The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1911-09-30
RAILROADS FACING
GREATEST CRISIS IN
HISTORY OF STRIKES
Walkout on Hartman Lines
Predicted to Spread
Over Nation.

CHICAGO. Sept. 3o-With nearl,
10000 members of the systems federation
of the Hartman lines and the Illinois
Central ordered to lay down their tool!
at 10 o'clock this morning, American
railways faced what is believed to bt
one of the greatest crises in the battle
between financial interests ana la boring
men.
That the strike for recognition Of the
systems fedora ton will spread and
eventually reach every railway syst I'm
in America. is the expressed belief OF
the labor leaders, who declare that by
means of the system federation they
have at last a weapon with which sue
cessuflly to enforce their demands.
In addition the labor leaders declare
there are several thousand unorganized
men who probably will go out in a few
days as a result of the missionary
work. of the strikers.
Thousands Quit Work.
Three thousand members of the
Illinois Central Systems Federation
in the territory of Memphis. Tenn,
struck at 10 o'clock today. At Mem
phis the force has been out all week.
and conditions remain the same. The
federation declares that engineers.
firemen, brakemen. and switchmen
will join in the strike.
officers of the railroad promise that
all freight will be moved by Monday.
At East St Louis. Ill. 500 employees
Of the Illinois Central railroad struck
at $50 this morning. following the
receipt of orders from union repre-
sentAtives. simultaneously with the
walkout of the men, thirty guards
employed by the railway, ranged
themselves about the plant
Chicago reports that all of the 1000
men employed in the Illinois Central
shops at Burnside, just south of Chi
cago laid down their tools and went on
strike at 10 d. m. There was no dis
order. Guards were Immediately
thrown about the place by the railroad
At Champaign, ILL.,. $50 Illinois Cen
trail shopmen struck here today. The
company's guards are on duty at the
shops.
At Paducah, KY, all employees at the
Illinois Central shops here, 1000 in num-
Der, walked out as prearranged.
At Cairo, Ill, over 800 men employed
in the Illinois Central shops walked out
at 10 o'clock a m. The machinists alone
remained at work.
The Lines Affected
The lines affected by the strike order
are the Union Pacific Southern Pacific,
the Oregon Short Line, the oregon
Washington and Nevada. and Oregon
Railways and Navigation Company,
the Sunset Route, the Illinois Central,
the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley and
the San Pedro. Los Angeles and Salt
Lake City.
The cities where the largest number
of men are affected are Centra!ia.
Ills: Memphis, Tenn: Oakland, Cal:
birmingham, Ala: Freeport Ills: Pa
ducah, Ky; Oak Park, Cal; Houston,
Tex: Portland, Ore; FL Paso, Tex,
Omaha, Ncb.; Kansas City, Mo: Beau
mont, Tex Cheyenne, Wyo.; East 81
! ouis, Ills; Salt Lake City, Titan:
Sacramento, Cal; Last Bakersfield,
Cal; MCCOmb. Miss: San Antonio,
Tex; North Platte, Neb.; and Tucson,
AriZ.
According 10 police reports, at least
one-third OF the 5000 men employed in
the burnside, Ills, shops of the
Illinois Central, did not even go to
work today.
Heavy private detective guards hav.
been placed about the shops by the
railroad officials.