New-York tribune., 1906-11-12
EXPECTS ERIE STRIKE.
HANN4H4N SO DECLARES.
Trouble blight Be 4verted If Roads
Join IN Concessions.

The corridors of the Broadway Central Hotel
were filled all yesterday with members OF the
various railroad committees of f1remen, engineers
and others who have made demands or are to
make demands on the railroad companies
These committees had several conferences
among themselves during the day to prepare
their schedules
Grand Chief Hannahau Of the Brotherhood of
Railroad Fremen was away from the hotel th=
greater part Of the day. When seen last night,
after his return he said that he was pretty con-
fdent that the general vote which is being polIed
along the Erie system on the question of a
strike Of the fremen would result in the COM
mtttee being sustained by an overwhelming
vote which would mean vote for strike He
continued:
As far as this end of the line is concerned.
my observations lead 10 the confident belief
that the vote for strike will be unanimous.
1t is not customary to make public in advance
when poll Is be taken on the question of a
strike, but we thought il right and fair that
shippers and others whose interests would be
affected should be prepared for what may hap
pen We have done best to gain our de-
mands amicably. and not looking for
trouble.
He said, further, that committees Of the
trainmen and fremen have gone to Pittsburg to
ask for an advance in wages the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad Company's lines west of Pitts
burg The men employed on those lines We're
paid very low wages. he declared,
"T have sent a representative to take charge of
affairs there for the fremen' he said, "and a
representative of the trainmen's brotherhood
understand has also been sent. They will likely
make the demands at once
Some of the members Of the Firemens Broth
erhood said that the wages of the men the
Erie lines we're reduced in 1917 and have not
been brought up TO the old figures since. 1t was
stated. on good authority. that the marine engi-
neers on the tugs and ferryboats of the Erie
Railroad Company have appointed a committee
to make demands for an advance of $40 a month.
Grand Chief Stone of the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Engineers, and Assistant Grand
Chief Hurley We're at the Broadway Central
Hotel yesterday and attended a meeting of the
adiustmen. committee of the engineers Of the
New York Central and the New Haven rail-
roads whore demands were formulated The
engineers refer to the demands as requests
.Tbe men want q agreement on these
roads involving a shorter workday and an in
crease in wages" said Assistant Grand Master
Hurley after the meeting. We will want both
and the men I may say, on all the lines are en-
titled to an increase in wages in view Of the
general tendency all over the country to increase
wages"
He said that the engineers We're not Ioolliu.,
for trouble. and he thought that The companies
might meet the men half way. when the ques-
tion was put to him If, in case the fremen the
Erie system went on strike and non-union fire.
men were put in their places. the engineers
would work with tho non-union men, he replied
that the engineers had a contract and would
live up to the contract. They would have their
own adjustment committees. Irrespective Of the
other branches Of the service. he said. and
added:
We have had non-uniou engineers right along
at least. all the engineers not in the union
as many in the union as possible. hut
| there are some the union would take in
The engineers are conservative but consider
that they entitled 40 higher wages in view
of the increased cost of living just much as
the men in othsr ayocations.
The question OF The frnme1 who had become
engineers on the Erie RaiInid. but still held
hrer3cu's cards. ne had not considered. He sup
posed those men would go cut if there was a
strike.
Members os the adjustment committees Of sey-
eraI of the roads said that TIE time given fer
! the granting Of the demands OF the men on
forty-seyen railroads running into Chicago from
tho West expired yesterday. The companies
however were entitled thirty davs' noti, G
before anything done. The engineers. gen
orally at the Broadway Ceu-ral did not talk
strike One Of them said that if the companies
all granted fiat advance ef 10 per cent i,
would be satisfactory.