The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-12-28
ROADS EXPLAIN
THEIR POSITION
OPEN LETTER WHICH WAS Ap-
DRESSED TO GOV. ERERHART
or MINNESOTA YESTERDAY,
SHOWS WHERE ROADS STAND
ON STRIKE PROPOSITION.

The thirteen railroads involved in
the switchmen's strike which mas
caused considerable trouble to traffic
throughout the west for several weeks
yesterday issued what might be term
| ed an ultimatum. 1t was in the shape
of an open letter to Governor Eber-
| hart of Minnesota.
| Following is tn. letter which was de-
livered by the twin city railroads in
volved in the present switchmen's
strike to Gov. A. o. Eberhart yester-
day afternoon:
Hon. Adolph o. Eberhart, State Cap
| ital ST. Paul, Minn.-My Dear Sir:
In response to the invitation from
your excellency representatives of the
thirteen twin city lines, who are now
on strike attended a meeting at the
capital building on Thursday, Dec. 90
In opening the meeting your excelIency
recommended to .lle representatives OF
the railways and to the Representatives
of the switchmen basis of settlement
as follows:
That 1t had been brought to your
attention that a conference between
representatives of certain railway IN
Chicago and representatives OF their
switchmen was now being held to con-
slider proposals for increase in wages
and changes in working conditions and
that the matter under consideration
there were similar to those presented
to the representatives of the twin city
lines, that in the opinion of your ex-
cellency If the representatives of the
twin city lines would agree to apply
the provisions of whatever settlement
might be reached through the Chicago
conference to the switchmen employed
upon the twin city lines and re- employ
as far as possible the men who left the
service of those lines on Nov. 80, that
such a settlement would be fair and
Equitable" ~
/ The representatives of the railways
then withdrew to consider your excel
lency's proposals and accept them in
a written statement which was handed
to you and which is here quoted-"A
conference between representatives of
their switchmen is now in progress for
the purpose of determining a scale of
wages and the establishment Of work.
ing conditions for that district"
The rate of wages in the Chicago
district and in the Minnesota district
for switchmen have been identical and
the working condition similar. The
representatives of the twin city lines
in conference this date have confirmed
by a majority vote the report to YOUR
exeeliency that those roads represent :
ed will agree to re-employ such OF
their former yard employees as the
roads may have places for at the rates
of pay and under the working eondi-
lions in effect Nov. l. 1909. and that at
the termination of the Chicago confer
ence the lines here representa- will
meet any additions in rates of pay or
working conditions that my be granted
by the Chicago lines to their switch
men, and that as heretofore announced
the difference Of two cents per hour In
the wages OF switchTnen will apply in
the. territory of Billings and west on
the Northern Pacific railway and In the
territory Harve and west on the Great
Northern railway.
1t is the understanding of the repre-
sentatives of the twin city lines that
the matter of re-employing the switch
men who. voluntarily left the service of
the twin city lines on Nov. 30, required
further explanation with every wish