Norwich bulletin., 1912-03-26
IA Strike Vote
 By Engineers
MAY FOLLOW THE REFUSAL OF
 THEIR DEMANDS,
REPLY OF RAILROADS
Managers State That Thoy Cannot
 Grant a fs Per Cent. increase of Wages-Reforendum Vote to Follow.

New York, March 25.-The confer.
 ence committee of managers of fifty
 railroads east Of Chicago and north of tho Norfolk and Western railroad and thelr locomotive engineers reached a deadlock tonight over the question of an increase in and standardization 0f
 wages The managers today refused
 10 accede to the demands of the men | and the engineers tonight declined to accept this decision, and reaffirmed their demands.
 Referendum Vote os En6ineers,
 As matters now stand, 1t appeared that the question will have to be plac- ed before the rank and file of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers employed by the railroads for a. ref erendum Vote as to what the policy of the engineers will be. W. S. Stone, grand chief engineer of the brother hood, in 8 letter written tonight to I c. Stuart Of the Erie railroad and
 chairman of the managers commit- 1 tee, sa1d the engineers could not ac- l cept the decision of the managers and ] that if they had nothing further to l offer, the matter would be placed in the hands of the engineers for decis-
 ion.
 , Demands of the Engineers, Mir. Stuart replied that the man. 1 agers could add nothing to their state 1 ment and that he hoped the members | Of the Brotherhood of Engineers would | give 1t full consideration when s,Ib- 1 f2ltted to them. The engineers had | requested minimum wage of s4.4O ] Der day Tor passenger service, S5.25 per cay for freight service, and sub z stantlal increases for overtime They | also asked increases for switch beit l line and special engines, and specified ! that all electrical trains should be man ned by engineers at steam railroad pay. 1 The managers said in their reply that to acquiesce in these demands would ! mean an increase in wages of about 1 19 per cent, and they were unable tO bear this added burden to their aI-
 ready heavy expenditures,
 Managers Reply Not Accepted.
 After they had read the reply of the 1 managers, the representatives of the
 eg1neers conferred and it is said, | agreed unanimously that it was not 1 acceptable. A letter was then drawn
 up and signed by Mir. Stone and de- spatched to MT. Stuart It said: Pursuant to my promises that I i would reply this afternoon to your communication, would advise that the
 same has been placed before the chair man and I have been instructed to in- form you your decision as expressed in
 your letter of Marc h25th cannot be 1 accepted. We again reaffirm our re- quest of January p and beg to advise 1 if the conference committee of man. 1 agers has nothing further to offer, the | entire question will be submitted to 1 the engineers employed in roads repre- | Eented for their final action.''
 The Managers Reply. 1 Answering this in behalf of the con
 ference committee of managers, MT. 1 Stuart said:
 | Replying to your letter of even date.
 The conference committee of managers advises that it can add nothing to the facts set forth in it's reply of this morning. 1t had been hoped the engI- 1 neers would recognize the gravity of ! the situation confronting the railroads. and their inability to meet the engi-
 neers' request as set forth in the cOm-
 nluntcation you have received. It ] trusts the matter will be given full | consideration when the entire question ! is submitted to th~ engineers for their final consideration"
 No Strike Talk Heard.
 After the passage of the letters it
 was said by a committee of three
 members of the engineers that there was no talk of a strike at their con- 1 ferences today.
 Not until the result of the joint COZ