The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1909-12-03
SW|TCHMEN STRIKE
GENERAL STRIKE ORDER BECAME
EFFECTIVE AT. 6 P. M,
TUESDAY,.
HILL ROADS TO COAST INVOLVED
All Lines in Twin Cities Are Also Gov.
cred by the Mandate-Freight Is
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Moving.

sion between a committee represent
ing tn Switchken's Union of North
America and representatives of the
various railroads entering Minneapolis.
negotiations were broken off and a
general trike was ordered by Presi-
dent Frank T. Hawley of the union.
The order went into effect at 6
o'clock Tuesday evening and freight in
the Twin Cities is badly congested.
But one freight left that night from
the Twin Cities, according to the Great
Northern chief train dispatcher, this
having been made up before the order
went into effect and started for Duluth
over the Great Northern tracks. Pas
senger service is being carried on,
trainmasters, division superintendent
and other railroad officials being pass
ed into service as switchmen
The order affects the switchmen in
the employ of the Great Northern and
Northern Pacific systems from Lake
Superior to Seattle. The railroads af-
fected in the Twin Cities are: Great
Northern, Northern Pacific, Chicago,
Burlington and Quincy; Chicago, ST.
Paul, Minneapolis and OMAHA Chica-
go, Milwaukee and St. Paul; the
Bridge and Terminal; the Railway
Transfer; Minneapolis, st. Paul and
Sault Ste, Marie; Minnesota Transfer;
Minneapolis Eastern; Minneapolis
Western; Chicago, Rock Island and
Pacific, and the Chicago Western.
h0x, ~f Il
in the Twin Cities is variously esti-
mated at from $500 to $500. The
strike, according to dispatches, is gen.
eral all over the Hill roads
Martin A. Knapp, interstate COM
merce, and Charles P. Nell, state Ia
Dor commissioner, made Intellectual eff
fects to bring the two opposing parties
to compromise at the ST. Paul meet
ing, but were unable to obtain any con-
cessions from the railroads further
than a promise that they would do
what they could to improve the con-
ditions under which the men work.
The Unions expressed themselves as
willing to be satisfied with compro-
mise on the cents per hour advance
in wage which they demanded in
their original petition to the compan-
les. The meeting was practically
deadlocked during the entire time of
II days.
Conflicting statements were issued
last night by members of the man
ayers committee of the railroads and
the officers of the Swithchmen's union
as to the effect of the strike order.
President Hawley OF the Switchmen's
union stated that the tie-up is COM
plete, every man having gone out.
General Manager Slade of the North
ern Pacific stated that at seven points
on his road the men had refused to go
out and that traffic, while delayed,
Was moving.
Mr.. Hawley said:
81 have definite reports from every
point affected and my information is
that the strike order has been obeyed
to the man. Furthermore. l am in
formed that the road men refuse to do
the work of our switchmen. l do not
think there will be a sympathetic
The strike is the most complete and
determined have ever SEEN"
George T. Slade, general manager Of
the Northern Pacific, said:
''The indications from the railroads
standpoint are very favorable. The
men refused to obey the strike order
in seven of the yards on the Northern
Pacific road and are working as usual.
While passenger traffic has been de-
layed somewhat, it is moving all right
and we are moving some freight. In
a few days 1 think the conditions will
be about normal. The same general
conditions apply to the Great Northern
road"