The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-12-02
SW|TCHMEN' )
STRIKE IS
SPREADING
LOCAL MEN WALKED OUT YES
TERDAY ON CALL FROM Ma
TIONAL UNION-NO FREIGHT
BEING RECEIVED

The local switchmen were called
out yesterday shortly after noon, as
was expected, and there is no switch
ing being done at all in the local
yards. Further than this all freight
stations have been given general in
structions to receive no freight, thus
tying up all departments of the rail-
road transportation business with the
exception of passenger service.
The local railroad men have an
idea that possibly later on other rail-
road men may be affected by the
strike. 1t is said that the firemen
have a long standing grievance
against the railroad company and the
firemen's union may take hand at
this time in getting a settlement out
of the Great Northern.
Seattle Dec 2-The Great North
ern and Northern Pacific are employ
ing non-union switchmen and say
freight service will be restored this
week. The railways have assurance
that there will not be a sympathetic
strike of other classes of employees.
st. Paul, Dec. with the i'm
portation of strikebreakers from
Chicago and other places and press
ing into service other employees of
the railways of the northwest that
are effected by the strike of the
Switchmens Union of North Amer
lea, began their first real work to-
day of trying to restore normal traf-
fic conditions between here and the
Pacific coast Local warehouses are
open today and the roads accepted
freight shipments to points in Da-
kota and Montana. Their care no
noticeable improvements in business
conditions in the Twin Cities this
morning. Several hundred floor en-
ployes are now at work in Minneapo-
lis.
Spokane, Dec. 2.-That imported
strike breakers will be taking the
places of the striking switchmen in
the Spokane and Hillyard yards by
tomorrow night is the opinion ex-
pressed by a number of local railroad
employees this morning.
Unless a settlement is reached to-
day, the men assert that the com
panies are prepared to resort to
professional strikebreakers. They say
that the railroads have been prepar-
ing for the trouble, and will use those
means to win their point.
Walkout Was Complete.
The walkout last night at O'Clock
was complete The freight traffic in
Spokane and Hillyard is blocked
Practically the same condition exists
throughout the Hill system, and or
the railroads centering at the TwiI
Cities.
It is estimated that fully 2,30(
switchmen are affected by the strike
order. Thousands of other railroad
employees have been thrown out o.
employment because of the tieup il
freight traffic If the strike con
tinues for two or three days thou
sands of additional employees will bt
out of work, because of the blocking
of the systems.
Went With Union Men.
The strike order was obeyed by the
members of the Brotherhood of Rail
road Trainmen, as well as the mem
bers of the switchmen's union, in the
local and Hillyard yards. About eigh
or ten of the switchmen who were
employed in the local yards are mem
bers of the Brotherhood Of Railwa.
Trainmen, but not of the switchmen
union These switchmen went ou
with the union men.
Local railroad employees say that i
the railroads succeed in moving an.
freight, it will be done by the off
eials of the roads, or through employ
ment of professional strikebreakers.
No Help From Other Roads.
They declare that the switchmel
employed on other roads will refus
to aid in breaking the strike, as th
union is an international affair. Mem
bers of the other railroad orders,
is said, will refuse to do the wOrl
of the switchmen.
Officials of the Northern Pacific an
the Great Northern said this mornin
that no efforts had been made local.
to import strikebreakers. They said