What is your business? Formerly conductor until the 10th of last

month; now I am running an engine.

Conductor on the C., B. & Q.? Yes, sir; St. Louis division.

How long have you been a railroad man? For the C., B. & Q. Company,

running a train since November, 1880, with the exception of five

months, up until the 10th of last month.

Have you been examined as to the manipulation of an engine? To a

certain extent.

By whom? Mr. Wallace.

Is Mr. Wallace here? Mr. Wallace is here.

Cross-examination by Mr. Sullivan:

Q. You never got any technical instruction as to the running of an

engine in your life, did you? A. Explain that word, please.

You never got any instruction in the shop from those who

manufacture engines and are familiar with their detail? No, sir.

You don't understand the meaning of the word technical yourself? I

do; yes, sir.

Why do you want me to explain it? Because I wanted to understand.

Witness testified that he had been handling engines off and on ever

since he had been on the road.

Q. What you mean is you jumped on; would go on when the regular

engineer in charge was there? A. Yes, sir.

And the fireman in charge was there? I run the engine a certain

distance.

You were allowed to handle it in their presence, just as many

others are allowed? Yes, sir.

Do you mean to tell this Commission, on your oath, that in that way

you acquired sufficient knowledge to make you a competent engineer?

That is the way, from what I understand, to learn to be an

engineer. The way they all get to be engineers.

You say you were examined to some extent. Were you not examined as

thoroughly as all other men were examined? I don't know how other

men were examined.

How did you come to say you were examined to some extent? What do

you mean by that? I mean to the extent that I was able to answer

the questions.

You were only examined to that extent you were able to answer, and

you were not examined as to those you were not able to answer? I

don't know if there were any questions I was not to answer or not;

I answered all the questions.

You used that expression, you were examined to some extent. I want

to know what you mean by that? I answered all the questions that

were asked me.

Do you mean to say that all questions were asked you which are

equally asked applicants for employment as engineers? I do not.

Was anyone else examined at the same time you were? There was not.

Who was present when you were being examined? Anyone but the Board?

No; there was not.

No one but the Board of Examiners? No.

Where were you examined? The principal place was in the building

where the general officers are.

Were you examined more than once? I was instructed another time.

I asked you about examinations? No, sir, not on an engine.

How long did your examination take? I could not tell that.

How many questions were you asked? I could not say; I did not count

them.

Have you no idea without counting them? I answered more

questions--I asked and answered more questions than was asked me.

You examined yourself, practically, did you? The Board was there to

hear it.

The Board was there to hear you examine yourself--asking questions

and answering them? Those I did not thoroughly understand were

questions I asked, and then I answered my way, and if I was not

right, then I was instructed.

And upon that instruction which you got at that time you were

employed as an engineer on the road? Oh, no; this is since.

How long after that was it before you were put in charge of an

engine, since you got this instruction? I took an engine on the

10th of last month, and I run up to yesterday.

When was your examination? To-day.

You were examined to-day? Yes, sir.

Was this the first examination that took place? This is the first.

You were not examined before you were put in charge of an engine?

No, sir.

You were put in charge of an engine without an examination at all?

Without any examination.

You were this morning examined, and prepared for being examined

here; is that it? No, sir; I don't know as I was prepared at all. I

asked questions, and they were answered to me. If I could explain

them in the language that was used in regard to the management of

engines.

And that is the first time you have been examined by anybody

representing this road as an engineer? Examined on an engine.

Did you ever draw pay as an engineer or as a fireman at any time in

the employ of this or any other railroad company in the United

States before this? As an engineer or fireman?

As an engineer or fireman? I did not.

Did you ever perform the duties of an engineer or fireman at any

time in your life before this date, on any road? That is, to draw

pay for it?

To draw pay for it, and perform its duties regularly? No, sir.

Did you ever put a wick in a headlight? I did.

When? The other day.

Not until that? That is the first one, but I have frequently saw it

done.

How old are you? I was thirty-four years old on the 16th day of

last January.

Can you tell what the notches in the quadrant are for? Yes, sir.

Please do so? They are to govern the working of an engine.

State in what respect they govern the working of an engine? They

start from the center and work both ways; the forward and back

motions drop the engine down forward and you give her the full

stroke. If you put her back to a less stroke and increase the

speed.

What do you mean by the stroke? The stroke of the piston that

travels in the cylinder.

What is the stroke of your engine? I don't know.

Has an engine more or less stroke when it is hooked down or hooked

up? It has the same stroke, but it receives steam through the ports

to a less stroke.

In what condition? Both ways; either working in the forward or back

motion.

What do you refer to when you speak of receiving more steam? Can

you explain that? To a certain extent, yes.

To that certain extent please explain it? As the engine is working

you drop her down and give her full stroke and she is receiving

steam at full stroke; as you cut her back she receives steam to a

less portion as you cut her back, and then start to travel the

other way--the valve it is.

Do you know anything about the points of cut-off of a valve on an

engine? No, sir.

You never got any instruction on that subject? No, sir.

You were not examined on it this morning, were you? No, sir.

Evidence of a large number of expert engineers and practical railroad

men was heard, together with the testimony of the incompetent men. A

copy of the entire proceedings is in the hands of Mr. Alexander

Sullivan, counsel for the Brotherhood.

INTER-STATE COMMERCE COMMISSION.

The result of the State Board's examination, with a vast amount of new

evidence, was prepared to place before the Inter-State Commerce

Commission, which had signified its willingness to sit in Chicago May 1,

to examine into the charges that the Burlington was operating its lines

with incompetent men. For some reason never made public the promised

investigation was not made. The Brotherhood side of the case was ready,

and in the hands of experienced legal counsel; however, no action was

taken by the Commission.

MEETING OF THE STOCKHOLDERS.

As the stockholders were to meet on May 16, it was expected that they,

having suffered great financial loss from the strike, would take some

steps toward bringing about a settlement between the men and the

company. It was considered by the strikers that the road had not been

successfully operated by the class of men then in its employ, and that

self-interest would prompt the stockholders to do justice to their old

employes.

Contrary to the anticipations of the men, the management was unanimously

endorsed at this meeting and by this action gave notice that nothing in

the line of concessions could be expected.

FINAL ACTION OF THE MEN.

Subsequent to this meeting, the Joint Grievance Committee was convened,

and it was resolved not to declare the strike off but to continue

resistance indefinitely, this action to be subject to the approval of

the men. The resolution of the Committee was duly submitted to the men

along the line, and a vote was taken as to whether the strike should be

declared off or not. The result of the vote was an almost unanimous

expression to continue the strike without abatement.

After the stockholders' meeting, the men at Chicago appointed a day to

discuss anew the proposition to declare the strike off. This caused

great uneasiness along the line, but was only done in order to give

those who had not been present at the first vote taken an opportunity to

express their sentiments. This discussion, like the preceding one, ended

in an unanimous decision to continue the strike.

Every effort had been made by the company to break the lines. At

Galesburg and other points, it was claimed that large sums of money had

been offered to individuals to break the ranks and again enter the

services of the company. Outside of Chicago, the men were subject to all

manner of persecutions to compel them to yield to the company's offers,

but without effect; not a single case of weakness was developed after

the second week of the strike.

In Chicago, as before stated, but two men returned, one of these, a

yardmaster, had been struggling under the name of "scab" since "'82" and

he was naturally expected to take the course that he did. On the morning

of March 23, he was the first yardmaster to refuse to do duty as a

switchman, and the first and only one to seek reinstatement. At other

points along the line, the record is even better than this. Probably not

over a dozen men weakened; from Chicago to Denver, all have stood firm

and solid on the ground they first occupied.

The following quotation from the Brotherhood circular heretofore alluded

to, will be of interest.

"THE LOYALTY OF THE STRIKERS.

"Just here it is proper to place upon record the fact--luminous in the

annals of labor strikes--of the loyalty of the men, their devotion to

principle, and their unexampled faithfulness to their obligations. As

one man they responded to the call. So thoroughly imbued were they with

the justice of their cause, that with an unanimity which will forever

challenge the admiration of manly men, they surrendered their positions

and faced with an unaltering fortitude all the privations incident to a

strike, rather than sacrifice their manhood, their independence and

self-respect.

"Be it said to the everlasting honor of the engineers, firemen and

switchmen on the C., B. & Q. system, that they acted their part nobly

from the first to the last. There was no deserters or traitors to the

cause; faithful to their obligations, true to their manhood, honorable

in all their methods, they have dignified themselves and glorified the

Orders to which they belong, and while courage and fidelity have

admirers, they will be remembered for their unyielding purpose by every

true knight of the throttle and scoop where-ever the iron horse draws a

train."

FINANCIAL CONDITION OF THE ROAD.

In June the following statement appeared in the Chicago _Herald_: "The

Burlington Company is having a hard time to make both ends meet. Its

statement of net earnings for the month of May, which came to light

yesterday, showed a decrease of $803,000, and for the first five months

of 1888 the loss compared with the corresponding period last year

reaches the astounding total of $4,194,172. Never in the history of

Western railroads has such a disastrous record been made by a big

railway corporation in so short a time. Less than a year ago the

Burlington Company was reported to be the strongest corporation of its

kind in the country. It paid the highest rate of dividends, and its

securities commanded larger prices than any similar paper on the New

York Stock Exchange. Since the beginning of 1888 its dividend rate has

been reduced from eight to four per cent, and even the four per cent has

not been earned by many thousand dollars. The interest requirements,

which come ahead of the stock, alone amount to, approximately,

$6,000,000 per year, or at the rate of $500,000 per month. The net

earnings for five months, however, are only a little over $1,000,000, or

less than half of what would be required to pay current interest

charges. In face of this showing, however, the company has, since the

beginning of 1888, paid three per cent in dividends on $77,000,000

stock. This required an expenditure of nearly $2,400,000. If this

$2,400,000 be deducted from the net earnings of the company for the

first five months of the year an actual deficit of nearly $1,400,000 is

left, without allowing anything whatever for interest on bonds, which

are always a prior lien. Deducting $2,500,000 interest charges, which

somebody must pay, and the deficit is swelled to nearly $4,000,000. To

put the matter plainly, the Burlington Company lacks $4,000,000 of being

able to pay its debts out of its current earnings. It had a a surplus at

the end of last year of $1,000,000, but this has been wiped out, and a

floating indebtness of approximately $3,000,000 now stares the

Burlington management in the face. It is currently rumored that the

company has been trying to negotiate a loan of $2,000,000 in Chicago to

help it out of its present difficulties, but these negotiations have

fallen through, and it is understood that an effort will be made to

raise the money in the East. The depreciation in value of the

$77,000,000 stock, of at least one-third, is another serious loss, which

will probably never be retrieved."

THE DYNAMITE PLOT.

July 5, J. A. Bowles, Thos. Broderick and J. Q. Wilson were arrested on

the train leaving Aurora, at 2:15 P. M., by Deputy Marshal Burchard and

Superintendent McGinty of the Pinkerton Agency. A package of some

substance, said to be dynamite, was taken from the rack over the seat

occupied by Wilson. They were arraigned before United States

Commissioner Hoyne, under section 5353, United States Statutes, which

provides a penalty of $1,000 to $10,000 fine for transporting or having

in possession dynamite on trains or vessels carrying passengers.

Chairman Hoge was sent for, but when he learned the gravity of the

charge against the prisoners he had little comfort to give them, but

promised to secure an attorney if he found on investigation that their

cause was worthy. All three of the men denied ownership of the package

found in the rack. Bowles came to Aurora at the beginning of the strike,

and ran an engine for thirteen days. His brother finally induced him to

leave the service of the company, and he was taken into the Brotherhood

Division at Aurora. The Burlington officials testified that Broderick

was in their employ as late as April last, two months after the strike

began. Wilson was a Pinkerton detective. Thus it will be seen that the

trio were Burlington and Pinkerton employes.

The company claimed that dynamite was used at Eola, West Aurora,

Galesburg and Creston, to blow up and wreck trains, but that no damage

was done, except to a portion of a flange on an engine wheel at Eola.

In some of these cases a portion of the dynamite was found unexploded,

together with parts of the wrapper. If this stuff had really been

dynamite, it is impossible to conceive how part of the cartridge could

have remained unexploded.

J. A. Bauereisen, Chief of the Aurora Division of B. of L. E., was

arrested July 6 as an accomplice, it having been claimed that Bowles

received the package from him before starting for Chicago with Wilson

and Broderick.

Alexander Smith was arrested July 6. Smith is a fireman, and was charged

with having handled the dynamite in connection with the explosion at

Eola and West Aurora.

Attorneys Donohue and David were retained for the defense of these men.

Chairman Hoge stated that the Brotherhood did not tolerate violence of

any kind, and would not come to the assistance of any member caught in

the act of committing crime. The Brotherhood would look into these

cases, and if satisfied that the men were victims of a conspiracy, it

would aid and defend them, but if it were shown that they had explosives

and meant violence, they would be left to shift for themselves. At this

time Mr. Hoge was charged by the Burlington people with having issued a

circular April 16, to the various divisions of the Brotherhood, advising

that a large number of engineers go to work for the road, and, after

disabling as many engines as possible with sal-soda and emory, to quit

in a body. Mr. Hoge denies having written this circular, or of having

signed it, and stated that it was a forgery, if it existed at all.

However, Hoge and Chairman Murphy of the firemen were arrested July 10

for conspiracy, and held under the Merritt law in bonds of $1,500, which

was furnished by W. R. Fitzgerald. The complaint alleged that the

defendants issued a circular with the fraudulent or malicious intent,

wrongfully and wickedly to injure the property of the Chicago,

Burlington & Quincy railroad. The penalty upon conviction is five years

in the penitentiary or a fine of $2,000, or both. The warrant also

contained the names of John J. Kelly and J. H. McGilvery, secretaries to

Hoge and Murphy, who were arrested later in the day, but not locked up.

Kelly made a statement to the effect that he issued the circular at the

dictation of Hoge, and that the latter signed it. It was written with

hektograph ink and copied on a hektograph. Kelly also swore that he had

been in the employ of Pinkerton for several months, during which time he

acted as secretary to Hoge. This man belonged to the Brotherhood of

Firemen, but was running a switch engine on the "Q" in Chicago, and at

the time of the strike was taken into the Brotherhood of Engineers. He

is a tall, slender man of twenty-seven or twenty-eight years, blonde,

very natty in appearance, small brown moustache, light eyes inclined to

be deep set, and a clear ringing voice, like the voice of a woman. He

was considered of a giddy, frothy nature by his intimates, who were

surprised at his ability to keep secret the fact that he was in the

employ of Pinkerton.

George Godding, an engineer, was arrested in Aurora July 9, charged

with Bauereisen in violating the United States law in handling dynamite.

George Clark, an engineer, was arrested at Galesburg July 17, charged

with the same offense. During the examination of these men, Bowles,

Smith, Wilson, Kelly and McGilvery appeared with the prosecution as

detectives and informers.

Bauereisen was tried, and sentenced to two years imprisonment, at the

last term of Kane County Court, at Geneva, Ill. He was convicted on the

testimony of the informers and Pinkerton men, Bowles, Broderick, Smith

and Wilson. The weight of evidence was clearly in favor of Bauereisen,

but the fact that it was a Kane County jury, and that the Burlington

Company was the prosecutor, settled the case against him. An appeal for

a new trial is now pending.

None of the other cases have matured, and probably never will.

The general opinion of the strikers, and those who have been

particularly interested in these cases, can be summed up in a few words.

Knowing that the strike had financially wrecked the property, the

management found it necessary to make capital for themselves, and

concluded that a dynamite scheme would answer their purpose.

They believed that the Brotherhoods were a law abiding class of

citizens, and that they would be dumfounded at the evidence of a

dynamite plot, and immediately declare the strike off. That it was

originally intended as a bluff is proven by the low grade of dynamite

used, which had scarcely the explosive power of black powder. The

evidence shows that the "Q" employes and the detectives procured and

used the stuff without effect. The only evidence against the Brotherhood

men was that they had been told by these spies what they were doing; and

while the defendants placed no reliance in the story, this knowledge was

considered sufficient evidence of guilt to hold them as accomplices.

This course was probably decided upon when it was found impossible to

make them active participants in the crime.

In the case of Hoge and Murphy, the web was easier to weave. Having a

Pinkerton man as Hoge's secretary, it was a simple matter to put up a

fraudulent circular, and back it up with the utterances of other

confederates who visited him, and sought to induce him to resort to

violence as a means of compelling a settlement of the strike.

PROPOSITIONS FOR A SETTLEMENT.

July 14, Mr. Stone sent for Chairmen Hoge and Murphy to talk over a

settlement of the strike. Being under bonds, Hoge and Murphy declined to

go without their attorney; therefore, Mr. Alexander Sullivan was

included in the invitation. They met Mr. Stone at his residence the same

evening, but having no authority to make a settlement, only a general

conversation ensued. Mr. Stone indicated a willingness to take up the

schedule and pay as good wages as was paid by the other roads,

especially so in the passenger runs. Another meeting was arranged for

July 16, at which meeting Messrs. Arthur, Sargent, Sullivan, Hoge and

Murphy, on behalf of the men, and Messrs. Stone, Perkins and Dexter, for

the company, were present. Mr. Perkins had arrived unexpectedly from

Boston, and seemed dissatisfied with the action of Mr. Stone in calling

the meeting, and for a time refused to make any concessions. Mr. Stone

insisted, and the following was drawn up as a basis of settlement by the

company:

"If the strike be declared off, the company agrees to take back such of

the old men as can at present be given employment, and as business

increases and more men are needed, they will be taken from the ranks of

the strikers in preference to hiring men who had not previously been in

the employ of the company.

"The company further agree that those men not so taken back would not be

blacklisted, and that those whose previous record had been good would be

given letters of recommendation. Mr. Perkins also agreed to rescind the

order of J. D. Besler, dated March 25, to the effect that the switchmen

would not again be employed by the Burlington company.

"That engineers, firemen and switchmen would be treated alike in the

matter of re-employment."

This was in substance all that the company would concede. As these

gentlemen had no authority to make any settlement without the consent of

the men, it was decided to submit the proposition to them along the

entire system, and Messrs. Hoge, Murphy and the writer were appointed to

lay the matter before them. Mr. Arthur was opposed to the switchmen

being represented on this committee.

Before going out on the road, a meeting of the Chicago strikers was

held at Curran's Hall. In order to get the matter properly before them,

the following resolution was put by the chairman, "_Resolved_, That the

striking engineers, firemen and switchmen do hereby appoint the

following Committee to settle the strike: Arthur, Sargent, Alexander

Sullivan, Hoge, Murphy and Hall, with the understanding that we will

abide by their decision and will accept the above proposition of the

company, if no better terms can be obtained by the Committee." Arthur,

Sargent and Mr. Sullivan strongly recommended the acceptance of the

terms, and sent letters to that effect by the Committee to the men along

the line.

The resolution was rejected by the Chicago men, and, in fact, by every

body of strikers along the entire system. In these terms of settlement

nothing was said about dismissing the dynamite cases, it being

understood that they would be continued.

July 17 the Committee left Chicago to place the proposition before the

men, and returned July 27. The strikers everywhere decided to accept no

terms that did not include the signing of their schedule and the

absolute discharge of all the new men. They considered that the company

had asked them to make an unconditional surrender, and that the

conspiracy cases had influenced their leaders to side with the company,

and they would not now make any settlement that was not made by the

entire Grievance Committee and include the whole schedule and discharge

of the new men. Hoge and Murphy knew the temper of the men and knew

what the result would be, but felt it their duty to present the

propositions as instructed by their chiefs, Arthur and Sargent, and to

give the men a complete statement of the condition of the strike,

prospects of support, etc. It was a disagreeable duty, but they

performed it faithfully. Many of the men were inclined to censure the

Committee for presuming to offer them such terms.

UNION MEETING AT ST. JOE, July 24, 1888.

The following is the official report:

The Chairman stated the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the

merits of the C., B. & Q. strike and to try and adopt some plan to

bring it to a speedy termination. He also explained and outlined

the situation of affairs on the C., B. & Q. R. R.

The Chairman then introduced Bro. G. W. Hitchens, Chairman of the

G. G. Com., K. C., Ft. S. & G. R. R., who made a good speech,

encouraging the C., B. & Q. Bros. and saying that he was in favor

of the Boycott and Federation.

Bro. R. Powers, a member of the B. of R. B., was then introduced,

and spoke encouragingly to the C., B. & Q. Bros., telling them to

stand firm and they were sure to win.

Bro. F. P. Sargent, G. M. of the B. of L. F., was the next speaker.

He was in favor of Federation, but did not speak very encouragingly

to the C., B. & Q. Bros. in their struggle for Right and Justice.

Bro. Bailey, of the S. M. A. A., made an able address, which was

enthusiastically received.

Bro. L. W. Rodgers, of the B. of R. B., and a man who has traveled

over the C., B. & Q. R. R. several times, spoke and outlined the

condition of the C., B. & Q., and urged the the Bros. to stand firm

and they were sure of victory.

Speeches were made by Bro. Wm. McClain, of Quincy, and a member of

the G. G. Com. of the C., B. & Q.; Bro. Slattery, of Butte City, M.

T.; J. F. Bryan, of Creston, Iowa; and a great many other Bros. of

the different organizations, who nearly all spoke in favor of

Federation and said they would do all in their power to assist the

C., B. & Q. Bros. who are now battling for justice. And they all

told the Bros. to never declare the strike off but to fight it to

the bitter end.

On motion, a committee of nine was appointed to draw up resolutions

and adopt a line of action for this meeting.

The Chairman appointed the following Committee on Resolutions: W.

H. Young, of Div. 307; W. F. Gould, Div. 184; R. Lacy, 105, B. of

L. F.; T. J. Hayes, 44, B. of L. F.; L. W. Rodgers, B. of R. B.; T.

Slattery, 151, B. of R. B.; F. Wells, Grand Lodge. S. M. A. A.; and

T. C. Lyons, No. 9, S. M. A. A.

On motion adjourned until 9 o'clock, A. M., July 25, 1888.

_Second Day._

Meeting called to order by F. P. McDonald in the chair.

On motion resolutions were ordered read, and each article taken up

and adopted or rejected at one time.

The following resolutions were read and unanimously adopted, the

last article being debated freely:

_To the Engineers, Firemen, Switchmen and Brakemen, in Union

Meeting assembled_:

We, your Committee on Resolutions, beg leave to report the

following:

_Resolved_, That in regard to the alleged dynamite plot, we

denounce all unlawful acts; and that while we believe the accused

innocent until proven guilty, yet should any member of our

organization be proved guilty of the atrocities charged, we will

not only promptly expel them, but be the first to demand their

punishment.

_Resolved_, That we regard this as a conspiracy by the C., B. & Q.

Co. and the Pinkertons, to bring our Order into disrepute, and turn

public opinion and sympathy against us; and we ask the public to

withhold their decision until the case has been passed upon by a

fair and impartial jury.

_Resolved_, That we thank the managers of this meeting for their

vigilance in discovering the company's spy who had been secreted in

the opera house to report our proceedings, and that we denounce

such dishonorable methods of obtaining information.

_Resolved_, That we, the engineers, firemen, switchmen and brakemen

represented in this meeting, heartily endorse the plan of

federation, and ask our coming conventions to authorize immediate

action on this subject.

_Resolved_, That this meeting ask Bros. Hoge and Murphy, or the G.

G. Com. of the C., B. & Q., to place on the payroll the names of

the trainmen who struck April 1, 1888, and that they receive $40

per month for the time they have been out.

_Resolved_, That each and every delegate at this union meeting be

instructed to use every endeavor to have his subordinate Division

or Lodge, take such action as will guarantee financial support to

our brothers now struggling for their legitimate rights, until such

time as the several conventions shall convene, and shall

incorporate in their constitutions such laws as shall thoroughly

unite the several organizations.

_Resolved_, That we return to our respective Divisions and Lodges

and notify our constituents to prepare to place a boycott on C., B.

& Q. cars as soon as the Chairmen of the several Grievance

Committees think it practicable, and we earnestly ask the Chairmen

to institute this boycott as soon as in their judgment it can be

worked with advantage to our cause.

_Resolved_, That this meeting heartily endorse the action taken by

the C., B. & Q. Brothers, in refusing to declare the strike off.

All business pertaining to the purpose of the meeting being

accomplished, the meeting adjourned at 5:15 P. M., July 25.

At a special meeting of the engineers at St. Joe, a plan was formed to

call together the Chairmen of all the Grievance Committees in the United

States and Canada authorized by the chiefs of the Brotherhoods to meet

in St. Louis August 9, 1888.

The previous meeting at Kansas City, New York and St. Joe were the

results of local arrangements, and unauthorized by the chiefs of the

Brotherhoods, and their actions were without proper authority, although

giving expression to the general feelings of the men. A Committee was

appointed to visit Chiefs Arthur and Sargent and request them to make an

official call of all the Chairmen of Grievance Committees. This was

done, and the meeting convened in St. Louis August 9.

SECRET MEETING AT ST. LOUIS.

Chiefs Arthur and Sargent were present. The entire Grievance Committee

of the Burlington and the Chairmen of all the other Committees composed

the assembly. All work was done in secret session. Nothing whatever was

given to the public. The strike was the only question dealt with at this

meeting. Many of the men favored an immediate boycott of "Q" cars and

"Q" freight. After two days of discussion, it was agreed that the time

and conditions were not such as to warrant a boycott; it was believed

that the road had no business of consequence to be injured. This matter

was then laid aside to be taken up in October. Another Committee was

appointed to confer with the "Q" officials. This Committee was composed

of Chairmen of roads not on strike.

The meeting adjourned Saturday, August 11. On Monday, August 13,

Alexander Sullivan, Chairman Vrooman of the Union Pacific and his

committee had an interview with Vice President Peasley and General

Superintendent Besler.

The meeting was an informal one. The proposition presented by the

Committee was a demand that all the men be taken back in a body; that

the former proposition of Mr. Stone, to pay as good wages as his

neighbors, be accepted by the Brotherhood. Mr. Peasley stated that he

had no power to act in the absence of Manager Stone and President

Perkins, but that he would submit the proposition to these officials on

their return from the East. He also said that the company desired peace

with the Brotherhoods.

No action was taken by Messrs. Stone and Perkins; the only result of the

meeting was to strengthen them in their determination to fight the

Brotherhoods to the end.

All efforts to produce a boycott had failed. The only result of the

union meetings held at various points was to convince the strikers that

the boycott was not necessary, in fact that they had already won the

strike. They continued their meetings, and were just as much out of the

way of the company as though they had been locked up for months. In the

meantime, and in fact from the beginning of the strike, the company had

been moving heaven and earth in their efforts to bring victory out of

what seemed hopeless defeat. Starting with an inferior grade of men,

they have been constantly weeding out the poorer ones as fast as a more

competent man appeared who was willing to work for them. A very great

number of those originally hired have disappeared and better men have

taken their places. Many competent men, who had been driven out of the

Brotherhoods for dissolute habits, or from prejudice, and who had at

first stood aloof from the trouble, had now come forward and entered the

service.

Beginning on the 27th of February with their business almost wholly

destroyed, they have used every means in their power, and have left no

stone unturned that promised to increase their traffic. In this they

have not been unsuccessful, and their business is today probably as good

as any other Western road. In their relation to the strikers, they have

outwitted them at every point, and have used with fatal effect every

weapon that came to their hand. The truth is that the old employes never

had a leader, from the 27th of February until the present day; they have

been under the orders and at the beck and call of this committee and

that committee, and have trusted to this chairman and that chief until

they were bewildered, and finally lost. The "Ides of March" was as fatal

to them as to Cæsar. When the first boycott was lifted, their defeat was

absolute and certain; as an evidence of that the action of the

self-constituted Advisory Board, in sending road engineers into the

yards in Chicago to take the switch engines given up by their brothers

at the second boycott, the last of March, should have been deemed ample

and sufficient.

Any strike, by any body of men, conducted as this one was, would have

the same ignominious ending. When a class of men are forced into a

strike, and their places are filled by men who are allowed to retain

them; when the business interests, interrupted by the strike, are

permitted to be resumed, does not such a condition plainly indicate

failure? There should be no more great railroad strikes until men, other

than those immediately interested, are ready and willing to win them.

AT THE CONVENTIONS.

At the Firemen's Convention, the promised plan of federation was put

forward. Before the firemen adjourned, the switchmen had met in

Convention. They received and endorsed the plan outlined by the

firemen, and appointed a committee of the Grand Officers to act with the

engineers and firemen in putting it into execution. Contrary to the

expectations of the firemen and switchmen, the engineers at their

Convention failed to ratify the move toward federation, and had nothing

ready to offer in its stead. They did, however, pass a resolution

favoring "some means of bringing the organizations closer together."

This action of the engineers was generally understood as a desire upon

their part to drop the federation scheme entirely, and much ill feeling

has in consequence resulted. The striking switchmen naturally felt that

the sacrifice made by them had failed to bear fruit, and that the

Brotherhood had not redeemed their pledges--nay, more, that they had

fallen back into their old position of "refraining from all entangling

alliances" and ignoring the other organizations.

Affairs remained in this unsatisfactory condition until the latter part

of November. In the meantime, many of the strikers, engineers, firemen

and switchmen sought and obtained work on other roads, the Chicago,

Santa Fe & California gaining the most of them.

ANOTHER COMMITTEE.

At the Engineers' Convention, a committee of nine had been appointed,

with A. R. Cavener as chairman, to handle the remains of the "Q" strike.

Hoge was retired, or rather had resigned, and the payments to the men

were now made through the local divisions of the Brotherhood. Up to

November 25, nothing had been heard of the committee of nine, and it

was not known that they were making any efforts to assist the strikers.

It was understood that this committee had been given all the power in

the Brotherhood, even to the boycott, if necessary to win the strike.

CUTTING OFF THE SWITCHMEN.

November 25, letters were received by the chairman of each local body of

strikers, from Cleveland, signed by P. M. Arthur and the Finance

Committee of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.

These letters were to the effect, that after the October payment had

been made, the switchmen were to be stricken from the payrolls; that the

late Convention had made no provision for the further payment of these

men.

It will be remembered that prior to the switchmen engaging in this

strike, an agreement had been made with them that as long as the strike

lasted they were to be paid the same wages that were paid to the

engineers. A written contract was entered into, a copy of which is now

in possession of James L. Monoghan. During the different phases of the

strike this agreement was frequently mentioned by prominent members of

the Brotherhoods, and acknowledged by the Chiefs.

At the same time the switchmen were cut off from assistance, the pay of

the engineers was raised from $40 to $50 per month. This increase of $10

would have been ample to pay the switchmen.

Protests were sent to Cleveland from all over the "Q" system. The

following is the text in full of the Chicago letter, together with the

signatures of engineers, firemen and switchmen:

CHICAGO, ILL., NOV. 24, 1888.

HEADQUARTERS C., B. & Q. STRIKERS.--CURRAN'S HALL.

_To Messrs. P. M. Arthur, T. S. Ingraham, H. C. Hayes_:

DEAR SIRS: In receipt of yours of the 22d, we must say that a more

sad turn or blow has not struck this body since the beginning of

the strike as the decision of that letter. Have we solicited the

friendly hand of our fellow switchmen the past eight months, have

we sustained brotherly feeling and fought the common enemy all

summer hand in hand, only to throw our participants broadcast over

the land after proving themselves loyal to us and men of their

word? Do we have to bring disgrace upon ourselves, by being

connected with such unmanly actions, and involve thereby bitter

antagonistic feelings in the future? We engineers went out with

grievances, where the switchmen had none, but sympathy only; would

it not be more justice to cut us off and pay these men for their

manly actions?

After the return of the regular delegates from the Convention,

information was communicated to us of their firm understanding that

the treatment of the engineers and switchmen would be the same in

the future as in the past.

In regard to dividing our $40 per month with the switchmen in the

future, we can only refer to figures; about thirty to thirty-one

engineers against sixty-five switchmen [in Chicago--AUTHOR], both

parties in debt more or less for the necessaries of life for the

eight months, winter at hand, and our men badly in need. Some

provision must be made! How in the name of God can we share with

others, having scarcely enough for ourselves?

The future prosperity of our Order undoubtedly depends upon the

just action taken in this C., B. & Q. struggle. How can we expect

to gain and retain the kindly feeling of members of other

organizations relative to us in railway service by practicing acts

of injustice and partiality in our own midst? Look at the switchmen

at this point. When employed, their salary ranges from $75 to $90

per month. They have stepped down for principle's sake, and not

for the $40 per month, barely sufficient at this point to keep soul

and body together. Now, at this great Convention it has been

overlooked to provide for these men who fought the battle according

to instructions.

Only a portion of the men being thought of, and the balance of

them--those who sacrificed all for principle and friendship--have

been thrown out into the world without any previous notice

whatever. Here we are today to fight our own battle. Rather than

being sacrificed and deserted in this style, we will accept

previous favorable offers at Chicago, saving at least this point,

although at the sad experience of broken promises.

Indeed, sad it is for men to fight honorably, and with whole soul,

only to find out, after losing all, that they are cut off from

ammunition! Now then, left without ammunition, what is left for the

soldier to do--surrender or be cut down?

Our course in this depends on speedy action, and we therefore

demand immediate answer from your Grand Lodge, stating decidedly

the future treatment. Shall it continue as before, or shall it be

cut off? As our men are radical, we ask you to answer by telegraph,

up to 2 P. M., Monday, November 26, "Yes" or "No." If no answer is

received up to this time it will be considered by this body a

negative answer, and copies of this will be sent to all subordinate

divisions and lodges of the Big Four organizations. Yours

fraternally,

[Signed] T. J. TIERNEY,

M. T. MAHONEY,

J. RYAN,

Engineers.

M. SHIELDS,

JOHN A. HIENISH,

DAVID BAIN,

Switchmen.

The answer came by mail, and reads as follows:

OFFICE OF THE GRAND DIVISION

BROTHERHOOD OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS,

CLEVELAND, NOV. 26, 1888.

_M. T. Mahoney_:

DEAR SIR AND BROTHER: Yours of the 24th at hand, and in reply

thereto we sent a check Saturday, to pay the engineers and

switchmen alike for October. After that time we can pay nothing for

the switchmen. You seem to think that the power is vested in the

Grand Officers to levy assessments for the support of the

switchmen; but such is not the case. We can only act as directed

by the Convention. The Convention directed that an assessment be

levied for the support of the engineers at $50 per month, and that

is as far as we can act.

Yours fraternally,

[Signed] T. S. INGRAHAM, F. G. A. E.

Previous to these letters, the Chairman of the switchmen had written to

Cleveland to make inquiry about the October pay. The answer to his

letter is also herewith given:

CLEVELAND, O., NOV., 22, 1888.

_J. A. Hienish, Esq._:

In reply to yours of 18th, I can only say that, although the Grand

Chief was particular to call attention to the fact that no

provision was made for October payroll, no steps were taken to

supply that want, and all that we can do is to forward the amounts

as fast as money comes in on donations, which is very slow, and

with October payroll all payments to switchmen and brakemen will

cease, as the further assessment was levied to pay engineers only.

We have, however, advised the engineers to share what they receive

with the switchmen.

Whether or not they will do it, they can answer. We shall send a

draft today to pay the men at Chicago, both engineers and switchmen

for October, and to other points as fast as we can get the money,

which is the best we can do.

Yours truly,

[Signed] T. S. INGRAHAM, F. G. A. E.

Letters were sent by the strikers to all the Brotherhood Divisions

throughout the western country, notifying them of the arbitrary action

of the officers and telling them the condition of the men.

No word had been received from Chairman Cavener or his committee of nine

until after the 9th of December, when the switchmen of Chicago declared

the strike off, as far as concerned themselves. This action was taken

with the consent and advice of the Grand Master of the Association, and

letters were sent to the switchmen along the line of road, advising them

to take the same action and make any terms that they were able to make

with the company.

The striking engineers and firemen at Chicago also advised this course

and even offered to unite with the switchmen in following it out.

The switchmen along the line, acting on the advice of the Brotherhood

men, refused to recognize the strike as off, and remained with the

engineers, but without aid from the Brotherhood, as seen from the

letters herewith given.

December 11, Mr. Cavener arrived in Chicago, and on the 28th of December

representatives of the Brotherhood from west of the Missouri river

assembled in Chicago to the number of two hundred. They were called

together by Mr. Cavener to take final action on the strike.

From the 28th day of December to the 4th day of January, the daily

papers were full of sensational rumors of boycotts, but no such action

was contemplated by the Brotherhoods.

Below is given the full report of the settlement, issued from the Grand

Lodge of the Switchmen's Mutual Aid Association.

OFFICE OF THE GRAND LODGE, SWITCHMEN'S MUTUAL AID ASSOCIATION OF

NORTH AMERICA.

CHICAGO, ILL., Jan. 10, 1889.

_To All Subordinate Lodges_:

SIRS AND BROTHERS: At the late Convention of the Brotherhood of

Locomotive Engineers, held at Richmond, Va., a Committee of nine

was appointed to examine into the condition of the strike on the

C., B. & Q. Railroad, and devise ways and means whereby it might be

brought to a close. The Committee was composed of the following

named gentlemen: A. R. Cavener, A. W. Perley, T. Hollinrake, Thos.

Humphreys, A. Le May, A. W. Logan, Edward Kent, Wm. C. Hayes and T.

P. Bellows. After the Committee had made a thorough investigation,

they requested the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen to appoint a

Committee to act in conjunction with them, and Grand Master Sargent

appointed L. Mooney and S. W. Dixon as such Committee. This Joint

Committee, in their report to the two Brotherhoods, say: An

interview with the officials of the C., B. & Q. company was

solicited and granted. Other interviews followed, in which the

strike, in all its details was discussed, with a thorough

appreciation of the gravity and importance of the situation. The

Committee sought by all the means at its command to secure a

settlement that would be of the largest possible advantage to the

strikers. Every point was brought out and thoroughly discussed, and

after a careful, patient and exhaustive review of the situation, a

settlement was effected which met with the unanimous approval of

the Joint Committee.

Preliminary to our report of the settlement, we desire to introduce

the following documents, which are self-explanatory:

CHICAGO, Jan. 4, 1889.

_Mr. E. P. Ripley, General Manager, Chicago_:

DEAR SIR: The enclosed is a copy of the communication which I was

directed to give to the Committee of the Brotherhood of Locomotive

Engineers and Firemen, who have been in conference with us today,

which was accepted by them, and they have declared the strike

settled.

It is important that no question should arise as to the good faith

of the company, and it is our desire and intention that there

should be no opportunity for such question.

As to the meaning of the word "available," I desire to say that

when it becomes necessary to employ men outside of those now in the

service, care must be taken to consider all the qualifications that

go to make up availability, including experience and familiarity

with our surroundings and rules. In short, that the very best men

are to be selected, regardless of personal relations or prejudices

for or against any men or class of men.

It should be further fully understood that the company does not

desire to pursue those who have been guilty of improper conduct

during the late strike, and while such men cannot be re-employed,

and while we cannot give letters to them, no officer or employe

should continue the animosities of the conflict after it is over,

or interfere to prevent the employment of such men elsewhere. Yours

truly,

HENRY B. STONE.

Similar letters will be sent to all the officers in charge of our

different properties, and by them transmitted to their operating

officers.

H. B. STONE.

WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY.

BOSTON, Jan. 3, 1889.

_To Henry B. Stone, Vice President C., B. & Q. Ry., Chicago_:

I did not telegraph yesterday, as you requested, because it seemed

important under the circumstances, and since we have been asked by

the engineers to say what our position is, that it should be done

with the authority of the whole Executive Committee. The Committee

is now in session, and I am authorized and instructed to send you

the following:

"The company will not follow up, black list, or in any manner

attempt to proscribe those who were concerned in the strike, but,

on the contrary, will cheerfully give to all who have not been

guilty of violence, or other improper conduct, letters of

introduction, showing their record in our service, and will, in all

proper ways, assist them in finding employment.

"The first duty of the management is to those who are in the

company's employ, and we must remember, and protect their interests

by promotions, and by every other means in our power. Beyond this,

if it should become necessary to go outside of the service for men

in any capacity, it is our intention to select the best men

available, and in making selections, not to exclude those who were

engaged in the strike of February 27, if they are the best men

available, and provided they have not since been guilty of violence

and other improper conduct."

You are authorized to give a copy of this message to the engineers

who called upon you.

[Signed] C. E. PERKINS.

CHICAGO, Jan. 4, 1889.

_Mr. A. R. Cavener, Chairman Committee Brotherhood Locomotive

Engineers_:

DEAR SIR: The above is a copy of a telegram received yesterday from

Mr. Perkins, our President, and which, in accordance with his

instructions, I have submitted to you, and which has been fully

discussed with you and your Committee.

Yours truly, HENRY B. STONE.

CHICAGO, Jan. 4, 1889.

_Mr. Henry B. Stone, Second Vice President_:

DEAR SIR: We, the undersigned Committee, in behalf of our

respective organizations--Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and

Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen--and as representatives of the

ex-employes of the Burlington system, who left the services of said

company February 27, 1888, or later, on account of the strike,

approve of the foregoing agreement, and hereby declare the strike

of the said ex-employes as settled.

Yours truly,

ALEX. R. CAVENER,

A. W. PERLEY,

T. HOLLINRAKE,

THOS. HUMPHREYS,

A. LE MAY,

WM. C. HAYES,

A. W. LOGAN,

EDW. KENT,

T. P. BELLOWS,

S. W. DIXON,

L. MOONEY.

The Joint Committee submitted their report to the Grand Officers of

the B. of L. E. and B. of L. F., and the settlement "met with their

entire and unqualified approval." The Grand Officers, therefore,

issued a circular to their respective Divisions and Lodges, under

date of January 7, 1889, in which they say "The strike of the

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Brotherhood of Locomotive

Firemen on the C., B. & Q. railway system, inaugurated February 27,

1888, is hereby officially declared at an end, and the striking

employes are now at liberty to make applications for situations on

said system."

The purpose of this circular is to advise the striking switchmen

who desire to be re-employed, to file their applications at their

respective Division headquarters, on or before February 1, 1889.

This advice is given at the request of the officials of the

company. Applications filed after February 1 will not be

considered.

The settlement may not be all that might be expected or desired,

but it seems to be the best that could be secured under the

condition of things, and I hope it will be received in good faith,

and that all hostility will cease.

In closing, I urge upon switchmen, members of our Association, to

exert their influence in securing situations for the ex-employes of

the C., B. & Q. system.

Yours fraternally, FRANK SWEENEY,

Grand Master S. M. A. A. of N. A.

The letters herein printed are given without comment, further than to

say that as they seem to have some bearing on the settlement, they were

evidently intended for that purpose.

The business of the Burlington, as with the other western roads at this

time, is but little over half its usual volume. No switchmen, engineers

or firemen returned to the employ of that company during January.

Advices from along the entire system indicate the same condition of

affairs at the present date, February 8, 1889. The new men, laid off on

account of dull business, still remain on hand, and as business

increases they will return to work, and not until their ranks are

exhausted will there be any vacancies for the old men. The probabilities

are, that several months will elapse before any of the strikers will be

needed by the Burlington road.

The following letters having been made public by the Grand Officers of

the firemen, through the medium of their magazine, we violate no

confidence in giving them publicity here. We particularly desire to

print them, from the fact that they indicate a condition of affairs in

relation to the settlement that should be made known to the general

public. The letters and comments are from the February, 1889, number of

the Firemen's Magazine.

"The B. of L. E., at its Richmond Convention, not only declined to

repeal laws, the enactment of which was an indignity of such

unquestioned insolence, that 'a wayfaring man though a fool' need not

err in comprehending the outrage, but in its deliberations relating to

ending the C., B. & Q. strike, it concluded to ignore the B. of L. F.

entirely, as if the Order had no interests at stake and was unworthy of

notice. In proof of this we introduce here an extract of a letter from

P. M. Arthur, Grand Chief, dated November 5, 1888, which is conclusive:

"The Convention also decided to appoint a Committee of nine, with

Bro. Alex. Cavener as chairman, to determine when the strike _shall

end_ on the C., B. & Q. Bro. Cavener will first go over that

system, and see how the situation is, and address the men at the

different places on the line, in view of a _settlement_. After

which he will _convene his Committee_ and they are to _decide when

the trouble shall end_, and _no one but themselves is to know the

result until they report to the Grand Officers_.

"We have italicised certain expressions in Grand Chief Arthur's letter

to Grand Master Sargent, to enable our readers to see how effectually

the B. of L. F. was squelched, left out in the cold, disregarded and

tabooed by the B. of L. E. in the 'settlement' of the strike.

"In reply to Grand Chief Arthur's letter of November 5, we here

introduce extracts from Grand Master Sargent's letter of November 7:

_P. M. Arthur, Esq._:

DEAR SIR AND BROTHER: I am in receipt of your communication of

November 5, written by S. G. E. Bro. Everett, and I have noted its

contents carefully and I must acknowledge that I am disappointed in

the action taken at Richmond on the question of federation.

Referring to the strike, I had hoped that your Convention would end

it, believing as I do that it is a useless waste of time and money

to continue it any longer. We are already feeling the strain

ourselves; my mail is continually filled with communications coming

from the officers of the Subordinate Lodges, appealing to me in

behalf of their members to excuse them from paying the heavy

assessments which we have been compelled to levy. Others are

prepared to surrender their charters, and the situation is anything

but agreeable to me. There can be no change, however, until such

time as the strike is declared off. And we will be compelled to

contribute to the support of these men for a long time after, as

many of them will be without situations. Whatever may be the

decision of the Committee which you have appointed, I hope that

they will bear in mind that the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen

are just as much interested in this strike as is the Brotherhood of

Locomotive Engineers and that they will also consider this claim,

that the members of the Brotherhood of Firemen are not all wealthy

men.

"In reply to Grand Master Sargent's letter of the 7th, Grand Chief

Arthur writes as follows, under date of November 9:

In regard to the strike we are deeply sensible of the circumstances

by which you are surrounded, and nothing could have been further

from our thought than to ignore you or your Brotherhood, but in

view of the fact that your Convention adjourned without action

touching that matter, and as you had expressed a hope that our

Convention should declare it off, it was deemed wise to take steps

to fix a time to end it without giving any aid or comfort to the

company.

This is what was kept in view and the welfare of the firemen in it

was as much an object as was that of the engineers, and when the

Committee reports you will be fully informed of the course decided

upon.

"We are not disposed to indulge in severity of language in criticising

Grand Chief Arthur's letter to Grand Master Sargent, of November 9. It

is easily seen that Mr. Arthur was not only 'deeply sensible' of the

circumstances which 'surrounded' the B. of L. F., but was quite as

'deeply sensible' that the circumstances 'which surrounded' the B. of L.

E. were of character which he found it exceedingly difficult to explain.

When the B. of L. E. deliberately 'ignored' the B. of L. F., giving it

a direct slap in the face in a matter in which the interests of its

members were vitally involved, the declarations of the Grand Chief 'that

nothing could have been further from our thoughts than to ignore you or

your Brotherhood,' the very climax of irony is reached. Look at it; here

were two great Brotherhoods engaged in a life and death struggle with a

powerful corporation. It had cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Firemen, with a fidelity born of heroism worthy of monuments of marble,

had stood by the engineers until they were impoverished. At this supreme

juncture, the B. of L. E. concludes to take steps to terminate the

strike. Does it consider the interests, the rights, the sacrifices of

the B. of L. F.? No, not in the least. There is no word, no sign of

recognition. On the contrary the action of the B. of L. E. is that of

the most offensive ostracism. There is not so much as a squint at

co-operation or federation. The gush and slush about the 'twin

Brotherhoods' disappears, and yet Grand Chief Arthur declares, as if he

expected his assertion would be accepted as true, that in the

appointment of a Committee of nine, clothed with full power to settle

the strike, in which no reference was made to the B. of L. F. or to its

interests, 'nothing could have been further from our thought than to

ignore' the B. of L. F. It is sufficient to say that the declaration of

Grand Chief Arthur was not accepted as conclusive. It is neither an

apology nor an explanation. Indeed, it only serves to emphasize the fact

that the B. of L. E. deliberately and purposely ignored the B. of L. F.

"Proceeding with the history, it will be seen that Mr. Alexander K.

Cavener, Chairman of the Committee of nine engineers, proceeded to carry

out his instructions. He went over the roads of the 'Q' system, he held

meetings and obtained information. He assembled his Committee of

engineers and made his reports. The conclusion was to declare the strike

at an end. In all of this no fireman had been consulted--no attention

paid to the B. of L. F. officers or men. There had been neither

co-operation nor federation--no allusion to the 'twin (?) Brotherhoods.'

"At this juncture, Mr. Alexander K. Cavener, Chairman of the Committee

of nine, bethought himself of the fact that there was such a Brotherhood

as the B. of L. F. The B. of L. E. had not authorized him to indulge

such a thought, but he did remember it and sent the following telegram:

CHICAGO, Dec. 27, 1888.

_Sargent and Debs_:

Can you select a Committee of your Order to act in conjunction with

our Committee? Meet us at Commercial Hotel morning of December 29.

[Signed] ALEX. R. CAVENER.

"This was the first intimation the B. of L. F. had that the B. of L. E.,

or the Committee of nine, recognized that the B. of L. F. had any

interest whatever in the 'Q' strike, or in the settlement of the strike.

Grand Master Sargent was not in Terre Haute when the message was

received, and Grand Secretary and Treasurer Debs, of the B. of L. F.,

replied as follows:

TERRE HAUTE, IND., Dec. 27, 1888.

Grand Master Sargent is expected home from the East this evening,

and your message will be referred to him on his arrival. For

myself I do not favor the appointment of a Committee such as you

suggest at this time. The invitation for joint procedure comes too

late in the day. I have no doubt our regular Committee representing

the C., B. & Q., now at Chicago, will be amply able to look after

our interests.

E. V. DEBS.

"Upon the arrival of Grand Master Sargent the following message was sent

to Chairman Cavener, at Chicago:

TERRE HAUTE, IND., Dec. 29, 1888.

_A. R. Cavener, Commercial Hotel, Chicago, Ill._:

Referring to your telegram we have to say, that in our opinion we

should have been given an opportunity of being represented in the

tour of inspection of the "Q" system. We are in the habit of acting

for ourselves in such matters, and hence we are not disposed at

this late hour to join in the "amen" to what has been done. If we

were not capable of doing our part from the beginning we are not

willing to join issues now. We respectfully decline to appoint any

Committee for the purpose suggested in your telegram.

[Signed] F. P. Sargent, Grand Master.

E. V. DEBS, Grand Sec. & Treas.

"The refusal of the B. of L. F. to appoint a Committee to act with the

engineers' Committee was adversely criticised, and resulted in sending

to Terre Haute a Committee of two, Bro. R. H. Lacy, Chairman of the C.,

B. & Q. Committee, having charge of strike affairs, and Bro. George

Godding. These men visited Terre Haute, and, acting under advice,

represented to Grand Master Sargent that it was important that a

Committee should be appointed to represent the firemen on the Committee

of engineers.

"Grand Master Sargent thereupon transmitted to Grand Chief Arthur the

following message:

TERRE HAUTE, IND., Jan. 2, 1889.

_P. M. Arthur, Cleveland, Ohio_:

I have been requested by A. R. Cavener, Chairman of Committee at

Chicago, to appoint a Committee of firemen to act with them in the

matter now before them. Will you inform me if he has the authority

to do this, and if you approve of the same as the Executive of the

Order? Has this Committee full power to act regardless of you?

Answer at my expense.

[Signed] F. P. SARGENT, Grand Master.

"In response to the foregoing, the following reply was received from

Grand Chief Arthur:

CLEVELAND, O., Jan. 2, 1889.

_Frank P. Sargent_:

Would advise you to grant Cavener's request in the interest of

peace and harmony. He has not complied with my instructions, but I

waive all in favor of having an end put to the strike.

P. M. ARTHUR.

"Upon receipt of this message, Grand Master Sargent appointed Bros. S.

W. Dixon, of Baraboo, Wis., and L. Mooney, of St. Joe, Mo., a Committee

to represent the B. of L. F.'s interests, as set forth in the following

communication addressed to Chairman Cavener of the B. of L. E. Committee

under date of January 2:

GRAND LODGE }

BROTHERHOOD OF LOCOMOTIVE FIREMEN. }

TERRE HAUTE, IND., Jan. 2, 1889. }

_A. R. Cavener, Esq., and members of the Committee representing the

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and the interests of the C., B.

& Q. engineers engaged in the present strike_:

GENTLEMEN AND BROTHERS: It is not necessary for me to introduce

myself to you honorable gentlemen, as I am, no doubt, known to you

both officially and socially, and I will proceed to place before

you certain facts, and at the same time explain to you the reason

of my forwarding the message to Bro. Cavener, Chairman of your

Committee, signed jointly by Bro. Debs and myself, in reply to a

request made by Bro. Cavener for us to appoint a Committee

representing the firemen to go with you before the officials of the

Burlington system. I desire to trespass upon your valuable time

long enough to call your attention to the original compact entered

into between the engineers and firemen in the beginning of this

eventful strike. It was understood that in all our dealings both as

Committees and as executive officers among ourselves, or when

before the officers of the company, that we should act together. I

am not disposed at this time to pass any criticism whatever upon

the action of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers or upon any

of its executive officers; I simply wish to call attention to this

matter in a fair and unbiased light.

When our Convention convened at Atlanta, the situation of the

Brotherhood was not of an encouraging nature; we were incumbered

with debt; we knew that we could not as a body, take any action in

the matter of the strike, except to provide means for the

maintenance of the men engaged therein, until such time as the

Convention of your honorable body had convened and decided upon

what they believed to be the best course to pursue. We provided

means for the further sustenance of our men and awaited the action

of your body. Being honored with an invitation to be present in

Richmond as a guest of your Brotherhood, I was able to meet with

many of the prominent members, together with the Grand Officers,

and I presented, when the opportunity offered, my exact position as

an Executive Official, stating, that we, as an organization, were

willing, at all times to do anything that was honorable toward

bringing about a satisfactory settlement of the difficulty. I was

assured that some action would be taken whereby some means would be

devised which would lead to the ending of the strike. I returned

home, and shortly after the termination of your Convention, I

received an official communication from Grand Chief Arthur, in

which he informed me that a Committee of nine had been appointed

with Bro. Alex. R. Cavener as Chairman, to determine when the

strike should end on the C., B. & Q.; that Bro. Cavener should

first go over the system and see what the situation was, and

address the men at different places along the line in view of a

settlement; after which he would convene the Committee, and they

were to decide when the trouble should end, and no one but

themselves was to know the result until after reporting to the

Grand Office. I immediately wrote a letter to Grand Chief Arthur,

in which I expressed a feeling of dissatisfaction on account of the

firemen not being requested to appoint members of the organization

to represent them; I believed that if there was a representative of

the engineers organization going over the system that there should

also be a representative of the firemen accompanying him. I may

have been wrong in my view, still I have seen nothing yet to change

my opinion. In reply to my letter to Grand Chief Arthur, he stated

that it was not the intention to ignore us in any manner, but as I

had expressed the hope that his Convention would devise the means

of ending the strike, it was deemed wise to take steps and fix a

time to end it without giving any aid or comfort to the company. He

further stated that the firemen and their welfare were kept in

view, and that when the Committee made its report that I would be

fully informed of the course decided upon, no intimation being

made, however, that I was at liberty to appoint any firemen to go

in conjunction with the Committee of engineers. While the

communication did not just meet my views, I said to my associate,

"We will await the report of this Committee." A few days after I

visited Cleveland and had a conversation with Grand Chief Arthur,

in which I again broached this matter, and was again informed by

him that it was no intention on the part of the Convention to

ignore the firemen and that our interests were considered equally

with theirs. He furthermore informed me regarding the authority

delegated to the Committee, and led me to believe that all you

could do was simply to assemble, receive the report of Bro.

Cavener, and then recommend what further action should be taken by

the Grand Officers when we should convene as Grand Officers and

decide the issue. A few days after this I was present in the city

of St. Paul, and had a pleasant interview with Bro. Hayes, who is,

I believe, a member of your Committee. I expressed to Bro. Hayes my

opinion, and I desire to say I found him exceedingly courteous, and

he coincided with my views, saying it was all due to an oversight

and that he would communicate with Grand Chief Arthur on the

subject. I stated to Bro. Hayes that if Grand Chief Arthur

requested of me the appointment of a Committee, I would gladly do

so; nothing more was heard of the matter. I was receiving

communications daily from all sections of the country, asking why

the firemen were not represented on this Committee; such

communications I answered in as honorable a manner as I knew how,

placing no censure upon any one and saying nothing that would in

any manner, lead intelligent men to think we had any desire to

antagonize.

In my absence from the city Bro. Debs received a telegram from Bro.

Cavener, requesting us to appoint a committee. Bro. Debs answered

the message, expressing his sentiments, not for the purpose of

creating ill-feeling, but simply to place us and our Order before

the Committee in an honorable light. Upon my return the message was

submitted to me, and in view of the fact that throughout this

entire strike we have acted jointly, believing that we should have

been requested to make appointments on that Committee of engineers,

and in view of the further fact that at the time of learning

officially of the action of the Committee, I wrote to Grand Chief

Arthur, calling his attention to my feelings and afterward in my

conversation with Brother Hayes, in which I gave him to understand

that if Grand Chief Arthur would request of me the appointing of a

Committee that I would gladly do so. I believed, as did Bro. Debs,

that it was entirely wrong to ask us to send a Committee to go

before the officers of the company after the Committee's work in a

large measure had been accomplished. When I say "Committee's work"

I refer to the Chairman, who had been over the system interviewing

men and observing the situation while we were not represented nor

even requested to be; and for this reason our message was sent.

This morning a Committee of two of the General Committee

representing the firemen on the C., B. & Q. R. R. presented the

position you occupy and authority delegated to you by your Grand

Body. After a careful consideration of the matter and a desire to

bring about an amicable settlement of the present difficulty,

create harmony and good will between all labor organizations,

especially our co-workers, the engineers, we have wired the

following message to Grand Chief Arthur: "I have been requested by

A. R. Cavener, Chairman of Committee at Chicago, to appoint a

committee of firemen to act with others in the matter now before

them. Will you inform me if he has the authority to do this and if

you approve of the same as the Executive of the Order? Has this

Committee full power to act regardless of you? Answer at my

expense."

Considering the correspondence and conversation we have had on this

subject with Grand Chief Arthur, it is no more than right that he

should, as an executive of the organization he represents, endorse

the appointing of a Committee representing the firemen, to take

part in these deliberations. Upon receiving his reply, if he

endorses your request, I shall immediately instruct two members of

our Order, who are intelligent, capable and somewhat familiar with

the situation, to report to you at once. I can assure you that

whatever you decide upon doing, these representatives will

acquiesce in so long as it is to the interests of the organizations

involved.

I am sorry that there should be any misunderstanding on account of

this matter, but I think time will demonstrate to intelligent,

thinking minds that the position taken by the Grand Officers of the

B. of L. F. has been an honorable one, and all we ask is that

consideration which all honest men are entitled to. We may differ

in opinion, but that we have a right to do, and when it comes to a

matter of such grave importance as the one that now presents itself

for our consideration, we should set aside all personal feelings

and act to the best interests of those we represent.

I can assure you, gentlemen, that you have the best wishes of the

Grand Officers of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, and we

only trust that through your deliberations may come such good

results as will redound in honor to yourselves as well as to the

organization which you represent.

Yours fraternally,

F. P. SARGENT.

"In this connection it becomes necessary to state that among other

things charged in support of the allegations that the B. of L. F. is

responsible for the failure of the strike, is a letter written by Grand

Master Sargent in reply to a letter received from Bro. J. E. Kline, of

Plattsmouth, Neb. As special efforts have been made to misrepresent

Grand Master Sargent in the matter, we here give the full text of the

correspondence:

PLATTSMOUTH, NEB., Dec. 6, 1888.

_F. P. Sargent, Esq., Grand Master_:

DEAR SIR AND BROTHER: Yours of recent date to Bro. Zinn was

referred to me, and I was requested to ask for information. Since

you cannot assure us our support after November, can you give us

any encouragement in regard to the Committee of nine, with Cavener

at the head, which was appointed at the late Engineers' Convention?

We have been notified that they would put on the boycott, which I

think is the only means to win this fight. I am very much afraid

that this strike is lost, and that we (the men on the Q.) are

sacrificed. I have been a Brotherhood fireman about two years, and

have done everything in my power to promote the Order, and I have

always thought that nothing could break our organization, but I am

afraid if this strike is lost, that we fall beneath the heels of

capital; yet I am satisfied that some move can be made by our Order

to crush the C., B. & Q. into submission. Now, in regard to some of

the strikers refusing employment on other roads, preferring to lay

idle on the forty ($40) dollars paid us for so doing, I think is

false, and I am satisfied I can convince your informant. In the

first place, well do you know that there are many roads that want

men, but refuse to employ C., B. & Q. strikers, until the strike is

declared off. Furthermore, we have men working on all the roads in

the country that will employ strikers. I am sorry that those men

who are being expelled for non-payment, cannot see that it is to

their benefit to sacrifice a few dollars per month, while we who

are in the fight sacrifice on an average of thirty-five ($35)

dollars per month. I would to God that those men have their wages

cut down one-half in the next twenty-four hours. In conclusion, I

ask you your _candid opinion in regard to the boycott_. Please let

me hear from you at once.

Sincerely yours, JNO. E. KLINE.

GRAND LODGE }

BROTHERHOOD OF LOCOMOTIVE FIREMEN, }

TERRE HAUTE, IND., Dec. 14, 1888. }

DEAR SIR AND BROTHER: Your favor of December 6 came to hand during

my absence from the city, which accounts for a delayed answer. I

cannot give you any information of the action of the Committee

appointed by the engineers in their Convention, other than what I

received from Grand Chief Arthur and one member of the Committee. I

have heard that it was the intention of the Committee to end the

strike; but I can say to you honestly and candidly, that so far as

a boycott is concerned it is simply nonsense to talk about it. Any

sane man who will carefully consider the present situation of the

C., B. & Q., and the condition of our organization, would see the

folly of our contemplating such a step. The day for boycott has

long gone by; there was a time when it could have been put into

effect, and something accomplished by it, had there been any

disposition on the part of a large number of men to maintain it,

but any man who was a witness of the situation at Chicago, during

the time of the boycott, would see the folly of talking about one

in this instance; and I must say to you very firmly and honestly,

that the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, as an organization,

will have nothing whatever to do with a boycott, no matter what Mr.

Cavener's statements may be. I am waiting for the report of this

Committee which has been appointed by the engineers. When their

report comes in, if they have no way of ending the strike, I will

find a way of getting the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen out of

it, and I will go to work and endeavor to find employment for our

members who are not able to find it themselves. It is a very good

idea to go to work and preach federation and all these different

doctrines, and then, when the time comes to act upon them,

repudiate them. There is no man who appreciates the manly stand of

the C., B. & Q. firemen more than I, and there is no one in a

better position to see the condition of the organization than I am.

I am speaking for no effect other than to express my honest

opinion. The time has come when this strike must end and the men

must look for employment, and the quicker this is done the better

it will be for all concerned. There are those in our Order who are

not earning $40 per month and whose wages are far below the wages

paid on the Western roads. These men have paid their last dollar

and they are in want; their families must have clothes, they must

have fuel to keep them warm; and I can tell you as a friend and

brother that I do not propose to drive such men out of the

organization after having done what they could to maintain the

strike. As soon as the strike is off we will devote our time and

attention to finding employment for such men as desire to make

application to the Grand Officers.

Let the consequences be what they will, we have decided upon the

stand we shall take, and I shall take it as an official of the

Order. The engineers in their Convention were informed of my

opinion, as was Mr. Cavener, and it seems to me that when their

Committee was appointed, it would have been nothing more than

proper courtesy to have requested one of our members to act with

them. This they did not do. They say it was an oversight, but it

does not change my opinion as to their duty. I have learned through

a member of the Committee of what their action will be; and I

desire to say to you as a brother, with the best feelings towards

you and other members of your Lodge and all strikers, that the

advice we gave you in our last communication was for your best

interests as well as to the interests of every member in the

country. The men who preach boycott had better be engaged in

bringing about federation of the different organizations, so that

they may act in harmony one with another. Better be men and

acknowledge the strike lost, look for work and get themselves in a

position to fight again when we are called upon to do so.

I trust you will receive this communication in the spirit in which

it is written, as I desire to be honest with you and to give you

what I believe the best advice that I possibly can, and, mark my

words, the day will come when you will say that I was right. It may

be when I am officially dead, but I know what the final result will

be. I have the best of feeling for the engineers on the Burlington

system, they have done their duty and done it manfully; and had

they the support which they ought to have had, the result of the

strike would have been very different.

Trusting that the Brothers have decided to take the advice of one

who is their friend, and if they desire assistance in the way of

positions and situations that they will apply for them, and wishing

you all success, I remain,

Yours fraternally,

FRANK P. SARGENT, G. M.

"The particular charge made was that Grand Master Sargent had advised

firemen to take the places of engineers. And upon this gratuitous

falsehood every conceivable charge has been rung. It will be observed

that there is not so much as an intimation of such a thing, nor can any

amount of torture of Grand Master Sargent's language make it convey such

an idea."

End of Project Gutenberg's The Great Strike on the 'Q', by John A. Hall