Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 December 1908 — FEAR RAILROAD STRIKE IS NEAR [ARTICLE]

FEAR RAILROAD STRIKE IS NEAR

Vote Being Taken by Engineers on Pennsy. CONFERENCES HELD DAILY Brotherhood Delegate* and Representatives cf the Company In Washington Presenting Respective Sides of the Controversy to Chairman KnajSp and Professor Nelli, of the General Board of Mediation—Linos West of Pittsburg Affected by Situation. Washington, Dec. I.—A serious controversy has arisen between the Brotherhood of Locomotlve Engineers and the Pennsylvania railroad affecting particularly the lines west of Pittsburg, The details of the differences between the membership of the order and the railway company were presented to Chairman Knapp, of the interstate commerce commission, and Charles P. Neill, cominis“sioner of labor, who constitute the general board of meditation under the Erdman act. The engineers desire official recognition of their general board of adjustment in the settlement of any grievances that may arise between the members of the order and the railroad company. So serious has the difficulty become that a strike vote now is being taken by the engineers of the lines west of Pittsburg. If the vote should be in favor of a strike—and the indications are that It will be, according to some of the men here —the situation will become acute.

General Manager G. L. Peek, of the Pennsylvania lines west of Pittsburg, presented to the board of mediation the railway side of the controversy. It is probable that the conferences will last for two or three days.