Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-10-23
Take Strikers' Places.

Take Strikers Places.
A dispatch from Spencer, n: o, says
that the first detachment OF strike break
ers was distributed by the Southern Rail
WAY system yesterday. Two carloadl
reached Spencer yesterday morning and
promptly began work. Three addition
al carloads were carried to Atlanta anC
other p,,ints South. The machinist
were brought from Baltimore, Philadel'
phia and New York, and have beer
ready for service for ten days. All o
the men are being housed and boardet
in Que shop building, where commodiou'
.commisssry departments have been titte'
mn. Another detachment OF nearly
1000 mschinists is expected 10 be dis
sributed over this system within the mex
week. Negotiations for settlement o.
the strike by arbitration have been de-
clsred of
Disoatches from Richmond say that
strike. breakers are being distributed tc
the various machine shops of the South
ern Railway. Some of the shops are
nov reporte I to have from ten to twenty
men At work in the places of the strik'
ing machinists. Others have only foul
or FIVE st present, but it is said that Of
1icisls of the company propose to have
the chops working in full force by The
end OF the present week.
James O'CoDnell, president OF the To-
tenational Association OF Machlnlsts, 10
an interview in Washington last night
said "None of the men has returned to
work, nor will they do so until their de-
mands are granted. We still hope thai
there will be an smicable adjustment 81
the existing differences.
At the general offices of the Southern
Railway in Washington, yesterday, II
was said that arrangements are being
nade to fill the places OF the striking
machinists, who number over 500. The
railroad people express the belief that
they will be able to SECURE the services
of enough men TO carry on the york re-
ouired to keep the rolling stock in hrstv
class condition. Negotiations toward a
settlement of the strike are temporarily
off, but the representatives of the strlk-
ers say that they are ready to treat with
the railway officials in an effort to ADJUST
the matter.
General Manager Spencer, of the
Southern Railway, made public yester-
day his correspondence with the striking
machinists. In rejecting the request for
increased pay Mr.. Spencer says that the
increased expenses Of the company are
over and above receipts for the past sew
eral months, and that on this account ne
ia unable 10 consider further increase
IN operating expenses at this time Mr..
Spencer. nevertheless, offers an increase
as a compromise, but not as much rs
what the strikers are demanding. The
mep ask for q uniform increase OF cents
an hour and cent for apprentices, to-
gether with shorter hours.
The officials If the railway in this
city say that it is their intention to place
men in the shops here, and, should it be
found necessary, they will be cared for
by the company, as is being done In
other places in the South. They also
saw that by taking this action no feeling
is being manfeated in the matter and
that any former employee who may ask
for reinstatement will be employed by
the company. The officials, however,
realize that the rolling stock must be
kept 10 proper condition, and that 1t is
necessary to have suitable force OF
mechanics for this purpose at different
points on the system. While they are
ready to welcome all former employees,
should the latter refuse to resume work,
the company says they will be forced to
put other men in the shops. The COM
pany repeats the statement made on the
9Th instant to the effect that it will be
impossible to grant the demands made
by the men at this time.
The following circular was sent out
by General Manager Spencer last Friday;
Washington, d. c., October 18th, 1906.
The Mechanical Department:
Following my circular to the machinists OF
the Sth instant the committee representing
the maehinists called on me yesterday, the
18th instant and demanded a general in
crease of two cents per hour for mechanics
and one cent for apprentices. The company
does not feel that this demand is reasonable
and cannot grant it 1t had previously been
agreed that the exiting rules and regulations
for the government Of machinists and ma
chinists' apprentices we're acceptable; there
upon the following proposition was maze the
committee: That the machinists at shop at
once declare the pending strike of and re-
turn to work in the cOmpauy's shops at the
advanced rates shown in my circular of the
18th instant aud thereupon the following
question be submitted 10 arbitration namely:
What basis, not less than the offer of the
company contained in my circular above
mentioned of the Sth instant and not move
than the said demands of the machinists,
should under all circumstances surrounding
the company and machinists, he adopted as
the wa, e scale to be be paid by the company
10 the maehinists. The men to choose one
arbitrator. the company one, and these two
10 select third, the decision Of the majority
of these arbitrator TO be final and to govern
the wage scale for the period Of years each
party to pay one half Of the cost Of arbitra-
tration. H. b. SPENCER,
General Manager.
The RequisitiOn for Wright.