The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1910-07-22
5000 ON STRIKE
RAILROADS SYSTEM FROM MAINE
TO CHICAGO WAY BE
TIED UP.
MEN WANT HIGHER WAGES
Company Shuts Down Shops, Throw
ing Out 5000 EmpIoyes.-Line Al
ready Crippled, and Men Pre-
pare for Long Struggle.

Montreal, Cauada.-A strike of the
conductors and trainmen Of the Grand
Trunk railway has begun, which, it is
claimed, will tie up the entire system
from Portland, Me-, TO Chicago.
Three thousand and five trainmen
and conductors on the Grand Trunk,
and $50 on the Central Vermont, a
subsidiary line, are affected directly
by the strike. In addition 5000 men
engaged in shop work will be tempo
rarily laid off.
The Grand Trunk railway telegraph
ers will not strike with the trainmen
and conductors as had been promised.
The word from the conference is that
the wage dispute will be referred to
arbitration with the understanding
that both sides will accept the award.
The strike was declared automatic
ally, following the decision Of Presi-
dent Hays of the Grand Trunk not to
accede to the demands Of the men.
Trains which began their runs before
$50 we're run through to their division
terminals.
No Freights Sent Out.
Dispatches from London, Stratford
and Sarnia say that the shops there
have been closed down and that no at
tempt is being made to send out the
freight trains, though the passenger
+,oiDc oro r,upipu IN bC,r pr two late
From Toronto the word was that
following the order from this city,
every trainman, conductor and Jdrd
man there quit on the tick OK $3.50 p.
m. The Belleville Toronto train ar
rived an hour and twenty %I.Ilnutes late.
The Chicago train due t5 leave Toron-
to at IL o'clock left Ialf an hour late,
Assistant superintendent Bowker in
charge.
The Grand trunk system has a total
mileage Of 1. 1905. The mileage of the
Contra; Vermont, a controlled road, is
536. The Grand Trunk chiefly is
owed by English shareholders and
nlost of the directors live in London.
The company is now engaged in the
construction of a great transcontinent-
al line, known as the Grand Trunk Pa
ciic, extending from Moncton, N. B.,
to the Pacific coast.
Management's Side.
The developments of the day previ-
Gus TO the calling of the strike were
explained as follows in a statement is
sued by the company at s o'clock:
"Messrs. Berry and Murdoch with a
committee representing the Grand
Trunk trainmen and yardmen met the
officers of the company and advised
that they had received the authority
of a large majority of our trainmen to
order a strike in the advent a settle
ment was not reached with the com
pany.
"A general discussion of the situa-
ton took place during which we ad.
vised them that we were not in a posi-
ton to do more than had been offered
in u former proposition, giving the
men an increase of approximately Is
per cent, with the further promise that
they should be given the same stand
ard rate of pay as the Canadian Pacific
as soon as the Grand Trunk, through
its relation with the Grand Trunk Pa
cifc, is in a position to participate in
the higher rates obtaining on traffic in
the Northwest. 1t was explained that
If there was any question of indefinite
as to the date when the standard
ization was to take effect we would
agree that it should be not later than
Jan. 1, 1913, or earlier IL the board Of
railway commissioners upon hearing
OF the facts In the case should SO de-
termine.
"This was not considered satisfac-
tory and the conference was adjourned
until the afternoon, when we were
handed the schedule of rate of pay and
rules which are practically the East
ern standard.
"The reply was made that we could
do no better than what had already
been offered and we would have no
further propositions to make.
'In the meantime we shall make
effective the rules and rates Of pay
offered the employees. Pending settle
ment Of matters all shops on the sys-
tenn will be closed"
To this statement President Hays
added:
We have done the best we can,
having regard to the interests Of the
shareholders and Of the men them
selves. We have offered substantial
increases in wages. For instance, we
give conductors between Montreal and
Portland an increase from s110 to
1888, between Montreal and Brock
vile from $50 to $40 a month. be-
tween Montreal and Toronto from $110
to $40, and baggagemen from $40 10
Speaker Cannon Faints.
uye-a~YI K.w T,f- ~ H