The daily sentinel., 1907-10-01

= power ON earth that can avert *
II = strike on the Denver & Rio X
Grande. The operators are X
2 wrought up over the affair ani X
7 are Low waiting for the word" X
= Thus spoke A. H. Wasson. X
z chairman of the grievance COM *
mittee, in Denver yesterday. X
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
There is no question but what the
situation is serious, AID if the D. &
X. e. refuses to re-instate the Grand
Junction operator, all the railroads
of the west may be affected.
The general grievance committee
of the Denver & Rio Grande teleg-
raphers met in Denver yesterday and
conferred with General SuperlLtend-
ent Welby of the road. and asked
him TO re-instate Skeggs. lie re-
fused to do so, but agreed to hold
another conference with the commit
tee today.
In discussing the situation dis
patch from Denver today says:
Should strike be declared on the
Denver & Rio GraLde system, lt will
be only question of few days
until many. and perhaps all, the rail
roads in the west are involved in the
trouble. A strike on the Denver &
Rio Grande would not only cripple
that system. but would also AFFECT
the roads which relay their messages
through the Rio GraLde offices at
Pueblo and Grand Junction. and
which use tracks Jointly with thar
road. The railroads that would be
affected are the Rock Island between
Pueblo and Colorado Springs. the
Missouri Pacific between Pueblo and
Denver, the Colorado & Southern be-
tween Pueblo and Walsenburg, the
Colorado Midland between New Cas-
tie and Grand Junction and the Rio
Grande Junction railway.
President II. B. Perham of the Or
der of Railway Telegraphers is in
st. Louis, but he has delegated A. H.
Wasson as his personal representa-
tive, with power to call a strike ifI
necessary. No vote of the employees
is required before a strike is called
the decision of the committee being
final.
R. II Skeggs. the Grand Junction
operator, over whose discharge the
trouble started, has returned home,
but he will return to Denver if called
bN int lltNdhNt lIlllltts ohbREb
was discharged because he refused
to obey an order to make a test of
Western Union wires in the Office |
where he was employed. He refused |
to leave the service without an in
vestigation, and on last Monday f. f. |
Ewing, chairman at Pueblo, came to |
Denver as the special representative |
of Skeggs at the investigation, which /
ha1 Ia, g,,t
Welby's office.
Upon the conclusion of the inves-
tigation the company decided to
stand by its action in discharging /
Skeggs, and the union Immediately Il
took the matter under advisemeut. II
Skeggs said several days ago, in an
Interview, that the work which he
refused to do was no part of his du-
ties, and he felt that the order was
given because of the company's
friendly feeling toward the Western
Union Telegraph Company. He said
that eighteen months ago he had
protested against testing Western
Union wires, and when the matter
was investigated the company Off
cials sustained him. He had repeat
edly refused since that time to make
a test of those wires, he declared,
but the company made no objection
until he refused the last time.
A. II. Wasson. chairman of the
grievance committee, said last night
that he expected a peaceable settle
ment of the difficulty.
"We have come" said he, ito re-
quest the reinstatement of Skeggs,
and ! believe the company will see
ht TO do so.
"If Skeggs is not re-instated there
is no power on earth that can avert
a strike on the Denver & Rio Grande.
The operators are wrought up over
the affair and are LOW waiting for
he word.
ION our way to Denver. whenever
We were discovered on the train by
The station operators. they shouted
to us not to dare come back II we,
allowed the company to stand by its
action. Their feelings have the best
Of them. They consider the dis
charge of Skeggs unjust and they
will listen to nothing except his re
with full pay for the
lime he has lost.
Il do not want to see a strike be-
,ause Il will mean a great Industrial
Ipheaval. We know what is back OF
ali this trouble and we are prepared
10 meet the issue squarely. do
not think the Denver & Rio Grande
would like to see a strike on its line
md believe an amicable settlement
will be reached"
Although Wasson refused to DIS
MSS the question. It is authoritative
V stated that the chairmen of the
General grievance committees of all
he railroads west Of the Missouri
liver have been requested to meet
he Denver & Rio Grande committee
ire this week The object of this
Meeting cannot be stated with au-
bority. but it is believed hat it is
or the purpose of fixing the duties
If neutral lines in the event OF
itrke.
President Fred w Wasem Of the
Telegraphers union
allied last night on the Denver a kio
jrande committee to talk over me
Until a few years ago
hege organizations were antagonis-
ic but they are now on close terms,
md the day is said to not be far
'emote when they will become anil
ted President Wasem said that
he commercial telegraphers cannot
ose their strike, because they wiil