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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 28, 1888)
SEVENTEENTH YEAR OMAHA , TUESDAY MOKNING. FEBRUARY 28 , 18S8. NUMBER 255. TRAFFIC AT A STANDSTILL , The Croat Strike on the Burlington Fairly Inaugurated. PERISHABLE FREIGHT REFUSED. Ilotli the KiiRtncorH nn l tho. Company Preparing For a lUmp StniRnlc ItitcrrlcwH AVIlli header * on lioth SiilcH. Horns CHICAGO , Feb. 27. [ Special Telegram to the Br.K.1 The greatest railroad strikothat ever occurred in the west Is "on" along nil the lines of the Chicago , Darlington & Qulncy rullroud , There were ] > robably tnoro tncn Involved In the Missouri I'uclllc strike of two years ago tlinn uro now "out , " but the lines over which that strike extended wcro not so long , nor as important as thcsd of the road now affected , and a strike of the engineers and Ilrenien on a railroad is a much tnoro Important mutter than a strike of switchmen nnd similar employes. A prominent official connected with another line said : "Tho light between the Brother hood of Locomotive Engineers and the Chicago cage , Durllngton & Qulncy ofllcials is likely to bo a very bitter one. 1 know the former is conceded to bo the strongest , most intelli gent nnd conservative organi/atlon of all the skilled labor associations , and they cannot afford to lose this battle. I know Henry B. Stone , too , as general manager of the Burllng- ton road. Ho will bo thogcneral-in-ehicf and will conduct the maneuvering in the interest of that company. HcUs not a novice in the strike business by any means. During the switchmen's great strike at East St. Louis a year or two ago ho managed the affairs do combat for all the rouda running into that town , and showed. In doing so , a degree of fearlessness that in some cases bordered on recklessness in the minds of his friends. Stone , jou know , is a practical man. Ho began service with the "Q" in the machine shops at Aurora us an apprentice , and worked his way right up to the top. Ho knows pretty much all there is to learn about a locomotive engine , and can pull the throttle and reverse the lever with the best of them. When the strike was on at East St. Louis above referred to , the city of St. Louis sulTcrud a coal famine , brought about by the action of the strikers in refusing to allow that class of freight to enter the city. All efforts to run n train across the bridge were looked upon as simply suicidal , and none of the engineers could bo prevailed upon to undertake such a task. When all other means hail failed , Henry 13. Stone mounted nn engine nnd with John Hosier , the general superin tendent , as fireman , hauled the llrst train load of coal over the bridge , virtually breakIng - Ing the back bone of the strike , and bringing relief to the famine-stricken city. This was done at the imminent risk of his lifo. Mr. Stone Is a young man probably not over ! W years bid. Pluck and determination are two of the Ingredients' in his composition that have gained for him so high a position at suet an early age. " 'Those whoso curiosity attracted them to the yard of the company this morning , saw little to repay them for their trouble ; in fact nothing , save long lines of freight cars side tracked , and hero and there a road ham repairing some little flaw on the track. In the switchmen's shanties little knots of idle employes assembled nnd hugging the stoves as closely as they could , discussed the situa tion. In the shanty Just outside the Twelftl street roundhouse- policemen roastcc their shins nnd congratulated themselves on the comfortableness of their assignments Every once In a while they would walk eve to the roundhouse to see that everything was all right and then walk back to the shanty In the roundhouse supreme quietness rclgnci and not n thing was to bo heard or seen mov ing except n wreath of white smoke rising from a locomotive smokestack. At the general ollico the superintendent' room was crowded all day wUh men seeking work as firemen and engineers. - "Wo have had no correspondence with the Heading railroad engineers as n body , nor with the Knights of Labor , " said Solicitor Goddurd. "Wo have been in correspondence with many engineers , but only as individuals. Our superintendents of motor power at each terminal point have been in telegraphic cor respondence with men in railroad centers all over the country over slnco wo determined to make u tight. In each place wo have had a man whoso business it was to seek out men with practical experience as locomotive en gineers and tell them they could probably find a good Job by going to Chicago. As a re sult wo have more than fifty men hero now , most of whom are competent to handle an engine. Some of them are men with ten to twenty years' experience on the road , and tlioro Is no doubt , I think , but that wo will bo able to pet n full force of thoroughly compe tent men. Ono thing is certain : None put men who are absolutely trustworthy In every respect , both with regard to mcclianic.il ability and good character and habits , will be accepted. This will bo our rule of action , win or lose. " "Wo have arranged , " said Mr. Morton , the general passenger agent , "with the Alton road that they t > houUl take euro of our south west business , and \\Ith the Milwaukee & St. Paul that they will take euro of our west anil northwest business. They will honor our tickets that mo already sold or ex change our tickets for tickets of their own , issue. The idea is to subject the passengers j to as littla inconvenience as possible by ur- ranging with competing roads running out of our union depot , at Pcoria. to cover tic ] line of business from the middle of the state. The Alton will take the Indiana , Bloomington - ton & Western nt Hloomington , and the Hock Island will take the western bushiest out of Pcoria. The lines of the system west of the Missouri river have miulo similar ar rangements witit their competitors. Ticket reading over the H. & M. between the Mis souri river and Denver will bo honored b.\ the other lines. This will cover all the Pa- clllo coast business. Of course all our Interior - terior competitive points wo will probablj m-rango with proper lines us occasion re quires. That will rather adjust it.sclf. Bj these arrangements the entire tci ritory trav crsed by lines on the system will bo avail nblo by other routes , except , of course , strictly local points. The Chicago , Bur llngton ft Northern may complete ar rangements by which their trains will rur in and out of Chicago , but until that ai range incut is made wo shall do a through busines : with the Northwestern. Wo can not suj yet how this will effect the two dolly trSini out of Illinois Central depot at Luke street Our contract requires us to furnish engine1 for their trade , to unless some deal is madi the engines can not bo furnished. Probabl ; they will use their own engines. " "Wo have notlllcd all our agents at al points to refuse all perishable freight abso lutcly , " said the general freight agent , "am to accept other freight subject only to delay In any freigl't that wo are nblo to send ou wo shall , of course , give the profercnco t < freight to local points at which no competini road touches ; after that wo shall try t handle freight to junction points , where I can bo transferred to other roads , and b , them conveyed to its destination. For tli present our through business will be at standstill , and our agents l.avo instruction not to receive any through frolghtof any kin except subject to delay. " At 10 o'clock this inoinlng 230 cnglnoci and ilrciucn of the Burlington road met I Division > 3 , lodge hall , at Fourteenth an JcQcrsoa streets , The btrikui ? will we * there every morning In order to receive in structions from headquarters. Assistant Chief Hill told the men to remain firm. Ono of the grievance committee told a reporter that "In case the company docs not concede to our demands , It will bo a long .and hard utrugglo as the men are dctermlnrtl to light it to the end. " Another engineer said : "It will not only affcit the Burlington , but all the roads in the country. " An old gray- haired veteran who has faced dangers for many years , said : "I was never in favor of strike ) ; In tact I did not believe in them ; but ns the present ono will settle the wages of enifincem and firemen on all the roads , I will stick to the boys. " Chief Arthur , of the Brotherhood of Loco motive Engineers , said ; "Tim strike did not occur because the schedule wo offered was not adopted , but because , when the question of wages wa reached Mr. Stone refused to do anything at all. Tho- fight is purely .a question of wages. Wo receded from our first proposition and offered to ac cept 3) cents , wjiich Mr. Stone refused In the most | iosltive manner. Ho made no propositions to us at all , and the fight now is purely on the question of pay. " "Mr. Stone says , " continued Mr. Arthur , "that wo want to put unskilled labor on the engines on any road In the United States. Does Mr. Stone mean to say that ho has un skilled engineers on any part of his road ? Would ho go Into court , in ease of a damage suit , and swear that ho had ! Would Mr. Stone like to hove the public believe that the engineers on the branch lines arc inferior to those on the main lines If ono of the branch cnirlnecrs would offer to run ono of the big trains on the main line ) Now the company would bo very glad to secure his services. If the engineer who runs the limited express is willing that the engineer who runs Iho ac commodation train should receive the same pay that ho docs why should the company ob ject ! " Mr. Arthur was asked what attitude ho ex pected the Knights of Labor to assume toward the engineers during the striko. "I don't " ho said " see , , "why the knights should bo hostile to the Brotherhood of En gineers , and I have no Information that they will try to assist the company In any way. " "It Is claimed that you sent men to take the place of the Heading strikers. " ' That's is a He. 1 don't know what Indi vidual members of the brotherhood may have done , but I never interfered in any way with any strike of the Knights of Labor. I wouldn't do it. At the time of the Missouri Pacific strike I simply told the Biotherhood Engineers that wo had a contract with the company and to keep out of the strike. If n contract means anything at all , then wo pur sued the right course. " General Worthy Foreman Richard Griffiths , when asked about the attitude of the Knights of Labor toward the strike , said : "Letthe brotherhood and the road light It out between themselves. There is no very good feeling between the Knights of Labor and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. They have always prated about the fi loudly relations between labor and capital and how easy it was to get along without a strike. None let them see how they like it. Whether they did it at Chief Arthur's orders or not I don't know , but it is a fact that brotherhood engineers took the places of Knight of Labor Engineers in the Missouri Pacific- strike two years ago , and thus defeated the strike. Arthur ordered all the Brotherhood Engineers to leave the Knights of Labor or be expelled , as he wanted no 'entangling alliance. ' That stop ped the progress of the Knights of Labor among the engineers on the Wabash railroad. Then this Heading matter was something like the Missouri Pacific. The strike was outside the general office , but we knights t/ooK it kindly. When ho Knights of Labor Engineers struck the brotherhood men went In and took their places. " "What will bo the attitude of the Knights of Labor In this strike ! " "As an order , it will bo neutral. If Knights of Labor Engineers want to fill jilaces loft vacant by the brotherhood men they are free to do so. If the Knights of Labor Engineers from other roads can make more money working for the Burlington they may. This is none of our light The brotherhood did not help us in the Missouri Pacific strike. They need oxpcct nothing in theirs. " [ Press. ] A couple of suburban trains were the only ones to como in over the Burlington road this morning. Master Me chanic Howlund was in charge of ono engine and Superintendent Hintho ran the other. After the arrival of these trains the depot muster said ho did- not expect another suburban train before noon , and there wnsx no engineer and fireman to man ono and until the general superintendent could sccuio some engineers and firemen ho would bo unable to say whether there would bo another train in during the day. The only train that loft the depot up to 10 this morning was the fast mall which departed at a o'clock and manned the was by regular en gineer and fireman from the brotherhood. "Wo are Just obolt Where wo ex pected to be. " slid. General Manager Stoue. of { no Burlington when asheVi vhut the situation was on his lino. 'Wo brought in all our suburban pas- ongers pi etty much as usual. Our principal rain which brings the most of the business nen and clerks , was oriiy ten minutes late. ? lic engineers and firemen on these trains vcrc drawn from gur force of mechanics , ard foicmcn , etc. Each train was manned vlth a double force of brakonicn and con- luctors BO that if any difficulties wcro en countered wo should have plenty of help. " "Did every ono of A our 1,000 liremcn and engineers strike ! " asked the reporter. "Yes , all but one man , an engineer near Galesburg. " "What was the matter with himl" 'Nothing. ' Napoleon used to say 2 o'clock courage was u rare thing. I guess 4 o'clock courage is equally unique. There are doubtless a number of other engineers among our ox-em- iloycs who do not belong to the brotherhood mil who did not wish to strike , but they ticked "four o'clock courage. " Not the slightest trouble has been reported from any > oint so fur and 1 do not anticipate any vio- .cnco or obstiuction from any source , I'ho strikers did not bring thcit engines through to tha end of their runs , but left them at the nearest point when ) o'clock camo. Thus , all our passengers from ; ho Missouri river were dumped at Gales- Imrg and those wo lake from the Illinois Central at Forest \\eie left at Aurora. From the latter point we were able to bring their in without much delay , but nt Galesburf ; the passongeis were obliged to wait until It o'clock befoie wo could start them In. " The superintendent's oftlco and lobby lead ing to it were crowded \ \ ith men who wen applying for the positions vacated. The. ) were put on through examination by tin superintendent of motive power , and if thej wcro lound competent were taken to tin yards. Before 11 o'clock this moiningabou fifty of the applicants had been accepted. "You BCO there 'aro apparently plenty o men ready for the places , " suld Stoue , point ing to the lino. "Who are they , and where do they conn fiom ! " "Wo don't know. " "How about your conductors , brakcmci iiul other employes are they going totioubl you ! " "No , wo have reason to believe that the ; are nil with the company , and generally be licvothut the lliemen and engineers are llbei ally paid , In comparison with other employes Engineers get more than the conductors. Al we have thus fur culled on have promptl , responded. How it is with the freight con ductors and brakcmen I can't say from uctun experience , as wo are not attempting to mov any Height. Wo shall start our noon train to Kansas City and Missouri river points a Uhual. " The Burlington Is the only road that ha access to the lumber district , but having n engineers on their engines an attempt wu imnlo to have the Chicago & Eastern lllinol engineer switch his train into the lumbe district , Ho lufuscri on the giound that I \\us switching for the Chicago , Burlington . Quiney and no further attempt has boo made , up to noon , to switch Into the lumbt district. The Hinllngton to day sent out the follov lux no.ioi ! to all connecting lines : "it wl praluhh lo a week or mom before this cou pu iy will bo able to icccivo freight fromyoi an I it will therefore bo advisable and for tl pillihc Illicitst for\ou , to deliver all froigl tonsil el to us and destined to competith points to sj.ch other roads us In jour juil , incut can lonvcnlcntly and most prompt ! tuke.lt to its destination We shall also I obliged for a few-days to decline to recoil \ freight for local stations , but as soon ns wo are nblo wo will give this the preference , and will first servo those places that are wholly dependent on us. You will bo duly advised of our ability to handle our freight. " The Illinois Central , which has been using the Burlington lines between Chicago and Forcston , 111. , for business destined to points on Its Iowa system , has made arrangements with the Northwestern to take its perishable freight to a Junction with ttio main line at Dixon , 111. , and will haul its own heavy freight by the way of Kanknkcc , as long as the strike is on. This afternoon COO of the freight handlers of the Chfcago , Burlington it Quincy line were laid off , and every freight office in the city shut down in consequence of the engineers' sttlkc. Thcso nro the same men who obtained work during the freight- handlers strike of 18SO , and are all said to be loyal to the company , but have to bo laid off , as no work remains for them to do. The Situation In Omaha. Yostcrdoy morning at 4 o'clock the threat * cncd strike took plncencarly , all the engineers and firemen on the B. & M. In Nebraska left their posts of duty , or as soon thereafter as the end of their divisions was reached. No hardship was experienced by the traveling public for the reason that at that time nearly all the trains all over the Burlington system had about reached their destination. AN KNflINK DITCHED. At 1:30 : o'clock the train from Chicago ar rived in this city after a delay of about six hours. It was brought in by a freight con ductor named Miller , who. it , is claimed by the striking engineers , is not a member of the conductors' association. The delay was occasioned at Pacific Junction , in Iowa , wliero nn accident occurred. I seems that the master mechanic in the Bluffs took out the Kansas City stub from that place , which meets the regular train for the latter place , which leaves hero , at Pacific Junction. When the crossing was reached it was found that a switch engine stood in the way. The stub has always made a practice of stopping north of the intersection , but yesterday , it is claimed , the stop was not made and the stub struck the switch engine , derailing nnd turn ing it around so that scveral.hours' work was required to get it out of the way. Train No. 4 for the east left the B. & M. depot yesterday at 10:22 : , the engine being - ing handled by a conductor named Chamber- lln , who , it is also asserted , is not a member of the conductors' association. When train N < 5. 1 arrived at the depot hero in the afternoon several passengers who were ticketed for the west demanded the price they had paid for the .remainder of their trip and the demand was promptly com piled wllh. VIEWS or AX KNOixccn. The strikers manifested the greatest reluct ance to talk but ono engineer was at length found , who said that the difficulty between the B. & M. company was that the latter was giving the worst of it to the branch lines. The engineers and firemen wanted tho. same pay for those on the branches ns for those on the main lines. They wanted it understood that when n man bccamo un engineer ho was entitled to engi neer's wages , no matter on what part of a railroad system ho might bo employed , in fact , whether his experience was only that of forty-live minutes or of forty-five years , he was en titled to the wagcs.which had been demanded. The speaker had no doubt that the strikers would succeed. There was an organization of 23,000 behind them , and if the company should stand out a month the strikers would , < in the end , gain their point. OFFICIALS' VIEWS. A BER reporter yesterday had a talk with Manager Holdrego and General Pass- scnger and Ticket Agent Eustls concerning the situation. From the latter was obtained a pamphlet addressed by General Managers Stone , Holdrcgc , Merrill and Judson to the engineers and .firemen of the system compris ing the Chicago , Burlington & Quincy ; the B. & M. j the Hannibal & St. Joe ; the Kan sas City , St. Joe & Council Bluffs , and the C. & I. This was a reply to a sche dule presented the company bv committees of engineers nnd firemen on February 15 , providing a new basis for the pay of engine men. The principal changes suggested by the committees were : 'Pay to bo governed solely by the number of miles run without regard-to other conditions or circumstances ; a largo average increase in existing rates of pay ; the abolition of any classification based upon length of service , ago or experience. Heduced to a few important details , Mr. Holdrego said that the demand meant the paying of U } cents per milo for passenger , and 3 % cenls ] > cr milo for freight engineers. "Our present basis , " said Mr. Holdrego , "is preferred , and is in force upon many important railroads } n the country , nnd . is the best lo fairly provide for differences in the amount qf labor , time and responsibility required of en- ginomcn upon different runs and divisions. A branch passenger engine hauling two or tlireo cars where there are two trains each way daily , is more easily handled than nn im portant main line passenger engine where there nro twenty or more trains each way. A branch freight engine hauling eight or ten cars , with easy and regular hours and by daylight , demands less labor from engine- men than an engine on the main line with a heavy freight train , although the mileage may bo the same. The trip basis , in view of all the varying conditions , covers value re ceived. An arbitrary mileage basis disre gards the value of the service rendered , and in the long run , we fear , would be unsatis factory to thu men and to the company. For example : On the Galcsburg division of the Chicago , Burlington & Quincy railroad , an engineer on a light passenger run of two cars between Buda and Vermont , under the pres ent schedule earns In twenty-six days 812t,50 : , and the fireman * 74.10. Under the schedule which the committees propose the engineer would receive $171.03 and the fireman $102,04. Upon the first division of the Cheycnno branch on the B. & M. railroad a passenger train of three cars , requiring six hours and ten minutes dully , is paying under the ex isting schedule to engineers § 144.00 per montlu Upon the demanded schedule it would pay Slb'J.OO ' per month. "It would bo so in general on all our lines. The men who would really do all the very heavy work , the freight enginemeii on the main lines would bo loft where they arc now , while the lighter worked men would have a raise. That's all there is to it. I know there is a number of our men who nro opposed to the strike , who are satisfied with what they have been getting , and have gene into the strike because of certain loitiors. There nro plenty of these hero who will como back to work for us in a few days. " 'Mr. Eustls told the rcpoitcr that the strike in ono way or the other affected the whole system which comprised nearly 0,000 miles. Upon this system were employed about 2,00(1 englnomcn , of whom there wcro probably 200 in Nebraska. The strike would of course have a temporary effect upon the business , but the road would bo all right In a few days. It had a train now running on every ono of its divisions , There was ono going from Atchison from Broken Bow. from jxiumtuu , ono nuui AJiuivuii * jui * one nuiii Columbus , one fiom Wymoro to Lincoln ami No. 1 from this city would go out on No. 5's time. These trains were run by engineers who did not Join the strike and by others , conductors nnd engineers who had beet out of employment. Sunday there hud been a meeting of conduo tois nt Lincoln who adopted n resolution to bland by the company to a man. Some of these conductors know how to linn dlo an engine and also know the road , sc that there was no question but that the com pany's trains would bo kept running. Bo- bides , other engineers wcro coming In fron abroad , some of whom had applied for posl tions nnd whoso applications had been placed on lilo. Some of these had been ordered U i cport nnd would soon bo hero. Mr. Eustli went o\er the ground taken by the company which is epitomised in the interview will Mannger Holdrego given above , adding tha the Idea of paying a new engineer who hai yet to bo tried nnd found.competent am trustworthy as much as was paid to nn oh 10 nnd reliable man was not in accord will lit the principles of the business worl < ( O and worked injustice to the oldo gman whoso experience was thereby shown t ly .havo no practical benefit either for himscl lio. or his employers. \-o , . Ilurvcy Hull , tU muuo r of. tbc Iocs ticket oftlco was scon by the reporter and said that ho had not been selling tickets dur ing the morning except to thosq who ex pressed a desire to toke them after having been notified of thotsUteof affairs as outlined above. TUB SITUATION IAST NIOIIT. Burlington ofllcials In the city worked hnrd nil day yesterday and last night "to keep things moving" in the face of the big odds they had to contend with. All freight traffic in nnd out wan completely abandoned , and a denth-liko stillness prevailed in the yards. With the exception of a small amount of switching dona yesterday morning there was not a move apparent among the yard en gineers , firemen and switchmen , who stood around In Idleness and discussed the sltun- ion throughout Uib afternoon and last night. Passenger trains cast and west wcro dis- iatchcd with the greatest irregularity , and' when they dld move it was many hours after : ho regular scheduled time. Ono train was ' .ispatehed to the west at 1:80 : p. m. , several ours behind the regular" time. Two wont .awards the cast , ono at 9:50 : a. m. , md the other" nt 8:10 : p. in. t'lio latter train should have departed f everything was running smoothly nt 0:15. : ll of these trains wcro taken out by non- irothcrhood engineers nnd firemen. On the list train out , however , a brotherhood con- luctor prcsldoJ , and there were but few lasscngcrs aboard. Train No. 3 duo from the cast about 7 I'cloek dally had not arrived at 11 o'clock ast night. It was expected in nt that hour ind some disappointment was expressed among officials for the unexpected tardiness. Hopes were advanced , however , that it ivould arrive in the course of an hour behind ho anticipated time. This train has un im- [ lortnnt connection with a train that usually leaves about 8 o'clock dally for the west , topping at all local points. In consequence L largo number of passengers who had ickets on that run for wuystations had to undergo the vexatious wait. The Kansas City train was abandoned altogether , but the officials set up the pica that th oy could "iavo found plenty of engineers to run It If .hey so desired. Ono official told a BUK man at a late hour ast night that the road expected that the engineers would think better of their action by to day , and return to duty. Ho main tained that engineers on the main lines of iomo of the eastern and western divisions lind already como to this conclusion and had again returned to their engines. The Situation in Mncnln. LINCOLN , Neb. , Feb. 27. [ Special Telegram o tho'BKi : . ] The strike of the Burlington ocomotivo engineers and firemen came early .his morning as predicted and the local brotherhood in this city announced that not , n engineer or fireman on the Nebraska line if the road who were working yester day are on duty to-day. The morning .Hissengcr from the west arrived at 8 n. m. us usual , but when Engineer Clark left the 'ootboard at the close of his mn from Hast- ngs there was no engineer and fireman tea ; a ke his place. The company met the emer gency by putting Conductor Chamberlain at the throttle and securing F. W. Ensign , for merly connected wth the city lire de partment , for fireman. In. this way the train moved on to Pacific Junction , and since that time no train up to this hour has arrived or departed , and none are expected except Nos. 1 and 5 , consolidated , which are announced to arrive at 2 p. m. From this point Master Mechanic Salisbury , of the round house here , stands 'n readiness to pull the train on to the west. In the Burlington yards but two switch Miffincs are nioviug , they being manned by men whom the brotherhood say nro without experiencei Superintendent Calvert has little to sayj concerning the situation. Ho holds that the system in vogue on the road is better for the , .men * than what they ask. Ho holds thai there is no cause for the disturbance and expresses the company's ability to fill the.striking.men's places with now men if intimidation is not used. The question of the number of engineers and firemen bejongin'gto the'brotherhood has bren unknown heretofore to the road. Ono of the men states that fully 05 per cent of the engineers and firemen belong nnd that the brotherhood have employed the balance , so that not a single former employe in the locomotive service is now at work. Charles Sanborn , of the general committee of the brotherhood , arrived in this city last night from Chicago where ho has been the past ten days. Mr. Sanborn states that the committee used every effort .to secure - cure an adjustment and offered to compro mise on a basis that would still leave the Burlington men receiving lower wages than paid on other roads. Thcso being ignored the men had no recourse but to quit work quietly nnd on their part there would bo no intimiaation or violent efforts used to prevent the road filling the vacant places if they could. In regard to the broth erhood being the first to violate the agree ment of IbSt ) , Mr. Sanborn said there was .10 positive agrccmdnt , but left questions open , to arbitration and the brotherhood had in all causes sought ar bitration as the best means of settlement. Through the day the headquarters of the brotherhood in this city wcio open and a largo number of the engineers and firemen who reside In this city wcro assem bled there discussing the situation. In every instance tho'men called out for duty this morning fulled , to appear for duty , and up to this time the strike is complete. The uncertainty of both position and pay under the present system in vogue is given as the principle cause of ( rrievnrlco. There is mi ominpus silence to-night around the Burlington yards , depot and round house. The two yard engines that were kept moving through the day laid by at night , there being absolutely nothing- do , nnd the twenty special police placed on duty roamed around as desert a spot asi could bo found in the state. No trains arrive , although several were reported on the road. It was stated that the Atchison & Nebraska train from the south nnd the Grand Islnnd train , both duo In the afternoon , wcro on their way to the city , and midnight was set for the arrival for the train from the cast. Superintendent Cnlvert , who has been almost constantly on duty for twenty-four hours , was not at his office , and it looked as though the opening excitement had passed , and that the siege had set in. On the morning train that loft hero at 0 t ) . in. , two hours late , three special o Ulcers were bent out , and it was stateil that oflicers sworn in for the purjxjso would ac company other trains as they went out. The special circular that was to have been issued in the afternoon announcing that the men would bo considered as having left the employ of the road , under advlco from Gnncral Manager Stone , was not issued , but is expected to-morrow. To night the brotherhood are holding no meet ings and all hayo retired fiom sight , ap parently awaiting developments. Ono of the engineers stated that not ns many trains were moved to da& ns they expected. In fact , soveralmen that they had not counted on were with thorn. They believed they would win. A number of them watched all Incoming trains nnd reportcd that the Inex perienced men were handling the engines , as they expected , and that the cngmo from Ne braska City \\is disabled when It reached the city. It was ol o reported that the round house man that brought in the train from Coneordla has disabled an engine on the road. A rumor was afloat that there had been trouble at McCook , but It was not generally believed , and the action of the men hero is all in evidence of their deslro for a peaceful settlement. An KiiKino Disabled IJy Strikers. Mr. COOK , Neb. , Fob. 27. [ Special Tele gram to the BEE. ] The strike of the en glnccrs and firemen on the B. & M. system , this division , occurred this morning at 1 o'clock. As the trains pulled in the engin eers and firemen left them on the traclc , UK yard being filled with passenger'and freight trams. The company made no effort to move the trains until about noon when ono wa < sent west , a freight conductor named Bur nott going us engineer. There was no cftorl made by the strikers to stop it. In the after noon the company made an cffor to start east , but It was stopped the engine taken possession of the strikes , run a mile down the track am there "killed , " The excitement Is intense , hundreds of people plo filling the company's yard watching ever ; mgrve of tliu company and striken * . No uwl has gene out of hero east to-day. The en gineers' committee waited on the postmaster this morning nnd told him they stood ready at any tiuio to carry Uncle Sam's business. Your correspondent made nn effort to get some Informutlyn from B. & M. Superintend ent Campbell , but when questioned had noth ing to say. No effort will bo made by the company to run out any trains fantll morning. At llcntrlcc. BiUTincn , Neb. , Feb. 27. [ Special Tele gram to the BF.I : . ] The two Burlington trains which start from hero did not leave the yards to-day , but the ofllcials expect to get them running to-morrow. Agent Dwyer to-day refused to receive perishable property for shipment and sold tickets to passengers at their own risk of getting through , A few trains went through to-day , the engines be ing manned by shopmen and hostlers. Sev eral engineers who refused to take out their trains were discharged here to-day. A num ber of the Burlington men wcro sworn In as deputy sheriffs to guard against trouble. At Nebraska City. Nr.musKA CITV , Nob. , Fob. 27. [ Special Telegram to the BF.K. ] All railroad busi ness in this city ns far as the Burlington sys tem is concerned , is at a standstill. Several attempts wcro made to secure engineers and fireman but all efforts wcro futile. The pas- scngcc west this morning went out-with Headmaster Phllbrick as engineer and Con ductor Cox ns fireman. No other trains went out and none nro expected in. At Kearney. ICKAiixnr , Neb. , Feb. 27. [ Special Tele gram to the BEIS.I All B. & M. engines run ning into Kearney quit this morning. Con ductor Willis , of the passenger , pulled his train out this morning. Ho is an old engin eer. Freight trains Ho in the yard. This gives a big business nt this point for the Union Pacific. All is quiet. At Palmer. PAI.MRR , Neb. , Fob. 27. [ Special Telegram to the Br.E. ] No trains are being run over the B. & M. system on cither the Burwell , Grcely or St. Paul branches. Palmer's coal supply already exhausted. Al DCS Mulncs. DF.S MOINES , la. , Feb 27. ] Special Tele gram to the BIE. : ] Thte city lias only n branch line of the Chicago , Burlington & Qulncy , nnd so is not very much affected by the strike. There are two feeding lines hero , ono tapping the main line at Albia , the other at Chariton , but nearly all the engineers live outside of this city so that their strike is not much felt here. The strikers quit work at 7:80 : this morning. The passenger from Kansas City came in on tlmo at 5:30 : n , m. , but when it should have returned nt 9 o'clock the engineer switched off the passenger cars and said ho was willing to take the mail car but nothing else. Superintendent Maxon thcieupon ordered Conductor Drake to take the engine nnd run the train. Drake did so , and started out very cautiously , creeping along about as fast ns a man could walk. At the Diagonal crossing , half a milo from the depot , the old engine stopped and the conductor couldn't make it budge. Ho was afraid something might burst if ho crowded matters very much and so let it take its tlmo. Pretty soon it caino to and moved slowly on , reaching Avon , eight miles from the city , in Just two hours. The passengers for Albia also started out this afternoon with an en gine in charge of a conductor and , so far as heard from , is crawling along safely. No freight trains have been moved on either branch to-day. There have been no attempts to interfere on the part of strikers , and everything has been quiet and orderly about the depots. _ At Creator ) . CKRSTON , la. , Fob. 27. [ Special Telegram to the Bee. ] At this place , which is a division station on the main line of the "Q , " all members of the Brotherhood of engineers and firemen quit at 7 this rooming. The city is as quiet as Sunday. The brotherhood men nro registered as fast as they arrive , and they will draw pay from the brother hood. While idle members of the organi zation say they will use all persuasive means to prevent work being done by now men , no force will be used. No effort is being made to move freight. The company is hiring now men constantly nnd promoting non-bi othorhood firemen to bo engineers. All businesses at n standstill. A long time without , trains moving would cause great suffering nnd want all along the line of the road , as coal and other supplies are short. At Blue Springs. Bi.un SrniNos , Neb. , Feb. 27. [ Special Telegram to the BEE. ] Twenty-five engi neers and as many liremcn on the B. & M. struck hero to-day. All the engineers except three belong to the brotherhood and nil of them refused to work. They took a wiper out of the shops to run the noon train to Lin coln. The strikers say they will stand firm. The brakcmen are not in sympathy with the strikers as the engineers did not sympathl/o with the brakcnian when they went out in times past. Only two of the regular engineers will work. All freight traffic has been abandoned and they are tran sferring what is in the depot to the Union Pacific road. At All ) In. Ai.nu , In , , Feb. 27. [ Special Telegram to the BF.U. ] Engineers hero refused to take their runs out on the branch for Dos Moines and the mail train was sent out with Conductor Erbnchcr in the cab and with a brakeman ns fireman. The regular engineers stood around nnd looked on but offered no resistcnco. It is not thonght that any violence lence will bo used. Thoio nro about thirty men employed on the Albia branch who have quit work. _ _ _ _ _ At Oltiunwn. OTTUM WA , la. , Feb. 27. Not a wheel turned. on the Chicago , Bunington & Quincy to-day The lust It-eight went west at 0 p. in. last night. The last passenger went cast at 7i : ; > tills morning , manned by two conductors ou the engine. No mail on the road today. There uro thirty-four engines inside nnd out side the roundhouse , and 2CO men thrown out of employment. No freight was received ex cept at shippers' rislc. All quiet. At BunuxoTox , In. , Feb. 27. All the brotherhood engineers and Hi emeu hero went on n strike this morning at the hour set. The company abandoned nil freight trallie , but with the aid of outside engineers and other employes moved all passenger trains , most of which wcro behind time. Superin tendent Brown took out a train eus.1 and brought In the fast mail. There bus been no disturbance of any kind. A Wreck nt Pacific Junction. PACIFIC JUNCTION , la. , Feb. 27. [ Special Telegram to the Bni : , ] At 10:45 : a. in. while Yard Master E. E. Young was running en gine No. 110 , ho collided with the south bound" passenger train , doing considerable damage to his engine. It Is said the whistle was not sounded , neither did the other en gine stop for the crossing. Warranta weic nt once sworn out for the arrest of Yard Master Young and' the engine crew on .the 1C , C. o iglne. _ Scenes nt Kansas City. KANSAS Ci IT , Mo. , Feb. 27. [ Special tel cgraui to the BEE. ] The strike of the Broth erhood of Locomotive Engineers on the Han nlbal < fc St. Joe and Kansas City , ? t. Joe , S Council BlufTs roads was begun at1 o'clocl this morning. The order for the strike thei was not unexpected hero , where about oni hundred engineers nnd llrcinon connectec with the Burlington reside. Chairman Mur ray was up all nluht , and at 4 o'clock tlii moiningwason hand to Issue his orders fey y the men to quit ihelr engines and ho was a , 1 I ouc obeyed. lie c ublUUetl hcud'juw ' ttr nnd appointed trusty lieutenants to look after the Incoming and outgoing trains. Gicat interest was felt in the first passen ger train that was to leave this morning at 8s 10 o'clock. The platform around the en- glno was crowded with strikers anxious to see who would take the engine out. All anxiety was set aside when she cnmo Into sight with Master Mechanic Thompson at tlio lover and a "cowboy" with the shovel. Engineer Sam Moore nnd tlireo others boarded the engine ns she pulled out of the depot at 8:17 : , seven minutes late. They rode out as far ns the brldgo and then returned to the city. Said Engineer Sam Moore : "Tho fireman was a cowboy nnd sat on the left side of the engine. I don't believe ho had over been on ono before. Ho had on n sombrero and a leather belt. I guess they picked him 1111 on the depot platform. I sold to him : 'Friend you are doing us wrong by going out on this train. Wo are in favor of fair wages. Ain't you I' Ho sald.hu was. Then 1 asked him to get down. Ho said : " 1 guess I'll ' make this ono trip. ' " "As n favor to mo leave the engine. I'll ' sco that yon get your board and If you nro out of money I'll give you some , but don't make this trip. You'll get us all down on you. Ho said : 'I'll have to go this tlmo. ' I said : 'You don't ' have to do anything of the kind. No man has to go. ' " "Ho would have got off if Thompson hadn't said something to him that I didn't ' hear. I said to Thompson : 'Jim , the boys have always been good friends of yours , but you are making enemies by taking her out this trip. This Is no kind of work for you to bo engaged in. ' Jim felt ashamed and said : 'I can't help it. I'm one of the ofllcials of the officials of the road , ' and then wo got off the engine. " The union depot was almost deserted although three trains on the Burlington lines had boon prevented from leaving the city. The officials of the road asked assistance from the police and a squad of six patrolmen was stationed along Union avenue opposite the depot ready to answer a call upon an in stant's notice. Squads of striking engineers and firemen engaged In whispered consulta tions could bo seen at different points around the depot all morning. At 11:40 : an engine was attached to a train nnd slowly steamed into the depot. A rush of members of the brotherhood attracted at tention to William Davis , of St. Joo. Davis 'is not u member of the brotherhood and was recogni/cd us a freight engineer by several of the strikers. Luther Harrington , formerly a schoolmaster of Waldron. was seated in the cab and hud acted as pilot between St. Joe and this city. Ho lias been acting as freight conductor on the Burlington i oads. A committee invited them to a conference , and a great deal of loud talk ensued until the train was moved toward the iuuls. The strikers followed in a body , becoming more excited and apparently almost on the verge of committing personal violence. At 1:20 : a freight train of nine earn was started out by the Burlington. The engi neer was a man named Farrington , a grip- man on the Ninth street cable line. Ho hud as u fireman another cablcman. They had no trouble in getting out of the city. The following was bulletined at the Burlington office : "Notify conductors that trains No. 5 , 10 , 19 nnd 20 have been abandoned and will not bo taken from the yards. " The "Ell'1 was reported at Minneville , nine miles out , nnd will bo hero u little late but It will get hero. As train No. 1 was leaving the depot yards at U : 'M some ono pulled the line connecting the air brake and stopped the train. This was repeated several times and it was noon when the train got over the crossing. It is now safe in the yards. .No attempt is'nindo to handle freight. A dispatch received from Chicago , the company's office , was to the effect thai the road was practically blocked and that stock was being unloaded at Quincy. Several ap plications for employment wore made , but the oftlco of Superintendent Fish is closely wntdhcd by a committee of strikers who warn men not to seek employment there. The presence of two police sergeants and a squad of police around the office is the only thing that betokens anything out of the usual run. The strikers are sober , well dressed and good naturcd. The company officials say that all trains will bo running in u few days and that no trouble Is anticipated. The train from Omaha over the Kansas City , St. Joe & Council Bluffs came in to night pulled by engine No. 15 in charge of Encinccr Douglas , who is a member of the brotherhood. The engine of the regular Chicago cage train to-night was badly disabled , but it is not known whether it was done by strikers. At4 o'clock this afternoon the men running the Hock Island freight engines wcro called out by an order from Chicago. This is caused by the fact that Hock Island engines have been used to move Burlington freight cars. To-night everything is quiet but both strik ers and officials seem impressed with the idea that a long and bitter light has been in augurated. At De.nver. DKXVEII , Colo. , Feb. 27. The situation re garding the Burlington strike remains un changed to-night. Ono passenger train , scheduled to leave hero at 10 n. in. , final ly ' pulled out at 2 o'clock in charge of a non-union engineer who consented to run the train to McCook where the company have arrangements to have it taken through to Omaha. The company Is advci Using for engineers. At St. I.ouls. ST. Louis , Mo , , Feb. 27. This morning about forty engineers and firemen on the Chicago , Burlington & Quincy road , with the platform men nnd brakcmen , struck in compliance with orders from Chief Arthur. No freight trains wcio moved this morning. No freight was moved on the Chicago , Bur lington & Quincy road at this point to-day. Passenger trains , however , in this vicinity run as usual , Every engineer and fireman quit , but the ofllcials were in a measure lire- pared. Superintendent Levy , of Keokuk , la , , telegraphs that passenger trains are mov ing all right on the Keokuk line with new men and that ho hopes to keep thorn going. The Burlington officials lieio and in East St. Louis say they hope to get the freight traflio in fair shape in n few days ns they expect to pick up enough men to man the trains of this division. The strikers incline to the be lief tint their expectations will not , bo real ized. A Green KiiKineer Causes H Wreck. Nti'iuuvu.i.n , 111. , Feb. 27. The first acci dent to occur following the commencement of the strike took place hero this afternoon. No one was killed , but results could hardly bo called trilling. Six men were more or less injured. Passenger train No. 2 , on V-hleh C. F. Goyre , general foreman of the Burlington shops at Aurora , was acting as engineer , ran short of steam about It p. m. The engine was cut loose from the train to run ahead , and then in coining back to ngain couple on to the train became , to n certain extent , unmanageable on the down grade and collided witli the ears. Engineer Goyer had his nose cut , and the temporary fireman , a man named Parsons , was cut on the shoulder and leg. George Clark , mail clerk , had his faro cut and back injured ; William Stenson , mail clerk , ankle Injured ; J. T. Burton , mail clerk , knco bruised ; T , Foster , u trainman of Aurora , arm and knee bruised. The rolling stock was hovciel } rattled but none of them derailed. At Qnlncy. QflNOV , 111. , Feb. 27. The Binllngtoi ; strike has caused un almost complete stispcn slon of business on that system in this lo entity. Qulncy is the center of live divisions of the road and the traffic on them has beer nearly at a standstill to-day. No effort whatever over 1ms been made to move freight trains Two or three passenger trains have bcei sent out with engines manned by mustoi mechanics , roaa musters or division suporin temlents. General Superintendent Cranci of the Hannibal & St. Joe brought in tin murnlng express from the west and took ou the night express to-night. , At Aurora. Aunoiu , 111. , Feb. 27. At 4:30 : this morn Ing the shut down on the Chicago , Burling ton & Qulncy road was complete here. Al t I oporatious ceased even before the hour as for the. utrlko , Several trains came In jus previous to 4 o'clock , nnd as they arrived 14 yard ono by one each was quietly abandoned1 by the train men. The early mall train from ; Chicago had gone through on tlmo and when- the appointed monnHit came for a strike nothing was stirring , and the company's premises were as silent as a cemetery. At Hook Island. HOCK I I.ANM > , 111. , Fob. 27. The Chicago , Burlington & Qulney tie-up is virtually coin * plcto here. The engineers allow an engineer ' and fireman to each mall ear , so that tha malls need not bo interrupted. But no pas * senger ears can be attached. A full train col off for Sterling this moi nlng , however , tha conductor , who had been nn engineer , ruri nlng it out. At 1'corin. ' Pnoutt , 111. , Feb. 27. No trains left this city on the Burlington road to-day , but tha mail nnd express arrived this evening from Galcsburg and will return in the morning. George Courtno.v , who is not a brotherhood man , was engineer. At Chcvcnne. CIII\ENNE : , Wyo. , Feb. 27. [ SneclalTolo. gram to the HUE. ] The Cheyenne & Bur. lington engineers nnd firemen at this place quit work this morning and the entire busi ness of the division , which extends from Holdrcdgo to Cheyenne , is at a standstill. The fires wcr drawn from the engines and neither freight or passenger trains were taken out. Sentiment of ClilenK" Knights. CIIICHOO , Feb. 27. At a meeting of district assembly No. 24 , Knights of Labor , the con trolling district assembly of this section , to night , a resolution was adopted deprecating the report that the Knights of Labor would aid the Burlington road In its fight against their engineers. The resolution says , in part : "Without going Into nn examination of the truth or falsity of the charges of alleged bud faith against us on the part of the brother hood , this executive bourd is unqualifiedly against any of its district members taking the place * of those striking workers , and wo cull on the members of our order everywhere to refuse under any and all circumstances to become the tools of this corporation in their hour of trouble. " The number of applicants at the Chicago , Burlington & Quincy offices for positions ns engineeis and firemen was quite largo during the afternoon and evening. President "Per kins , of the Burlington road , arrived from the cast to-day. Ho regrets the strike nnd thinks the engineers are making a mistake in attempting to force the railroad to unreason able terms. Ho agrees entirely with the posi tion taken by General Manager Stono. § 3 1C. of Ii. Knginerrti Starting Wear. POTTSVII.I.E. Pa. , Feb. 27. H is asserted here to-night that between 100and 200 engi neers and firemen will leave for the weal to night and to-morrow to take service with the Burlington road. Iheso are all Knights of Labor , but will go as individuals and not under orders or the auspices of the knights. Furnace Kntploycs-Strike. PITTMIUKO. Pa. , Feb. 27. A strike of the furnace employes of the Edgar Thompson steel works against a reduction of 10 per cent in wages was Inaugurated to-day. The strike affects nearly a thousand men. T1112 JIATK WAR. Another Cut In Uujcs The Deepest Yet Made. KANSAS CITY , Mo. , Feb. 27. [ Special Tele gram to the Br.n. ] The deepest cut tnat has been made slnco the railroad war com menced was made on Chicago rates to-dhy. All the roods dropped to 20 cents on first and second class and 11 cents on everything else. During the latter part of last Week it was generally reported that some roads were hauling Colorado stuff from New York through freight to Chicago and Kansas City at HO cents , and Saturday afternoon tno other roads learned that the St. Paul road had given a 20 cent rate. The Burlington mot this nnd also reduced classes ! ! , 4 and 5 , and all the alphabetical classes to 11' cents. The Hock Island issues a new schedule this morn ing , placing chases 1 and 2 at 20 cents and all olherclusscs at U cents. The St. Paul also made a 11 cent rate. The St. Louis differential remained unchanged at 10 cents on classes 1 and 2 , but classes ; ) and 4 uro re duced from 8 cents to ( i cents , nnd other classes from 1 % cents to 0 cents. Under the now schedule dressed meat and cotton piece goods are classed as thitd-cluss stuff , which is a reduction of f > X cents. The rates on lum ber and on cattle remain unchanged nt 0' cents for the former and WO u car for the lut- tnr. Shipments , however , srcm to bo some what unsteady. Tliero is not only no money for the roads in the present rates , but they must lose money on whatever they handle , and the agents are making no effort to obtain business. " 1 toll the Burlington customers who are now coming to ITS thai wo will hundlot their stuff as a matter of accommodation , " ' said a freight agent this morning , "but that if they can get any other road to take it w will not kick , as Ihcro is worse than no money in it. " Another Unto llciluction. ' CHICAGO , Feb. 27. A still further reduc tion was to-day made in Missouri river * freight rates , nil lines putting in a local rain between Chicago and the river of 20 cent * for llrsl and second-class and. 11 cenls on other classes. Dos Moines was reduced to lt $ cents for first and second and S cents on other classes. The Republican League Button. NEW YOIIK , Fob. 27. [ Special Telegram to the Bui ; . ] "There will bo at least one ) million voters wearing this button by the 1st of July. " The speaker was James P. Foster , president of the nutionul league of republican clubs , and ho referred lo a pretty litllo wlillo enamelled butlon which all mem bers of the consolidated union of republican clubs will bo expected lo purchase and wear from Ibis time on until after the next presi dential election. The executive committee of the mutual league of republican clubs on Saturday afternoon adopted this butlon as Ihe insignia of loyal membership.Half a do/en designs were offered , but tlieiowask unanimous verdict in favor of , the button , which was selected. Tills button is : i spotless litllo circular ( surface of puin white enamel , about as big us u current penny , divided into llneo segments or sections. By line line * OS gold or brass. In ono of these divisions U a gilded lottor"H"in another the gilded letlep "L , " while in the third segment mo tw6 gilded and slgnlllccnt letters , "U. S. " These initials mean "Hepubllcan League of thd United States. " The piceaution of copy * righting all of the design ; bus been taken , and it will consequently bo unlawful for anybody - * body to make or offer for sale fuc similes of the button. Furthermore , nobody who 19 not a member of the republican club In good standing in the national league will bo allowed to wear one. A contract has been entered into with a New England factory by which the butlons will be furnished the exe cutive commiltco at Uio lowest possible fig ure. They will be obtainable from no other source. They will bo fuinlslicd members of clubs In ull parts of the union at 25 cents a piece. The I'Yelinn in Now York. ' NEW Yonit , Feb. 27. Shippers via of tho. Chicago , Burlington Ac Quincy railroad are afraid their property would bo damaged or their business interfered with by delays in transll resulting trom the strike which tool * place thin morning. The agent announced Ihrtl the company would still bo open to ro- eelvo all fi eight which WUH not of a porUh- able nature. 'Two MhtorH Instantly Killed. Piiii.Aiiei.riiu , Pa. , Feb. 27. Julia and ; , Kate -Forb , Mslcis , ugcd twelve aiid twenty- five , were htiuek by an express train at Frankford station lo-iiifht uud ' " " killed. , ' .