The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-11
RAILROAD NEWS.
Big Strike RumOr May Not Az
feet Western Railroads.
General Manager Hurley Says
He Has Heard Nothing.
CONFINED TO EAST
Said Strike Will Tie Up Every
thing East of Chicago.
Other Items of Interest in Rail.
way Circles.
CONFINED TO EAST

In speaking of the wild rumor
which has issued from Chicago to the
effect that a big strike of the train
men and conductors on both the east
ern and western roads would tie up
all of the larger railroads of the coun-
try and throw thousands of men out
of employment, General Manager ].
E. Hurley of the Santa Fe said this
afternoon that he took little stock in
the rumor.
He was not surprised at the de-
mands made by the organizations on
the railroads in the east but consider
ed the rumor of a strike a rumor in
the strictest sense of the word.
General Manager Hurley is one of
the best authorities on railway or
ganizatiOn requests and strikes in the
railroad world having been a mem
in the big conference held in April,
1907, when all of the conductors, en-
gineers, brakemen, firemen and yard
men received a raise in their wage
scale of from to IL per cent.
Mr.. Hurley said that the general
wage scale in the east was lower than
that in the west and has been for 4
number of years. But he was under
the impression that they were grad
ually being eqUalized.
When asked if he had heard any
thing of the big strike coming west
Mr.. Hurley replied that he had heard
nothing of a strike. He said that the
western roads had received requests
from a number of the labor organiza-
tionS for a raise in their wage scale
but there had not been a conference
of the general managers representing
their roads and the officials of the
unions. Without a conference of any
kind 1t would be very unlikely that a
strike was being contemplated for the
roads in this part Of the country.
The western roads are always con-
sidered the roads going west, north
and south of Chicago. This, of course,
includes all of the roads entering To-
peka. When asked if the Santa Fe
had received any such requests Mr..
Hurley stated that they had received
none. 1t was but two years ago when
the trainmen in the western division
of railroads in the United States re-
ceived good substantial increases in
the wage scale.
The strike rumor which has been
causing alarm in the east and is re-
ported to be on the way west seems to
nave its origin in and around Chicago.
1t is said that the committees repre-
senting the trainmen and the conduc-
tors are asking for an advance of 1 ?
per cent which demand is the most
etupendous step ever attempted by
smpIoyee organizations in modern
railroading.
Incident to the demands of the
eastern railroads the switchmen and
yardmen in Chicago who are control
ed by the Brotherhood of Railroad
Trainmen are asking a wage advance
of cents an hour. Eighteen of the
large trunk lines with terminals in
Chicago were served with notice No
vember 2. Under existing contracts
thirty days notice must be given by
either side of contemplated change
in wage or working conditions
The wages of the conductors and
trainmen on the eastern lines are
about IL per cent lower than on the
roads west of Chicago and the pres
ent move is being made to bring the
men up to the western standards.