The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1909-12-03
S1.OO Per Year
FREIGHT TRAFFIC AT STANDSTILI
Thousands of Switohmen on Strike and a
Dozen Big Roads ParabZed-leaVen-
worth Switchmen Go Out

II the members OF the Switchmen's
Union Of North America stand pat for
their demands, and the railroads do as
they declare they will, sit tight and
neither give in or try to haul freight,
thousands OF communities will find
themselves rather shy on Christmas
goodies, to say nothing of the ordinary
necessities Of life. Many kid will be
disappointed Christmas morning by not
finding that air gun or Waterbury
watch, and many a pretty maiden will
vainly grope within the plump pro-
portions of shapely hose in bewildered
disbelief OF the absence Of Chawlie's"
installment-plan diamond" ring, but
which is sidetracked at Missoula or
Wehauken or the Chicago stockyards.
Some II railroads are affected by
the strike order issued Tuesday after
noon and which was obeYed by several
thousand switchmen.
On the Great Northern and Northern
Pacific alone, more than $500 men
walked out, Hillyard, Missoula, Pasco,
Elensburg and Tacoma being particu-
larly affected. AS result, these roads
are refusing to accept any freight or
deliver any, except such as may be
already in the freight houses. Some
cities are already facing serious condi-
tions owing to the shortage of coal and
other necessities.
At Leavenworth the entire switching
crew, five in number, quit, and all be-
lieve they will win. When the switch
men struck a few years ago they had
all but won when the trainmen took
the switches and broke the strike. 1t
is claimed that the B. of R. T. will
keep their hands off in the present
struggle. The local switchmen are
keeping a sharp lookout for strike
breakers. 1t is rumored that one of
Leavenworth yard clerks took it upon
himself to do the necessary switching
to get out a caboose Wednesday morn
ing and Immediately found himself in
disfavor with most of hfs fellow workers.
The strike will not affect either the
mail or passenger service so much as it
will freight, for every road has Us at its
terminals, where passenger trains can
be turned without much switching. At
Spokane Tuesday night the only work
done was by an engine crew COM
posed of trainmasters and other officials.
Hundreds of engine and train crews
have already been laid off.
At Hillyard and other points the
switchmen who are members Of the B.
of R. T. also quit and there seems to
be strong sympathy between the two
organizations.
At numerous points a sharp ad-
vance in the prices Of fuel, -four, etc.,
have been noted.
The demands of the switchmen are
for raise of cents per hour, double
pay for Sunday work and all overtime
in excess Of ten hours. The men also
want change Of working rules.
President L. w. Hill Of the Great
Northern is about the only high rail-
road official to make definite declara-
ton. He says: I'VE will fight. We
carried the men through the financial
depression without cut in pay. Every
FIVE years or so we have to meet this
question, and it now is time to settle
it."
The following roads are affected:
Great Northern, Northern Pacific, Chi
cago, Burlington & Quincy, Chicago,
St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha, Chi
cago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, the Bridge
& Terminal, Railway Transfer, St. Paul
& Sault Ste. Marie, Minnesota Trans
fer, Minneapolis Eastern, Minneapolis
Western, the Rock Island, and Chi
cago Great Western.
The o. R. & N. and Spokane In
ternational are not affected, as their
wage schedules are acceptable to the
switchmen.
With their usual thoughtfulness the
railroads have a clause on the back of
all freight bills wherein all damage and
loss by delay is to be borne by the
shippers whenever the corporations get
into a scrap with their employees.