Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-02
OPPOSE SINGERS
War Among Switchmen May Prevent
General Strike in Omaha.
TWO ORGANIZATIONS AT OUTS
Trainmen say They stand Ready to
FIN Places of strikers-Few
Men Quit in Local Rail-
road Yards.

In railroad circles members OF the
Switchmen's union are known as Snakes;
members Of the Brotherhood Of Railway
Trainmen are referred 10 as SINGERS"
There is a spirit Of warfare existing be-
tween the Snakes and SINGERS that is
destined to prevent a general strike in
Omaha.
IF the Omaha switchmen obey the or
ders from st. Paul to walk out, the rail-
way trainmen stand ready to take the
places of the striking men," said a mem
Der of the trainmen's order. The Snakes
have opposed our order and there is an
animosity existing between the two or
ganization that cannot be forgotten.
Omaha will not be affected by the strike
of the s~witchmen. for there are plenty Of
railway trainmen TO supply the places Of
striking switchmen in Omaha"
Official news Of the strike declared. by
the Switchmen's Union Of North America
at St. Paul was received by local mem
bers Of the union early in the morning.
Omaha switchmen employed by the Chi
eago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis & Omaha
railroad are most directly affected by the
strike order. This road has a small num-
Der of switchmen and IT was stated at the
Webster street yards that eleven men had
left their work.
Omaha Service NOT interrupted.
Otherwise, service in the city was little
interrupted, as most of the switchmen en-
ployed locally are members of the Brother
hood of Railway TraiImen and are lat
outs" with the so-called Snakes" The
Chicago a Northwestern line, operating
out OF Sioux City, is directly affected by
the strike. Railroad officials there have
refused TO consign freight of any kind.
In the Union Pacific and Burlington
yards all is peace and serenity. Lon Ken
dali. general yardmaster for the Hartman
lines, states that all the men are work.
ing as usual and that there are no signs Of
an impending walkout. The Union Pacific
employs about 800 men and all of them,
with few exceptions, are members of the
trainmen's order, which is opposing the
switchmen in their fight.
At O'Nein's hall. Sixteenth and Cunning
streets, there was a small gathering Of
firemen and engineers at noon. The Broth
erhoo OF Locomotive Firemen has a re-
quest before the western railroad managers
for an increase in wages and an answer
was due from the officials December l.
The firemen await orders from the Chicago
offices and say that the strike Of the
switchmen will have no effect upon their
action.
6WAANAAAtA %hRAeeN " IA NAe OAldtAd anu
Council Bluffs terminals are paid 30 cents
an houri foremen switchmen are paid 80
eats per hour. A sliding scale is used,
which provides for excess pay in case Of
overtime
"sttnEers" VIII Oppose
"Our men are paid all the way from 50. 20
to $3.25 per day, according TO hours" said
a Missouri Pacific fireman, "and we have
asked for an increase Of 20 per cent. We
don't care a whit how the snakes come
out in their strike It will make no differ
ence to US. There are only a few Of them
in Omaha anyway and If they walk out
there are pie"'Y OF our men to take their
places without eausing any difficulty"
Li'Ns6gh the stfIke difficulty. it seems,
has not reached Omaha there is a feeling
OF anxiety. however. that there may be
serious trouble later on. II the nremon
lose out in their demands for increased
wages there is a possibility of a general
strike in the Brotherhood of Railway Train
men.
I'VE have received no word from MT.
Mohler," said T. NJ. Orr Of the executive
staff OF the Union Pacific railroad, and
as we understand Il the switchmen en-
ployed in Omaha are not affected by the
strike declared in st. Paul"