Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-03-28
BIG RAIL STRIKE
ALMOST CERTAIN
Probable That Conductors and
Trainmen on Western Roads
Will Go Out
NEGOTIATIONS COME TO AN END
Strike Machinery Set in Motion--Movs-
mont Affects $4,000 Mon Operating
on $4,000 Miles Of Traek-eig De-,
fense Fund Rased-ceneraI News .
the Day:

Chicago, March 2S.--RepresentatiyeS
Of the trainmen and conductors
brotherhoods decided today that they
will ignore the proposition of the gem
eral managers Of the railroads looking
to arbitration under the Erdman act,
and voted to persist in their prepara-
tions for a strike. They declare q
walk1out is imminent unless the mar-
ayers make same further CONCESSIONS
Chicago, March 2S.-The most gigan-
tic railway strike in history is to be
called. Forty railway systems, with
trackage of $4,000 miles and an am
nual pay roll of $320,0O0,000, will with
in few days be so completely tied up
that the entire railway business Of the
west and third Of the railway bus
mess of the entire country Will be com-
pletely paralyzed.
I'VE have conceded all that we can"
said the railway managers yesterday
to the representatives Of the union Of
railway conductors and the union Of
railway trainmen.
1--WE can not accept your PROPOSE
tions," returned the employees. II
we should do anything else than to-
call a strike in the face Of the vote
Just cast Of nearly $4,000 men. we
would be misrepresentation Of the
men,"
With these words negotiations which.
have covered period of nearly three
months were abruptly broken OF. There
were no words, no threats, no intima-S
ton OF back down on either side
Each side knows the position OF the
other perfectly and each realizes only
| too well the effect on the busiiscss M
terests of the country at large that Will
follow q strike of such stupendouS
proportions.
1t may be two days or it may be q
week before the strike order will De
issued by P. Fl. Morrissey. grand mas
ter Of the Brotherhood of Railway
rrainmen and A. B. Garretson, grand
chief of the Order Of Railway Conduc-
tors, from their headquarters at tno
Sherman house, for mass OF minor
details must be gone over and arranged
before the final action can be taken.
There is but one thing that can avert
the strike and that is the backdown OF
| the committee of general managers
from the position they have assumed
land an offer from them of better con-.
cessions.'
Following the breaking off of nego-
| tiations after a four-hour conference
at the Auditorium the 1876 representa-
tives of the employees went into session
at the Sherman house and voted tnar
strike be called. The date for the
calling out Of the men will he set a0
another meeting to be held today.
1t is lust possible that the declsi0n
may be reached to only tie up some
one large system as practical demon
stration of what can be accomplished
and thus avert the disastrous enect
upon business in general tnat woulU
follow a general tieup.
The men realize they have the rail-
| way interests in a corner and VIII un-
| doubtedly make the most OF the oppor-
tunity. No one road will be permitted
| to make a settlement with It's em-
Moves. All must be treated alike ana
a. settlement of all on the same basis -
| determined upon.
Yesterday when the conference was
called the employees presented to the
general managers the returns OF the
kstrike vote taken among the men OF the
two big organizations The vote showed
| that 97h per cent Of the trainmen ana
90 per cent Of the conductors had re-
Itected the proposition Of Z and 10
ner cent increase and authorized their
| "a col ct
| ter concessions could not be gained.
The managers committee. thru its
chairman. ]. G. Rawn, Woe president
of the Illinois Central told the mem
that no further concession would BE-
made. He said that the conditions OF
the stock market would not warf1nbJ
any further concession.
eIf we knew a month ago what We
do today regarding the slump in rail-
way stocks" declared Mr.. Rawn, I'VE
would not have made as good an offer
as we have. We can go no further
The men then insisted on their modf-
fed demand OF fiat IL per cent IN
crease. which was met with a propo-
sition to leave the entire matter to
| arbitration. This was promptly re-
iected by the men. who had voted Sun
day night that the time for arbitratfon
had passed and the conference closed.
BY agreement the managers left the
question Of making the situation public
to Mr.. Morrissey, and when Mr.. Rawn
was later called upon for Sstat nent
from the railway point OF view ne de-
clared they had nc, statement to make.
| Grand Master Morrissey said that q
i strike was certai,i.
Il : 4
m'DoNAL1 INDICTED.