union headquarters
There are between forty-five and fifty
men employed in the boiler shops. here.
This includes apprentices, helpers and
handy men.
The Albuquerque Citizen says: The
present walkout does not affect the local
shops OF Albuquerque, any more than
cause a furry of activity about the Cen
tral Labor union headquarters The
local shops are Open shops. Master
Mechanic Hicks was seen this afternoon
and said that there was no doubt but
that the strike had occurred. but he did
not take any stock in the reported
grievance No work has been sent to
the Topeka shops from the local shops,
and there is no prospect Of his having
to send any away.
Quiet On Both Sides.
There is apparently no change in
the strike situation of the union boil
ermakers who were employed by the
Santa Fe railroad.
The strike leaders in Topeka have
no announcements to make TODAY and
nave given out no reports of further
progress IN their fight with the rail-
road company There has been no
violence of any kind manifested at
Topeka. and no reports of trouble of
this character has been received from
the other shop points.
1t is reported that a few more n1en.
have quit work in the Topeka shops.
but this rumor is not substantiated
1t is also rumOred that the company
has put incompetent foreigners at
work in the Topeka shops. This the
company officials deny.
Apparently the strike is at about
the same place it was yesterday. It
would appear that less than $50 from
total of 1000 men employed in the
Dollermaker departments of the vari-
Gus Snops. have gone out on the strike
rms nuna5er of men being absent
from work will hardly make a notice.
able difference in the work of the
shops Tor the present
Viewed in the light of the attitude of
tle oInelals Of the company that thew
DO not consider that there is a STRIKE i,
existence, and the attitude of the boil-
eIlnakels that they will hang out for
years II necessary. would indicate that
the strike win last for considerable
length of time.
General Manager H. u. Nudge is in
ChIcagO today. Tt is said that his trin
to Chicago is not for the burmese ~
conferrlng on the question of strike
E. r. Kyler. grand deputy organizer
OF the boiermakers' union is i'll at his
room at the oxford hotel and is una HE
TO go to the office of the strike leaders
He announces today that he has moth
ing TO give out in regard to the situa-
tiOn.
The Arkansas City Traveller saws
Very little is heard on the streets here
concerning the strike of the boflermaI-
ers on the Santa Fe. The men are saw
ing nothing and so far the work is pro
crossing in the Santa Fe shops ait this
point as usual. a meeting was held
saturday evening at which a couple of
men from Newton We're present.