Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-10-28

is THIS A FLAG OF TRUcE?'
Recent Troubles of Gould system Start
Rumors OF Which Both
Deny Authorship.

Expected Developments IN labor cir
cles in this city and state are begin
ming to present themselves The word.
expected is used advisedly. The nu-
merous troubles being experienced by
the Rio Grande haze caused some criti-
eism 1t was to be expected the Rio
5Grande strike OF March would bob up
like condemning ghost. The conden-
nation has come in the shape OF a
statement to tho public issued by a
committee of strikers. In 1t they say
the walk-unt Of shopmen Was forced by
the company and 1t Is intimated the
consequent employment OF non-union
men has brought accidents upon the
4company's lines. The statement goes
further; 1t says the company cannot
do business much longer unless it re-
ceives relief elsewhere
Local officials of the Rio Grande say
the heads at Denyer3are the only ones
qualified to discuss the latest develop
ment Of the sever-months' old strike
but say, SO far as they know, the COM
pany Is satisfied with the men now em-
ployed at the shops along the line.
For weeks past there have been ugly
rumors anoat. One Is that men en-
ployed In the shops as outsiders are
really in sympathy with the strikers
and have been liking engines so oper-
alton would be more or less difficult.
The unions and strikers deny this
strenuously They claim the story was
originated by someone connected with
the5company to cast reflection upon the
strikers. The company. on the other
hand. says the story was started by
someone interested in the strikers TO
hurt the railroad
STRIKERS STATEMENT.
The strikers statement follows:
I'VE have been out on a strike
against the Denver & Rio Grande sys-
| tenn since the 10th OF last March, and
| the public is vitality interested III the
outcome of the strike. Most OF the
| strikers are property owners in Salt
| Lake City. or are buying their homes.
| The men employed as strike-breakers
| in the local shops and elsewhere on tho
system are men of many trades or no
| trade at all and the many wrecks and
| delays on the Denver. & Rio Cirande,
| some OF which have been reported to q
large extent in the daily papers, fur
nish proof of this statement, .
.UP' AGAINST IT.
4 .cWe assert that the Denver &c tit
Cirandes mot tive Spe wer-3 has steadily be-
iIfconIe worse since we went out on-.tne
jsstrike, and the company cannot Dc
\ business lnuch2longef& unless 1t receives
| relief somewhere. We We're forced on
a strill by the company, who began
last fall by laying Off men in all their
shops after having figured for months
ahead to break the union. The few
| they did retain We're worked half time
and less. this starving process being
continued until the 14th of February,
1905, when the company posted notice
in all the shops of the system that after
The 14th OF March all contracts existing
between the Denver e. Rio Grande and
the machinsts, blacksmiths and boiler
makers unions We're abrogated and
that they would treat with men only
as individuals.
STRIKE WAS FORCED.
This matter was considered by the
unions during the thirty days notice Of
nbrogation, and their officers did all in
their power to avert the abrogation of
the contract and offered to make rea :
sonable concessions. Their offers, how
ever. were rejected, and there was moth
ing left to do but go on strike,
THE railroad officials, Of course.
he n and do