The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1913-11-20
EXTENSION.
time GRANTED
GOVERNOR CLARKE ALLOWS I
DAYS MORE TIME
70 THE BOARD Of ARBITRATION
Testimony Of the Men Is Completed
and Company Presents Its Claims
The Evidence In Case is
Most voluminous.


Examination of witnesses for the
union employees before the board of
arbitration in the street car contro-
versy was completed Tuesday after
noon and the introduction Of evidence
begun by the attorneys for the COM
pany. The employees attorneys rest
ed about two o'clock and Manager
Garner, OF the Traction company,
was Immediately put on the stand by
attorneys for the company. II is IN
derstood that Mr.. Garner is the only
witness to be used by the company
and 1t is very probable that the intro
duction of evidence will be complet-
ed some time today and the closing
arguments of the attorneys begun.
The. final arguments will unquestion-
ably consume much time, as there
are many points to be discussed and
II Is lust as certain that il will take
the Judges some time to reach de-
cision as an enormous amount of sta
tistics have been introduced in eyf
dence as exhibits by both sides and
the Judges will probably go over the
entire list carefully before preparing
a decision. Judge Roberts, chairman
of the arbitration board, received
word from Governor Clarke yester-
day afternoon that the board had
been granted an extension or ten
DAYS time by him in which TO reach
a decision and prepare their report.
The state statutes governing the mat
ter REQUIRES that the board complete
its investigation within ten days
from the time of their appointment
by the governor unless such time Is
extended by the governor.
Introduction of evidence by attor-
news for the employees began last Sat
urday morning and consumed about
a day. The board adjourned from
Saturday noon until Tuesday morn
ing. Twelve witnesses were used by
the employees in proving their con-
tentions. The principal points
brought out by their testimony was
concerned with the various confer
ences held between them and Mr.
Garner before the strike relative to
a new contract between the company
and, the men and the efforts put forth
by the employees to satisfactorily
adjust the differences existing be-
tween the two sides without having
a walkout. Various phases and
points in the submitting Of the pro-
posed contracts by both sides, which
contracts were published in full in
The Herald, were brought out and
threshed over. Statistics were also
introduced to show that the wage
scale in Oskaloosa was lower than in
other cities of similar size where
union labor was used. All the strik-
ing employees put on the stand gave
satisfactory accounts OF their where
abouts on the night of the riot and a
decision was reached by the judges
to assume that all the union street
car employees were not concerned in
the riot in any manner whatever ana
had no previous knowledge that any
such riot was to occur unless PROOF
Of such participation or knowledge
was later introduced by the opposing
side. Unless such a decision had
been reached 1t would have been ne
cessary to put all the men on the
stand in order that they might have
chance to account for their where
abouts on the night in question and.
much time would have been thus con-
sumed. The object and aims OF the
after the strike went into effect was
delVed into by attorneys for the COM
many in cross examination, but
brought out no proof OF unlawful con-
duct. Various other points of more
or less minor character we're brought
out by the testimony given and may
have an important bearing on the
findings Of the board, but are COM
plicated and numerous.
The first witness called yesterday
afternoon when the board convened
was Andrew B. Anderson, chief en-
gineer at the power plant. Mr.. An
derson has been at the head OF the
power plant since il was buiIded. He
is prohibited from belonging to the
union by the rule that foremen can
not be eligible to membership and
remains as head of the plant despite
the strike, with which he was neces-
sarily not connected. Mr.. Anderson
told Of the means used to keep the
plant going since the strike went into
effect and of several threats that he
heard his employees say had been
made against him. All the latter
was hearsay and he had heard no
threats made himself This point
was brought out In cross-examina-
ton The workings of the plant,
equipment, ETC., were explained to
the board by Mr.. Anderson and he
was later recalled by the board to
explain further about the various
pieces of machinery In use at the
power house.
Charles Walker, motornan in the
employ of the company for eleven
years, and one Of the union strikers,
was called to the stand and his ties.
timony given on the points mention
ed In the above resume of the evil
dence introduced by the employees.
Oscar Carstens, representing the
national street railway employees
union. who has been In Oskaloosa
during the present trouble, was re-
called to the stand and introduced In
evidence Exhibit 81" a list of the
wage scale In cities where union men
were employed by the street car
company. He was also used TO bring
out various other points already men
toned. Mr.. Carstens had previously
introduced in evidence certain ex-
hibits showing wage scales, etc, in
various places.
Mr.. Fox, secretary OF the local
street car union, was also recalled 10 |
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