United labor bulletin., 1912-01-04
settlement IN SIGHT
ON HARTMAN LINES
Strikebreakers Quit and Make
Statement---Motive Power
in Bad Shape.

The strike Of the Federated Shopmen
on the Hartman system Is taking on
color with the coming Of cold weather
and the falling Of the winters snows-
a bright color In the eyes of the strikers.
Tho color is so brilliant that that 1t is
giving the officials Of the Hartman lines
SNOW blindness" These officials are
blind to the fact that the strike is won
already, but through their blindness
these officials are endeavorins to plunge
on through these SHOWS without any mo-
tive power to speak Of.
The motive power is In awful shape
over the entire western part Of the sys-
tenn. We publish below few OF the
bulletins from different sections OF the
Rocky mountain and coast regions, and
they all tell the same story; and the
story 10 repeated In the dozens Of buiie-
tins from cities and railroad centers that
space will not permit The Bulletin to
print.
Rumors of settlement are being
banded about and will not down How
long the company can hold out Is but a
matter OF conjecture. Strikebreakers are
leaving in droves at different points and
recruits are sent in to take their places.
These strikebreakers are not mechanics
and their work is such that 1t will not
stand the wear and tear on the
snow covered tracks, and the work done
is worse than II It had never been
touched. for 1t leaves the engines and
stalled" trains standing out on the main
line until other engines that are badly
needed to handle the contested business
must be sent TO shove them in on sidings.
take the dead" engine back to the
shops. and then send another engine out
to repeat the former heartbreaking ex-
periences. The story Is the same from
every section. In some places freight
has been abandoned to take care OF the
passenger service. while in other places
IL Is the reverse. for freight has become
SO contested that shippers are making
an effort to have something done to
handle their business. How long the
government will let this 20 on will be
governed only by the great influence OF
the railroad millionaires.
The railroad companies have other
things beside motive power to deal with.
The sirikebreakcrs are dissatisfied and
viii not stand for the slave system and
bull-pen methods that have been put in
vogue by the company
Below we print letter from bunch
OF strikebroakers that have deserted the
company at Salt Lake City;
Ogden. Utah. Dec. 2S. 1911.
To Our Fellow StrikebreRkers and All
Concerned
We. the undersigned strikebreakers,
wish to let the public know Of the condi-
tions at the shops of the Oregon Short
Line. located at Ogden, Utah. and all
shops throughout the Hartman system
We wish to state that we were treated
as prisoners and not as workingmen. try
ing to make n living. Every strike
breaker, coming or going on the grounds
OF the company are searched and every
thing they have. that the guards want, is
taken from them. We also wish to state
that we we're locked up In bunk houses
which are filthy and not fit for human
habitation. There is from forthy to fifty
men sleeping in each bunk house, which
has no ventilation. There is only one
Gun for all of these men to drink from.
The linen on the beds, during our three
weeks employment. was not changed.
The officials of this company are so
cheap that II n man wishes to go to an
other town to do his shopping. he is
charged with his fare the same as any
other person not an employe. They do
not want the men to go in the city OF
Ogden to do their shopping. as they fear
the union will persuade them to leave
the employ of the company. We have
contract calling for a period OF ninety
days and the company does not live up
to its contract The company officials
let the men work when they see nj anu
lay them OF when they see mt without
pay The men are compelled to stay in
flthy bunk houses while laying on. II
man wishes to quit they refer him to
this fake contract and absolutely refuse
to give him his time or transportation
to where he came from. II man speaks
for his rights he is discharged and taken
from the premises and II caught on the
premises again is arrested and fined. In
regard to the eating. well 1t is rotten.
the meat without'a doubt Is not ht for
hog to eat. gtr
We, the undersigned strikebreakers,
employed by the Oregon Short Line at
Ogden. beg all men looking for employ
ment, not to accept position hpn the
Hartman system for their own good for
this company will give every man the
worst OF It.
There arc one hundred or more men
willing to quit this strike in the Ogden
shops alone. but they have not the means
to get out OF town with.
Yours respectfully.
(Signed)
WIN. Il. KELLY.
RICHARD SMITH.
JOS. McLOSPI.
VICTOR ANDERSON.