The Irish standard., 1909-12-04
GENERAL STRIKE ORDER BECAME
EFFECTIVE AT 6 P. NJ,
a.. TUESDAY,.
HILL ROADS TO COAST INVOLVED
All Lines in Twin Cities Are Also Gov.
cred by the Mandate-Frei9ht 10
Congested-Passengers
Moving.
THE SITUATION


y str'kers-Members Of the /.
=. Switehn4en's Union of North Am. 7"
II erica over entire Hill system, and /"
y on all other lines in Twin Cities =
: only.
= Cause Of Strike-Refusal Of rail. =
= roads to aceede to uniform ad. .
vance of cents per hour in wages F"
and to improve working condi. /.
tons. .
# Leader Of Swithchmen-Frank "
1T. HawIey, president Of Switch.
:" mems Union Of North America.
= Leader Railroads.&c.. w. Hill, =
=. president Great Northern railroad.
., Strike order went into effect s =
p. M, Nov. 80.
= Roads Affected-Entire system
Of Great Northern, $685. miles; =
81 and Northern Pacific, 5,6e5 miles.
Roads Affected In Twin Cities =
"-Great Northern, Northern Pacific, =
$500" Line, Minneapolis and st. I"
Louis, Chicago, Milwaukee and st. I"
Paul, Chicago Great Western, Chi !"
= caoo and Northwestern, Rock Is. =
land. =
+ =
Minneapolis, Dec AFTER an II
days session between committe rep
resenting the Switchmen's Union Of
North America and representatives Of
the various railroads entering Minnea-
polls, negotiations were broken off
and a general strike was ordered by
President Frank T. Hawley of the un-
ion
The order went into effect at 6
o'clock last night and freight in the
Twin Cities this morning is badly con
gested. But one freight left last night
from the Twin Cities, according to
the Great Northern chief train dis
patcher, this having been made up be-
fore the order went into effect and
started for Duluth over the Great
Northern tracks. Passenger service
is being carried on, trainmastcrs, d.
vision superintendent and other rail
road officials being pressed into service
as switchmen.
The order affects the swithchmen
in the employ of the Great Northern
and Northern Pacific systems from
Lake Superior to Seattle The rail-
roads affected in the Twin Cities are !:
Great Northern, Northern Pacific, Chi
cago, Burlington and Quincy; Chicago,
St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha; Chi
cago, Milwaukee and st. Paul; the
Bridge and Terminal; the Railway
Transfer; Minneapolis, St. Paul and
Sault Ste, Marie; Minnesota Transfer;
Minneapolis Eastern; Minneapolis
Western; Chicago, Rock Island and
Pacific, and the Chicago Western.
The number Of men who quit work
in the Twin Cities is variously esti-
mated, at. from 1900 to $4,000. The
strike. according to dispatches, is gen
eral all over the Hill roads.
Martin A. Knapp, interstate com.
merce, and Charles p. Nell, state Ia
Dor commissioner, made Intellectual Of
fects to bring the two opposing parties
to compromise at the St: Paul meet
ing, but were, unable to obtain any con-
cessions from the railroads further
than, a promise, that they would do
what they could to improve the con-
ditions under which the men work.
The unions expressed themselves as
willing to be satisfied with a compro-
mise on the cents per hour advance
in wage which they demanded in
their original petition to the compan-
les. TIE meeting was practically dead
locked during the entire time of IL
days.
Conflicting statements were given
out by the members Of the man
ayers committee of the railroads and
the officers of the Switchmen's union
as to the effect Of the strike order
President Hawley of the Swithchmen's
union stated that the tie-up is COM
plete, every man having gone out
General Manager Slade of the North
ern Pacific stated that at seven points
on his road the men had refused to 90
out and that traffic, while delayed
was moving
Mr.. Hawley said:
II have definite reports from every
point affected and my information is
that the strike order has been obeyed
to the man. Furthermore, ! am in
formed that the road men refuse to dc
the work Of our switchmen. do not
think there will be a sympathetic
strike l would not encourage one
The strike is the most complete and
determined ! have ever SEEN" 5.
George T.. Slade, general manager Of
the Northern Pacific, said:
1.-THE indications from the railroads
standpoint are very favorable. The
men refused to obey the strike order
in seven of'the yards on the Northern
Pacific road and are working as usual
While passenger traffic has been de
layed somewhat, it is moving all riEh
and we. are moving some freight. II
a few days think the conditions will
| be about normal. The same genera
conditions apply to the Great North
ern road"
Nothing Doing at Seattle.
Seattle. Dec: ALI the switchmel
=