Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1908-08-13
RAILWAY T|[-UP G. :.
IS ON IN CANADE
From Coast to Coast Men on
Canadian Pacific Road Lay
Down Their Tools.
Will FIGHT TO A FINISH.
Movement of Crops Will Be Seriously
Affected-S,OO0 Men Are Re.
ported on Strike.
Will FIGHT TO A FINISH.

Montreal, Aug. Z. The Canadian
Pacific railway has on its hands the
biggest strike in the history of Can
ada. A general strike order was is
sued yesterday by Bell Hardy, presi-
dent of the associated mechanics Of
the Canadian road and from the At
lantic to the Pacific some 5000 men
laid down their tools The strike has
been brought on because the decision
of the Cancellation board which was
appointed under the Lemieux act of
the Canadian parliament was not
what the men wanted.
Points in Dispute.
Among the chief points in dispute
was that of overlapping of hours.
The men wanted to work in three
eight-hour shifts; the. company wished
to overlap an hour at each end in or
der to avoid paying overtime.
AS to the ratio Of apprentices, the
company hard a ratio of / to 8, the
cancellation put it / to 4, and the men
wanted it 1 to 4.
To operate drill press the com
pany wished to employ either machin-
lists or machinsts' helpers.
In classification of boilermakers as
to ability the Canadian Pacific rail-
road said the change reduced the
wages of only per cent of the boiler
makers and the men said per cent.
The men objected to the practice
that rulings made in Winnipeg with
out evidence from the employees in
Montreal are held to be binding in the
East
Erdanger Crop Movement.
How far-reaching the strike will be
it is impossible to say. If the strike
is prolonged the movement of the
crops will be affected
While not saying this in so many
words, an attitude of fighting the ques-
ton out to finish was apparent with
every head of a department in the
general offices of the company.
Out of total of 1,250 mechanics
employed, a total of 5000 were report
ed on strike.
To Use Japs as Strkebreakers.
Winnipeg, Aug. S-The Canadian
Pacific railway and the striking me-
chanics are preparing fora long strug-
gle, and it is now realized that both
sides to the controversy are fully
equipped to make a fight to the bitter
end.
The company wired to San Francis
co for strikebreakers, and already 800
japanese mechanics, trained in the
railway shops and technical schools
of the West, are arriving. The COM
pany will put the Orientals to work
under heavy guard.
Won't Work With Japs.
The company's troubles have been
further complicated by fifteen gang
bosses walking. out and declining to
work with the Japanese.
The union men continue to hold
mass meetings and conduct them
selves in a most orderly manner. The
pickets keep a close watch owe. the
shops and report arrival of all non
union labor.
Thousands of unskilled laborers
have applied for work, bk the men
are useless to the COMPANY. Many
Poles and Russians are among those
who have offered their services.
Photographers May Go Out.
1t developed yesterday that the te-
legraphers employed by the canadian
Pacific railroad are on the point Of
leaving their work, being in sympathy
with the striking mechanics If the
photographers walk out further handi-
cal, will be placed on the company in
the operation Of Its lines.
The railway officials said that the
strike would not interfere with the
handling of the Western crops.
The striking mechanics seem to
/ have the situation well in hand, but
/ refuse to comment on the statement
\ of the officials regarding their ability
to handle the Western crops.
| May Tie Up Whole System.
| The rumor was current yesterday
that the engineers, firemen, conduct
ors and brakemen are likely to coop
erats with the striking mechanics. If
/ this be true, ii is said by those in au-
/ thority In the mechanics unions. a
| complete tie-Gp of the Canadian Pa.
cific system will occur.
All the snperanuated Canadian Pa
I 5cific railway employees at West Toron.
Ito are being notified to begin work i'm
1 mediately taking the places Of the
igstrikers. They have agreed to obey
I the order rather than risk the loss O.
their pen sions. 81
ss}5s
Three Dead in Train Wreck.
Imhodens Ark, Aug. 9.T Three per
sons were Tiled and four badly in
jured and a number of h passengers
slightly bruised and shaken up when
Engine No, 20, pulling thu Frisco