Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-05-14
CARSHoP STRIKE
REMAINS same,

The situation in the walkOut OF the
300 shop men in this city was not mucn
changed Sunday, the most important
feature of the day being the announce
ment that the Big Four. that is, the
engineers, conductors, flremen and
brakemen had decided to stand be-
hind the shop men to the end and to
assist them financially if they needed
it. The men held a meeting at Grand
Army hall Snday afternoon at which
there were over 300 present including
men from Portland, Bangor and other
places along the line where the men
are also out, and at this meeting were
present representatives OF the Big
Four and the announcement was made
to the men there that the Big Four
were in this fight also with their sym
pathy, their help in every way and
and if there was need Of financial as
sistance to any Of the men who could
not stand a few days or weeks Of idle
ness they were ready to take care OF
them. The Importance of this an
nouncement Isl far-reaching. 1t comes
after a meeting of the Big Four held
at their hall Saturday evening at
which it was said that the whole mat
ter was threshed out and 1t was iecid-
ed that the shop men must win. that
they should be added to the big I'M
ions of the road and that when this
matter was settled it would be the
Big Five instead Of the Big Four
While nothing was said about it and
there has been no indication as yet
that the road planned to use strike
breakers, it is probable that this back
ing of the trainmen means that their
use is out of the question as they
would undoubtedly refuse to haul
cars which had been repaired by 9TH
er than the regular men.
The men who are out were all ex-
ceptionally cheerful Sunday for added
to the promise Of the support of what
is admittedly the strongest brother
hoods in the world, came the report
from Portland that Messrs. Mcdonald
and Douglass had declared an embar-
go on all but foodstuffs for the road.
They declare that these two men
cannot hold out much longer and
point out that undoubtedly their re-
fusal to grant the demands of the men
has already cost the road more than
it would have to pay the men the in
crease for year.
The reports of trainmen are that the
sidetracks are RAPIDLY filing up with
disabled cars, and it is certain that the
local yard has a large number of cars
in it, whether this is due to the walk
out or not. no one cares to say.
Everything still continues to be very
quiet and the men are keeping far away
from the company property and also
away from down town so that there is
no indication that anything out Of the
ordinary is going on in the city, except
for the time when the men are going to
their meetings in the afternoons or go
ing home from them.
The Big Four Brotherhood is to give a
ball the proceeds of which are to go to
the men who are out and already can
vass of the business section has been
made and all but six of the merchants
have purchased one or more tickets,
showing that the business community
of Waterville is behind the men and
feel that they are in the right. There
will be a further canvass by some Of
the men and they expect to sell large
number of tickets and to realize a good
sum for the cause