The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-12-01
THIRTEEN NORTHWESTERN RAIL.
READS AFFECTED WHEN
sWiTcAMEN STOP WORK.
ALL M|SSOULk MEN our
Not Wheel Turning West of ST. Pau.
Save on Passenger Trains-Butte
Result-Both Sides Will Fisht-An
Increase in Wages Wanted.

struction received yesterday afternoon
"A men, members of the Swtchmen's
Union and of the Brotherhood of Rail
way Trainmen. all employees of the
Northern Pacific at Missoula. struck
for higher wages on the scale de-
manded by the representatives OF the
Switchmen's Union.
According to the local officials of
the road, these men are the only ones
on the division to go out and with
another crew of about equal size
stationed at Livingston are the only
ones on the whole middle district of
the understanding from Mandan,
n. D., to Paradise-to leave their
posts. The men of both organizations
at Wallace. Helena. Butte. Billings.
Glendive. Dickinson. Forsythe and
Mandan all remained on duty through
the night, according to the same
authority.
The strike was called at o'clock
after all attempts at a settlement with
the Northern Pacific had failed The
Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen has
not ordered a strike, according tn a
report current here last night. but
owing to some misunderstanding the
switchmen in Missoula who are mem
bers of that organization went out
The members of the organization were
reticent in regard to the trouble last
night. They stated that they had
received official orders from head
quarters To strike and that they had
acted i'm accordance. In view of the
fact that mt no other point In this
region have the members of the
RrnfharhnaI nf Dat
gone out this appears improbable. and
rumors We're current on the streets
last night to the effect that some Of
the members of the Switehmen's union
In the east had faxed a telegram tell
ing the trainmen to strike This
rumor was unconfirmed.
A local member of the Brotherhood
of Railway Trainmen said late last
night in explanation of the fact that
the local members of the order had
gone out that the contract between the
switchmen and the railroad for work
in Missoula was held by the Switch
mems union and that all other switch
men worked under this contract "As
soon as this contract Is broken all of
us. whether We be members of the
union or not. must strike or become
scahs." he said.
The Puget Sound is not affected
locally as no switehmen are employed
on the Missoula division, but no freight
traffic is going over the road owing to
conditions at terminals.
Agent y. II. Mason received instruc-
tions late yesterday not to receive any
| more freight until further notice and
no freight traffic is moving over the
road at all. Passenger trains were
running on time at a late hour last
night. and as yet the strike has had
no effect on passenger business.
The Situa..c..
st. Paul, Minn,. Nov. s0.-After Is
days of negotiations between the
sWitchmen's union of North America
and the joint committee CT railroad
managers representing Is railroads of
the northwest. a strike involving 200
switchmen became effective at 6
o'clock tonight The men are ampioyad
by railroads running west and north
of St Paul, from Lake Superior to the
Pacific coast and unless speedily set
tied the strike will mean a serious in
terruption of traffic.
The first effect of the strike was a
sharp bulge i'm the price of wheat In
In the Chicago grain market late to-
day. Roads entering the Twin cities
and Duluth and Superior are largely
grain carriers from the west. Tonight
both sides to the dispute issued state
| ments. The railway managers COM
mittee issued the following:
The Railroad Side,
ITO the Public: The railroads of the
northwest, recognizing that the public
! is an Interested, but nnrepresented,
| third party in the controversy with
/ their switchm.n, through the commit
| tee which has been conducting their
| negotiations. desire To place at the dis
pesal of the public the following facts
in connection with the negotiations:
The switchmen In the northwest
territory made simultaneous demands
on Is railroad companies censering in
/ the Twin Cities for an Increase in
/ wages and certain changes In service
conditions. At the suggestion of f. T.
! HaGley. president of the Switehmen's
| Union of North America, of whose or
+ ganization the switehmen i'm the north
/ west are members. arrangements were
made to conduct the negotiations in
one conference.
IN the conference the railroads We're
/ represented by committee of 10
managers and the switchmen by r It
| HaNley and other officers Of the
/ Swftehmen's Union of North America.
The demands of the switchmen We're