The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-07-19
, GRAND TRUNK
SUFFERS STRIKE
That and Central Vermont Line
Completely Tied Up by
Trainmen.
OFFERED AN INCREASE
WHICH WAS REJECTED
Strike Order Came OF $50 d.
H., and All Men Are
Out.

MONTREAL. July 1S.@Conductors and
trainmen OF the Grand Trunk and Central
OF Vermont railways obeyed an automati,
strike order at $3.50 O'Clock tonight. Under
the terms Of the order. trains which be =
gan their runs before $50 are to be taken
through 10 the terminal by the men ir
charge. After that the company is ex-
pectcd 10 look after its own interests.
Grand Trunk officials tonight issued d
statement in part as follows:
NIessrs. Berry and Murdoch. with a
committee representing the trainmen and
yardmea. met the officers OF the company
this morning and advised that they had
received the authority Of large majority
OF our trainmen TO order "A strike II !,
settlement was not reached with the com
pany.
~ general discussion OF the situation
took place, during which we advised them
we were not In a position TO do more than
had been offered in our former proposition,
giving the men an increase OF IS per cent
with the further promise that they should
be given the same standard rate Of pay
as the Canadian Pacific as soon as the
Grand Trunk, through its relation with
the Grand Trunk Pacific. is In position
TO participate in the higher rates obtain
ing on traffic in the northwest by reason
OF the competition OF that road and the
obtaining OF through rail connections be-
tween the Grand Trunk and the Grand
Trunk Pacific, which should be accom-
plished within two years.
Promise to Later Grant Increase.
''1t was explained that il there was any
question of Indebtedness as TO the date
when the standardization was TO take
effect, we would agree that it should not
be later than January ]. 1913. or earlier.
Ii the board Of railway commissioners.
upon hearing the facts in the case, should
so determine.
This was not considered satisfactory
and the conference WAS adjourned until
thc afternoon. when we were handed the
schedule Of rates of pay and rules, which
q
The reply was made that could do
no better than what had already been
offered, and we have no future proposition
10 make.
Should a strike be ordered. we feel con-
fioenI many of the employees of the COM
pany in the train service will disregard
the company. We have many applica-
lions from other parties for employment I
and shall also recruit largely from our
other departments.
In the meantime we shall make ef-
fectiyc the rules and rates OF pay offered
the employees. Pending settlement, all
shops on the system will be closed.
Statement of the President.
TO this President Hayes added:
I'VE have done the best We can. haY-
ing regard 10 the interests Of the share
holders and OF the men themselves. we
have offered substantial increases in
wages. For instance. we give conductors
between Montreal and Portland an in
crease from sl10 10 SlS5. between Mon
month between Montreal and Toronto
from s1i0 TO $40. and baggagemen from
SO TO SS5 and brakemen from $50 10 $50
and $50 to $50.
''On mileage rates. conductors Of
through trips are TO be raised from 2.90
to 1886 cents a mile and brakemen from
I-90 10 2.25 cents.
.On the runs between Montreal and
Ottawa, conductors are raised from sllO
10 $40 a month: baggagemen sI5 TO $50.
and so on.
When ! put this 10 the men l said fur
tlcr that this was q large increase. but
that If they did not think IL satisfactory
there was still another alternative l said
was willing in such case 10 go TO the
arbitration or q board Of expert railway
men as TO whether or not The proposition
was fair. and would be willing TO abide
by the decision.
Further. J said TO the representatives
Of the men:
Suppose a strike is brought on, with
all it's disturbance OF conditions and bust
ness. what shall we do eventually bt
settle as have proposed? You will have
displaced z great many men. created great
losses all over and got no further ahead
But they refused TO listen 10 this"