The Detroit times., 1909-12-06
'TRA|NMASTERs ON
HILL ROADS ARE
ORDERED OUT
Members of o. r. C. Who Have Been
Promoted Brought Into Switch
mems Strike Because They
Bossed Non Union Men.
Committee Viii Confer Tuesday on
Question of Calling Out Switch
men In Detroit and Elsewhere.

MINNEAPOLIS. Mimi. Dec. o.
Vice President shepherd. OF the Order
OF Railway Conductors. who is hero
from Cedar Rapids. Iowa, after a meet
Ing with the four other national OH
GERS. is reported today TO have ordered
out those members of the o. r. c.
who, through recent promotion by the
Northern Pacific have oeen acting
as tTainmasters in charge OF non-union
switchmen Tomorrow those on the
Great Northern will be ordered out.
according TO official reports.
Railroads are said To have depended
upon these men TO get the new switch
ing crews working smoothly and the
orders issued by the .. 4. {. officers
are the cause OF great Joy IN switch
men circles.
Sharply contrasted with the cold
outside and the storm which prevails
over the entire northwest, striking
switchmen. 1000 strong have been
holding meetings both in Minneapolis
and st. Paul.
Altogether 81 freight trains left
Minneapolis yesterday. according 10
railroad officials. Mill yards were
cleared and -four mills Will begin
grinding today at nearly normal capac-
tty----------- --------------------------
The Minnesota Transfer Co. which
handles much OF the interchange OF
freight, reports thirty new switchmen.
The Great Northern's Hamline Trans
fer is fully manned and freights are
ready TO move out with the abatement
of the storm
Despite the storm the Sunday holi-
day served TO break the freight con-
gestion. President Hawley OF the
switchmen still maintains that The
strikers mold the key 10 the situation.
He is apparently waiting for develop
ments in the eastern situation.
Il have great difficulty In restrain
ing the Chicago switchmen.' he said
today. There is no need for calling
them out, however. We have the roads
bottled up here and will win alone
This weather will give those officials
who are switching an idea OF what a
switchman has to put UP with and they
will realize whether he is paid proper
ly. II some of these general managers
would switch today they might be a
little more liberal toward the switch
men,"
Danger OF sympathetic strikes local
ly still confronts the railroads. Tho
freight handlers are ready To revolt
at a word from James Kelly. national
officer, who is in the twin cities
According TO President Hawley The
authority TO call a strike of union
switchmen between Buffalo and Chica-
go. IL such a course is deemed neces-
sary, Is vested in a committee OF the
union which leaves Buffalo for Chicago
tomorrow to negotiate with the gen
eral managers of the 21 railroads :or
a settlement of certain demands
The district east of Chicago includes
not only Toledo. Fort Wayne. Detroit
and other important centers. but also
takes in points .as far south as Pitts
burg so that the ranks of the strikers
will be increased by between 10000
and $4,000 men IL the negotiations
which begin tomorrow fail
A general snowstorm attended by
zero cold, gripped the northwest today.
After continuing for q hours, the
storm showed signs OF abating early in
Tie Od1.
A paralysis OF railroad transporta-
ton and weakening of all lines OF
communication 10 interior places has
followed and railroad men predict a
long blockade OF traffic. the relief of
which will be delayed by the prevail
ing strike of the northwestern switch
mems union.
Owing to the disturbances I'm the
weather. telegraph lines are down he
tween Bismarck and western North Da-
lota and Fargo and Grand Forks The
storm caused still greater trouble on
this service and communication will
probably not be restored for many
DAYS.
Reports received by telephone from
all parts OF northern North Dakota in
dlcated a blizzard extending TO the
Montana border.
At Fargo six and a half inches Of
snow have fallen
CRUSADE AGAINST GRAFT
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