Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1909-12-30
RAILROADS R / !! 1 RE:'V ! VIEW
STRIk !. PR0POS Sal ]


MENT OF THE i I isWITCHniEN's
STRIKE. LETTER 10 THE
GOVERNOR.
Minnea eapolis, MINI, Dec. RI. 1909.
ollowing letter has been deliver
I'd BY the, Railways to His Excellency
Governor A. Q. Eberhart. of Mime,
sota: ~ .i;..3
st. Paul, Mimi, Dec.t2 1909 To
The Honorable Adolph o. Eberhart,
state Capitol, st. Paul, MINI.
MY Dear Sir II response to the
Z invitation from your Excellency,
representatives of the thirteen
Twin City lines whose switch
men are now on.a strike attend
ed a meeting at the Capitol build
!ngon Thursday; Dec. q lard. In open
ing the meeting your Excellency rec
commended to the Representatives of
The Railways and to the representa-
t:yes Of the Switchmen a basis of set
tlement as follows i
That 1t had been brought to your
attention that Ia conference between
representatives Of certain railwayssin
Chicago and representatives Of their
switchmen was now being held to
<consider proposals for increase in
wages and changes in working con-
ditions and that the matters under
consideration there we're similar to
those presented to the representatives
cf.the Twin City lines, and that in
the opinion of your Exc cellency If the
representatives. OF the Twin City lines
would agree to apply provisions of
whatever settlement might be reach
ed 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 ser
vice of those lines on November 3 9th
uchsssettlement would be fair and
equitable: n s3 j,5 Y. n
The representatives of the Rail-
ways then withdrew to consider your
Excellency's proposals and accepted
Them in a written statement which
was handed to you, and which is here
quoted: 3},
"a conference between represent
atives of the railways in Chicago dis
trict and representatives Of their
switchmen is now in progress for the
purpose of determining q scale of
wages and the estab ablishment OF work
!, ing conditions for that district. ~
The rates of wages in the Chicago
district and in the Minnesota cities
for switchmen have been identical
rnd the working conditions similar.
'"The Representatives. Of the Twin
City lines In conference this date
have confirmed by majority vote the.
report to your Excellency that those.
roads represented will agree to re-
employ such Of their former yard en-.
ployes as the roads may have places
Tor at the rates Of pay and under the,
working conditions In effect Novem-
per 1st, 1909, and that at the termln-
+ation of the Chicago conference the
lines here represented will meet any
additions in rates Of pay or working
conditions that may be, granted by
she Chicago lines to their switchmen
and that as heretofore announced the
8ditArential Of two cents per hour In
the wages Of switchmen will apply In
the territory Of Billings & West on
4 the Northern Pacific Railway and in
The territory Of Havre and West on
The Great Northern Railway.
1t Is the und ding ofthe rep
-esentatives Of the Twin City lines
that the matter Of re-employing the
switchmen who voluntarily left the
:ervice Of the Twin City lines on ,Is01-
vember soth requires further explain
alton. 5;7
with every wish TO meet any sug-2
gestions made ~ your Excellency and
WITH the natural desire of employers;
10 5helpworthy men who gaye up their
I positions. and who slho oul d sbes sat work
for the support of their families and
themselves, the representa- atiyss of tho
Twin City lines submit Sthat no hard
!, hip should be imposed nor any injus-]
tices permit sto the large 81 nun ber ofS
prsrent empl ployees n the yard service;
shosare - no way resp bic for the
present situat tion. When the former
yard emplo of the rail- lvolUn-s
iarily gave sups heir positi lions ong No
~ ember 3oth after re efusing me softer
Sof the railroads toI arbitrate& and bes
bound 81 heSarbit ionS ward With--Is hal-Ii
out appeal, the SEef efusalS being mad sins l;s
Sthe GLOWING language in letter