The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1916-03-17
MEN GAINED A DECIpE0
VICTORY IN THEIR FIGHT
Sudden Termination or the Troubles
At This Time Came AS Surprise
to the General Pubiic-Railroad
Signs Agreement and Makes No
Objection to Labor Organizations
of Any Character-Get More Pay
and Fewer Hours.

The strike and lockout of the train
men of the Gulf & Ship Island Rail-
road has ended, and today the trains
in the passenger and freight service
OF the company are being operated
on the old time schedules.
The last evidence of the disorders
which have kept Hattiesburg and all
South Mississippi keyed UP to high
pitch of excitement for eight days,
disappeared this afternoon when c. B.
Freeny, of Jackson, deputy United
States marshal, who came to Hatties-
burg three nights ago and assumed
charge of the situation, left for his
home.
In Gulfport today, officials of the
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen,
the Order of Railroad Conductors,
and the Gulf & Ship Island Railroad
Company are holding last confer
cnce, putting the finishing 'xaches -
ths agreement entered INFO Dy thes
men and the railroad; dotting the
rs and crossing the rs, and are ap-
pearing before Judge Niles court to
ask that the injunction order be dis
solved
Normal conditions prevail on the
Gulf & Ship Island today on its main
line and all its branches. From Jack
son to Gulfport The News has re-
ceived dispatches stating that all the
freights held up at irregular intervals
along the line are now putting and
steaming away toward their original
destinations.
Mills Resume Work.
The many lumber mills. factories
and plants which were forced to close
down because of the strike, are at
work today, striving to turn out the
many orders which have been piling
up since the trainmen struck or were
locked out on Wednesday afternoon,
March s.
Official G,-ta,la of the agreement
havr not yet 5ee:: MADE p'.blic, either
hv He rail. Dad officials ar the MT
- x evident tllt : mpromise vas
reached by the two factions.
That it should end as il did, and as
suddenly, at time when it appeared
that the railroad had the upper hand
in the matter, and was in position
to fight the strikers to a victorious
end, came as surprise to the general
public.
The strikers maintained throughout
the struggle that they could and
would whip the railroad. but toward
the latter part of the struggle the
public began to doubt 1t.
While the railroad company de-
clares that it made no overtures to the
union, no objections were made in
the schedule as to labor organizations
of any character.
The main point gained in the settle
ment for the men was the granting of
a ten-hour working day basis, where
they were working twelve. The rate
of pay to the fagmen and brakemen
on freight and passenger trains and
porters on trains received increases
ranging from ten to twenty per cent.
The switchmen OF the company did
not get any increase in pay, but work
two hours less per day.
The Gulf and Ship Island Railroad
denies it has recognized the trainmen's
union. but the contract, say the men,,
is a recognition, as it is made out be-
tween the road and the employees" !"
through their committee. which is the
local unions grievance committee and
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