The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-05-27
MAILS TIED UP
By The Firemen's Strike on the
Georgia Road
NOT A WHEEL STIRS

Along the Entire System and a
Crisis Has Been Reached-Chief
of the Federal Bureau of Labor
Reaches Scene Of Strike-Towns
Feeling the Strike.
How less than hundred striking
Georgia Railroad firemen were able
to stop practically all train service
in a territory ITO miles long and
from twenty-five to a hundred miles
wide was the knotty problem into
which United States Commissioner
of Labor Chas. P. Neill plunged i'm
mediately after his arrival at Allan
ia, Ga, on Tuesday night. An
emissary of conciliation he faced first
! the race problem, the force behind
the strike; second, an announced
wish of many persons in this sec
ton to have Georgians settle TINS
question by arbitration, and third,
the necessity of moving the United
States mail Immediately. Within
two hours after his arrival Mr.. Nelll
was in private conference with Gen
eral Manager Scott OF the Georgia
Railroad.
A dispatch from Atlanta says what
remarkable feat \this handful OF
union firemen accomplished and what
power was behine them became ap-
parent Tuesday when considerable
section of Georgia was compelled to
rely on automobiles for passenger,
mail and, express service; and when
the transportation Of such necessi-
ties of life as food dropped back to
the methods of a former degree OF
civilization, namely, to wagons and
even pack animals.
The four score firemen alone did
not produce this situation. 1t was
the communities which the railroad
served that stopped every wheel of
the system during the past three
days; not the officials Of these COM
munities, but a few men who are
said to have fighting blood in their
veins, who came forward and an
nounced that negro firemen should
not be given seniority over white
firemen. From some hidden source
of public opinion these men have up
TO now made good this racial ulti-
matum. Few of these men were fire
men, some did not even claim to be
acquainted with striking firemen, and
dozen or more are said to have
come from counties lying some dis
tance from the railroad They ac-
complished the tie-up without serious
acts of violence, with few cases Of
throwing stones, which appear to
have been accepted as warnings Of
what might happen if trains contin-
ued to run.
A settlement by arbitration should
not be difficult so far as the strikers
demands are concerned, Vice Presi-
dent Ball, of the firemen's organiza-
ton, said Tuesday, because the fire
men are not trying to exact hard
and fast settlement. They struck
because ten white firemen were re-
placed by negro firemen. The rail
road officials declare that the ne
groes were put III these positions
as rewards for faithful service, and
that they are within their legal
rights in such action. Upon this
one crucial point of the controversy
there has as yet been no sign of
agreement.
The directors of the road, the
general manager and other officials
were in almost continual conference
Tuesday, and it was reported that
some Of the directors strongly fa-
vored Governor Smiths proposition
for each side to select three Geor-
gians as arbitrators. Mr.. Scott would
not say whether these offers would
be accepted. The directors include
men with local business interests
which are liable to be affected un-
favorably by long tie-up.
Hand cars, automobiles and in
terurban cars made little impression
upon the 5000 pounds of delayed
mails in the Atlanta postoftce. Here
and there in the strike district ru-
raj postmaster shouldered sack of
outgoing mail, and after hours of
hard work, riding and walking,
managed to reach railroad station
not affected by the strike. Reports
were current that the Federal courts
might interfere and place guards
on trains in order to get the mails
through. No such action, however,
developed The strikers have an
nounced that they are willing to
fire engines to carry mails, but that
such engines must carry mails only,
and not passengers.
Reports that the necessities of life
were lacking in some communities
caused Governor Smith to telegraph
along the line of the Georgia Rail-
road inQuiring whether there was
any food shortage. No replies in
dicating such a condition were re-
ceived, and numerous reports stated
that there was plenty to eat every