The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-12-02
RAILROAD STRIKE
DEMORAL|ZES
BUSINESS
WESTERN SYSTEMS ARE COM.
PLETELY TIED UP AND THE
END NOT IN SIGHT.

] CNo WI ttN
/ Not a freight car moved in the Mis-
/ soula yards yesterday and not a
{ switch engine turned wheel all day
and. with every switchmau on the
Rocky Mountain division out. tn.
( strike seems to have gotten w'li un-
| der way. Early in the morning n bull
| ietin was posted in the division Of
/ fices. signed by the general officials
/ of the road. offering a raise of two
cents an hour with no alternative save
a fight 10 the end.
This ultimatum was offered in the
morning and the strikers were given
until 80 to decide. No action was
taken locally and last night both sides
seemed to have settled down for n
long fight. The switchmen have es-
tahlished headquarters in the Evans
! block near the depot and there the
local union Will have its offices.
The trainmen have refused to do
switching and freight traffic is at a
standstill although the officials of the
road declare that local traffic will he
started tomorrow.
Yesterday the report was issued
from the strikers headquarters 10 the
effect that all men on the division,
with the exception of a single crew
at Wallace had struck. Ii was ru-
mored late last night however. that
this crew had gone out and that ev-
cry switchman on the division had
joined the strikers.
Passenger trains ran on time all
day. Every train ran over the di-
vision without "A hitch and there has
been no trouble as yet with the mail
or passenger business.
The Puget Sound has not been af-
fected by the strike In the least 50
far. General Agent Hillman said yes
terday that he was receiving freight
for shipment and that the trains We're
running regularly.
Fowier's Statement.
Acting Superintendent NJ. NJ. Fowler
Of the Rocky Mountain division on
the Northern Pacific made the fol-
lowing statement last night:
"As yet we have felt no serious ef-
fects from the strike. So far as l
have been able to learn every switch
L.
til tonight a crew remained on duty
at Wallace but l understand that
these men went out at s o'clock this
evening. Our freight traffic has been
demoralized for the last two days. but
we will assemble cars and equipment
tomorrow and by Friday we expect to
be running our local freights as usual
This will break the ice and should be
the beginning of the end Local freight
Will run over the Montana and Yei-
iowstone divisions tonight. I have been
told. and We will not be far behind.
The ultimatum which the company
Offered the strikers this morning win
be Its last attempt at compromise. We
will fight the matter out to the end
The company cannot afford to comply
with the wishes of the strikers and
there will be no giving in. Service
should be satisfactory in short
while"
Switehmen's Attitude.
President Loffness of jumbo Lodge
No. l22 of the Switchmen's Union of
North America gave out the following
statement last night:
We are acting absolutely under in
structions from the unions headauar-
ters in st. Paul and We will take no
action which Is not first ordered there
We refused to treat on the Northern
Pacific's offer of a raise OF cents
an hour today for this reason. We
do not want the public To think that
the local switehmen are trying to tie
up business or to prolong the fight
Our action this morning was all that
was possible without Instructions from
st. Paul. There are "a men employed
as sWitchmen in the Missoula yards
and every one of them has gone out. !
1t is the same all over the division
With the exception of crew at Wal !
lace not a switchman is working on
the Rocky Mountain division. Butte. /
Helena and Paradise are tied up. The !
members of the other railroad orders |
have refused to do our work i'm the /
yards and there will be no freight
until the strike Is settled. |
The members of the Brotherhood of |
Trainmen and the Order of I
Conductors who are working /.
as switchmen are out with us. as the /
for work on the Northern Pa /
cific is held by the Switchmen's /
uIlibii fltSdFutnk our fltufe action, I
can say nothing except that We will /
stay out until the strike is settled and I
ordered stopped from ST. Paul"
Will Meet Today.
1t was announced yesterday that the +
switchmen would hold a meeting At .
which to discuss the situation in the /
Evans block this afternoon, This will /
not be in the nature Of an indigna- |
ton meeting nor will an effort be /
made 10 secure public aid The strike /
will merely be discussed and plans |
laid for the conducting of the local .
About $40 are thrown out of en- |
ployment here on account Of the walk |
out of the switchmen. This number
includes train and engine crews and /
freight house employees.
Industry Crippled.
ST. Paul, Dec Livery line of in !
tustry in the northwest dependent on |
The movement nf sunulirS * SariausIy- !