Norwich bulletin., 1914-01-20

Albany, N. Y, Jan. 19-The strike on the Delaware and Hudson railway was settled tonight Company officials met the unions demands that they re- store two discharged employees, Engi- neer James A. Lynch and Conductor F. A. Slade. to their former positions. All strikers will return to duty at once. G. W. w. Hanger a member of the federal board of mediation and -conciliation, brought about the agree ment.
 A settlement was reached only after NIT. Hanger had suggested to the com pany officials that they yield to the demands of the men. Arbitration, he declared, was impossible.
 Men Ordered to Report for Duty.
 Normal conditions would be restored in two hours, union officials promised at e.30 o'clock.
 AS soon as Clifford s. Sims. vice president and general manager of the railway. and union officials had signed the agreement, orders were sent out for men to report for work as quickly as possible.
 Many crews that had been tied up at terminal points were notified by telegraph to resume their runs with out reporting here.
 A few minor matters still remain unsettled, but these will be adjusted at the convenience of the union and railway officials
 They have to do with the cases of other discharged employees, but they did not enter into the strike proper. Union officials agreed early in the day that when the cases of Slade and Lynch were disposed of the strikers would return to work.
 Origin of the Trouble
 Slade and Lynch were discharged more than a year ago when atcar on their train running tho SnSnIIa- hanna division, Jumped the track and bumped along the ties for three and a half miles. The men were discharged on the ground that they were negli- and caused much damage to property. The union officials replied that the accident was unavoidable and that no serious damage was done.
 Thereby developed the trouble. For several months the company and un- ion officials debated the proposition of restoring the men to work. Then, a week ago, 9S per cent. of the em- ployes voted to strike if S1ade and Lynch were not restored to duty.
 RoaG Paralyzed by Noon.
 At 5.45 o'clock this morning the first body of men walked out. From then on until noon engineers, conductors, trainmen, telegraph operators and towermen gradually quit as the safety of passengers would permit. At noon 1t was estimated that 5000 men were out and the entire system was para lyzed. Shop workers and office em- ployes alone remained on duty.
 It was less than two hours after the last stril&r had left his work when MT. Hanger arrived here and began negotiations with both sides. Accom- panying him from New York was Mir. Sims. He agreed immediately to an arbitration Of the differences, and MT Hanger approached the union officials with this In view.
 Employees Refused to Arbitrate
 They were firm in their demands, however and told MT. Hanger that it was useless to talk arbitration to them. Then he began a series of trips be- tween railway officials and the men. Three times he met each side sepa- rately and three times from each side he received the same reply-the unions demanding the reinstatement of the employees and MT. Sims holding out for arbitration
 union leaders, and within an hour MT Hanger decided arbitration was impos- sfble. So he drew up an agreement granting the demands. again went to Mir. Sims office, obtained his sigma ture, and the strike was officially de- clared off a few minutes later. In 8 statement issued after the agreement had been signed MT. Sims said that the company officials had yielded to the suggestion of MT Han ger that they recede from their posi- tion in the best interests of the public It was the railroad officials who orig inally aske dthe federal board to inter- cede.
 No Violence Reported. No violence was reported as re- suit of the strike. Union leaders told the men to leave the company property quietly, and they did so. The few meetings of union locals held along the system were reported to have been peaeeahle.
 Many railroad men who left here early today and then deserted trains al terminal points had the unusual ex- perience of paying their fares back i home.