The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1906-11-15
DEMAND SHARE
OF PROSPERITY
Railroaders on Many Lines Ask Di'
vision Of Huge Proi.s.
STRIKE LOOMS UP ON ERIE

New York, Nov. 1.-THE general
condition CT unrest amCIS working
mcn because of the high cost OF liv.
ing has brought to this citv represen
tatiVes CT several railroad brother
hoods. They are determined to secure
for their members what, they say, is
an increase Of wages commensurate
with the prosperity of which the great
est corporation managers have been
baratinr.
Conferences held were Tor the most
part iutiie and the men are in a re.
Ecl!iC'!3 mood because of the glowing
r2prt,s received from the western
GiI.E5 regions and the statement
made in this city that the steel trust
would probably announce an advance
this week. The 12,0G0 employees of the
mines and smelters in Montana were
announced to have been granted a
wage increase CT 25 cents day start
ing next Thursday, It having been or
GcT@G by H. II. Rogers. of the Amalge
mated Copper company.
This prosperity in the steel trade
increase CT railroad earnings. With
the knowledge that for two years
more the tariff and its highly-protect
ed Industries will be in the hands o.
friends" the railroad brotherhoods
believe they are justified in asking 6
wage increase either directly OF
through shorter hours. with the same
pay scale as at present.
The most Important meeting was
that Of President Underwood of the
Erie, and his nremen. They had beer
turned down by General Manager
Stuart and had then made an appea
direct to the president of the road
He talked with the committee q feN
minutes and then declined to gram
the proposed reduction of working
hours, saying that it meant 10 pei
cent advance for 1900 men. He de
clared they had done wrong to brins
the matter before him after having
seen the general manager, and, fur
thermore, said the roads finances die
not justify the increase.
Grand Master John J. Hannahan, o
the brotherhood OF Railroad Firemen
then said that the men on the road
would be polled to determine whether
Or net there should be a strike. He
insisted that the Erie pays it's firemer
less than any Of the three competing
roads to the west--the Pennsylvania
the New York Central and the Balti
more & Ohio. Members of the com
iGittee who went with him to the con
ference said they thought strike wa:
Imminent.
Grand Master John J. HannahaI
said in speaking of the vote to me
taken along the Erie system as tt
whether a strike shall be declared:
There are 1900 locomotive firemeI
on the Erie in the brotherhood, besides
675 engineers who retain their fire
mems cards and are members of thu
firemen's as well as the engineers
brotherhOods. If the men do not bacl
down | shall sanction a strike and the
men will all quit. The 675 engineers
certainly will quit, too
Grand Chief Stone, of the Brother
hood of Locomotive Engineers, had {
conference with President w. H
Truesdale and Vice President Loomis
of the Delaware. Lackawanna & West
ern railroad, at which other represen
tatives of both campany and engineer.
were present. Afterward Mr.. Stone
said the differences had 6windled t.
one int. but he would not say wha
that is.
Overtures made to the New Yorl
Central and the New York, New Haver
& Hartford railroads by the commit
tee of the Brotherhood OF FiremeI
were reported to be progressing