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 University of Illinois Library 
 
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 M W 
 
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 M32
 
 THE OFFICIAL HISTORY 
 
 A 
 
 OF THE 
 
 GREAT STRIKE OF 18: 
 
 OX THE 
 
 SOUTHWESTERN RAILWAY SYSTEM, 
 
 dOMPILED BY THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS AND 
 
 INSPECTION OF MISSOURI. 
 
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 JEFFERSON CITY: 
 
 TRIBUNE PRINTING COMPANY, STATE PRINTERS AND BINDERS. 
 
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 Introduction, 
 
 This history may be of value to the members of the General 
 Assembly and others who are studying- the labor problems now monop- 
 olizing so much of public attention. 
 
 It is simply a compilation of historical facts, official correspondence 
 and important data obtained from the most trustworthy sources. It is 
 intended to be perfectly fair and impartial, and where deductions are 
 drawn at all they are only natural and logical conclusions. As to the 
 merits of the contest between the Knights of Labor and the railways, 
 the reader must form his own opinion. 
 
 This, with unimportant eliminations and additions, is the report 
 prepared for the National Bureau of Labor. 
 
 7741^o
 
 THE GREAT STRIKE OF 1886. 
 
 In March, 1886, the Missouri Pacific Bailroad and its various 
 branches, commonly known as the Southwestern or Gould system, em- 
 braced a vast territory in Missouri, Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, Indian 
 Territory and Nebraska, with a total mileage of four thousand one hun- 
 dred and fifteen miles, divided as follows : 
 
 In Missouri, 1391 miles ; in Kansas, 820 miles ; in Nebraska, 116 
 miles ; in Indian Territory, 320 miles ; in Texas, 1,408 miles ; in Arkan- 
 sas, 460 miles. 
 
 This does not include the Texas and Pacific Eailway, 1,487 miles 
 long, which was then, as it is now, in the hands of a receiver, appointed 
 by the United States Court. 
 
 This vast system employed some 14,000 men in its various depart- 
 ments. 
 
 After the voluntary agreement made by the Missouri Pacific Eail- 
 way Company, at the suggestion of the State officers of Missouri and 
 Kansas, on March 15, 1885, which is as follows : 
 
 "The Missouri Pacific Railway Company, Leased asd Operated Lines, and 
 Texas Pacific Railway Company. Office ok First Vice-Prksidint, 
 
 ISt. Louis, Mo., March 15, 18S5 
 
 "I 
 
 "The following suggestions have been presented to the undersigned 
 as a solution of the difficulties at present impeding the operations of 
 these railroads : 
 
 "To Capt. E. S. Hayes, First Vice-President and Chief Executive Officer 
 of the Missouri Pacific Railway Company and associated roads : 
 
 "Whereas, On account of the strike among certain of the employes 
 of the Missouri Pacific Eailway Company in the States of Missouri and 
 Kansas, resulting in the stoppage and cessation of all freight traffic 
 over said company's lines in said States, to the great detriment of the 
 business interests and rights of the people of said States, and the con-
 
 6 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 tinuance of which endangers the public peace and the safety of the 
 company's property ; and, 
 
 "Whereas, The undersigned, representing the two States named 
 above respectively, anxious to restore harmonious relations between 
 the said company and its said employes, and to restore to the public 
 the unobstructed use of said lines of railroad, do recommend and re- 
 quest said company to restore to its striking employes in Missouri and 
 Kansas the same wages paid them in September, 1884, including one 
 and one-half price for extra time worked ; and to restore all said strik- 
 ing employes to their several employments without prejudice to them 
 on account of said strike. 
 
 " Believing that the foregoing will constitute a just and fair settle- 
 ment, we recommend their acceptance by the striking employes, as well 
 as by the Missouri Pacific Bailway Company. 
 " Dated St. Louis, Mo., March 15, 1885. 
 
 [Signed] " JOHN A. MARTIN, 
 
 " Governor of Kansas. 
 " JOHN S. MAEMADUKE, 
 
 " Governor of Missouri. 
 
 "L. L. Turner, Almerin Gillett, James Humphrey, Eailroad Commis- 
 sioners of Kansas. 
 
 " Geo. C. Pratt, James Harding, W. G. Downing, Eailroad Commis- 
 sioners of Missouri. 
 
 "B. G. Boone, Attorney-General of Missouri ; J. C. Jamison, Adju- 
 tant-General ; Oscar Kochtitzky, Commissioner of Labor Statistics and 
 Inspection. 
 
 "With a desire to concur with the recommendations expressed above 
 by State officials, and to open the usual avenues of commerce, and with 
 a spirit of amity and harmony towards the employes of these compa- 
 nies, this is to give notice that the rates of wages and terms above 
 specified will go into effect on Monday morning, March 16 inst., and be 
 in effect from and after that date. 
 
 " Hereafter said rates will not be changed except after thirty days' 
 notice thereof, given in the usual way. 
 
 "E. S. HAYES, 
 
 "First Vice-President. 
 
 " Heads of departments to which the above applies will act in ac- 
 cordance with the provisions of the above circular. 
 
 "H. M. HOXIE, 
 
 " Third Vice-President."
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 It was naturally to be inferred that no further trouble would occur 
 on the Southwest system as long as the Railroad Company abided by 
 the spirit as well as the letter of the agreement, which gave to the em- 
 ployes even more than they demanded ; but a spirit of unrest had man- 
 ifested itself among the employes, nearly all of whom had joined the 
 labor organization known as " Knights of Labor," which organization 
 had grown to large proportion during the strike of 1885, which em- 
 braced nearly all railroad employes (excepting locomotive engineers, 
 conductors and firemen), and also included nearly all the trades unions 
 of all kinds. Conscious of their great numbers and formidable strength, 
 it became evident that a pretext or a real cause would soon be found 
 for throwing down the gauntlet and measuring strength with the great 
 railroad corporations of the west, and especially with those controlled 
 by Jay Gould, who, for a reason not altogether explicable, was especi- 
 ally obnoxious to the Knights of Labor. Being strong in numbers and 
 compactly organized, it became apparent that the authorized Committee 
 of Knights of Labor intended to undertake the settlement of all labor 
 questions, the aggrieved submitting his case to his " Assembly " instead 
 of to the railroad officials. This, therefore, involved a demand for the 
 recognition of the "Knights of Labor" as suck, by the corporations, 
 and is, without doubt, the true cause of the subsequent trouble and pro- 
 tracted struggle. 
 
 A convention of Knights of Labor of District Assembly No. 101 
 was held at St. Louis, commencing January 10th, 1886, being composed 
 of delegates from all the Local Assemblies on the Southwest System, 
 and it was during the sessions of this convention, as it has subsequently 
 transpired, that aggressive measures were first inaugurated. A resolu- 
 tion was submitted by the Executive Committee of District Assembly 
 No. 101, embodying two propositions as follows : 
 
 " Will you sustain your Executive Board in making the following 
 demands : 
 
 "First— Demand of the Southwestern Railroad System our recog- 
 nition as ' Knights of Labor.' 
 
 " Second — Demand that unskilled labor be paid not less than §1.50 
 per day by said railway system." 
 
 The Local Assemblies attached to District Assembly No. 101, 
 adopted the foregoing "demands" by a practically unanimous vote. It 
 was by this resolution that the Executive Committee was invested with 
 an authority which was construed by them as power to order a strike 
 at their own will. This constructive power was not iimnediately exer- 
 cised, and it is not asserted that any "demands," as set forth in the
 
 8 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 resolution, were made upon the officials of the Southwestern System,, 
 nor was any grievance of any kind against the Company presented to it 
 prior to the precipitation of the strike itself, and then for an entirely 
 different matter from the " demands " cited in the empowering resolution 
 above. 
 
 The principal shops of the Southwestern System, including those 
 of the Texas and Pacific, which, as has been stated before, was in the 
 hands of receivers appointed by the United States Court, are located 
 at St. Louis, Chamois, Sedalia and DeSoto in Missouri; Kansas City, 
 Atchison and Parsons in Kansas ; Fort Worth, Marshall, Dallas r 
 Denison, Taylor, Galveston, Palestine and Texarkana in Texas, with 
 smaller repair shops at various localities. On the 18th day of February,. 
 1886, a man named C. A. Hall, a foreman in one of the shops in the car 
 department at Marshall, Texas, on the Texas and Pacific road, was dis- 
 charged by order of J. A. Crosby, chief of that department. 
 
 The receivers of the Texas and Pacific Railway, soon after taking 
 charge of said railway, received a communication from Win. Moore, 
 Chairman ; M. Manning, R. Davidge, Geo. Bibb, J. W. Little and W.. 
 W. Miller from Marshall, Texas, dated January 2d, 1886, asking them to 
 endorse an agreement, which was as follows : 
 
 "With a desire to have harmonious relations between the Texas 
 and Pacific Railroad Company and the Knights of Labor of said 
 road, we would respectfully request that the following agreement 
 be thus entered into: 1st, That there be no reduction in the rate of 
 wages of any employe of the road unless it be decided by an arbi- 
 tration committee appointed, the Railroad Company to appoint three 
 and the Knights of Labor three. 2d, That all rolling stock of the' 
 Company be repaired on its road, and all foreign rolling stock in- 
 jured on this road be repaired at the company's shops. 3d, That 
 no employe be discharged without a just cause, said employe hav- 
 ing the right to ask for an investigation if he thinks he was unjustly 
 discharged. 4th, That all promotions, such as foremen, be made from 
 the ranks. 5th, That all time work, after the regular working hours, be 
 paid for at the rate of one and one-half time. 6th, If it should become 
 necessary to reduce expenses, the men should be consulted which it 
 shall be — a reduction of hours or a reduction of men. 7th, That should 
 any matter come up between the employes and the company it shall be 
 decided by an arbitrating committee of six, appointed, three from the 
 Company and three from the Knights of Labor, and the Company and 
 the Knights of Labor agree to abide their decision."
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 9 
 
 Gov. John C. Brown, one of the receivers, in a letter dated Dallas, 
 Texas, February 4th, responded to the committee, declining to sign the 
 agreement because he had no authority to enter into any contracts other 
 than those directed by the court. Subsequently he gave his reasons 
 more specifically as follows : " 1st, The power and authority conferred 
 by the court on the receivers to manage and control the property would 
 by that agreement in very many essential and vital respects be delegated 
 to the Knights of Labor, which the receivers had no authority to do. 2d, 
 That it proposes to deprive the receivers of the right to control and operate 
 the property under the well defined rules of law and common sense. 3d, 
 It creates a Board of Arbitration on all questions of reduction of wages, 
 which would never agree, and thus make it impossible to reduce ex- 
 penses, no matter what the financial emergency might be. 4th, It forbids 
 the receivers from having their own rolling stock or the rolling stock 
 of any other lines, injured on the receivers' lines, repaired in other shops. 
 No matter how badly or negligently the work may be done by em- 
 ployes, they are forbidden to discharge, notwithstanding they may be 
 unable to operate their lines because their own employes will not 
 make the necessary repairs. In other words, the receivers would have 
 to surrender their unquestioned right as well as duty to maintain their 
 rolling stock to a standard equal'to the demands of business. 5th, The 
 receivers are required to make all promotions from the ranks, regard- 
 less of the question of fitness and merit. 6th, Although more than 50 
 per cent, of the employes of the Texas and Pacific Railway are not 
 Knights of Labor, no method is proposed for their protection, nor have 
 they reported any grievance or proposed any agreement of guarantee." 
 
 The first intimation of trouble was a telegram dated February 24th, 
 1880, from J. T. Burnett, member of the Executive Board of the Knights 
 of Labor at Marshall, to Col. George Noble, general agent of the re- 
 ceivers, requesting him to "go to Marshall immediately to settle trouble 
 in the shops." He responded that he had heard of no trouble in the 
 shops and was too busy to go. 
 
 Under date of February 28th, 1886, Col. Noble received the follow- 
 ing message from Martin Irons : 
 
 " Gov. Sheldon referred me to Dallas. Cannot control matters here 
 long. If not settled by two o'clock, March 1st, 1886, must call out Texas 
 and Pacific Railroad employes. Answer immediately what action you. 
 will take. 
 
 [Signed] "MARTIN IRONS, 
 
 " Chairman Executive Committee K. of. L."
 
 10 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 To this telegram no response was sent, Governor Brown giving it 
 as his reason that he knew of no trouble in the shops, and knew of no 
 authority Martin Irons had to represent the employes. 
 
 Without warning of any kind, on Monday, at 3 o'clock, March 1, 
 1886, the greatest and most memorable railroad strike in the his- 
 tory of the United States was inaugurated. At that hour, at a precon- 
 certed signal,' the shopmen at Marshall laid down their tools and went 
 out in a body. The shopmen at Fort Worth and Dallas acted simul- 
 taneously. Their action was not only a surprise to the railroad officials, 
 but even most of the shopmen could not explain why they had been 
 ordered to strike. Some claimed that the strike was for an advance of 
 wages for unskilled labor to $1.50 a day ; others claimed that it was for 
 a reduction of hours ; yet it is nowhere of record that any such de- 
 mands had ever been made. At a meeting between a delegation of 
 citizens, and the Executive Committee of the Knights of Labor at Mar- 
 shall, to hear the grievances of the employes, against the railroad com- 
 pany, Martin Irons, chairman of the Executive Committee, stated, in 
 substance, " that the strike was not in the interest of one man, but for 
 a principal involved ; that the contract between the employes and the 
 railroad made one year ago had been violated ; that the contract was 
 that no man should be discharged without due notice and investiga- 
 tion." 
 
 This, they charged, had been violated in the discharge of foreman 
 Hall. It was further charged, that Hall had been discharged because 
 he had attended a meeting of the District Assembly of the Knights of 
 Labor the previous week, although it was claimed he had been granted 
 permission to do so by his superior, Mr. Crosby. Mr. Crosby, however, 
 asserted that Hall was discharged for incompetency. However it may 
 be, it seems unreasonable that the Missouri Pacific system should be 
 held responsible for any violation of an agreement on the part of the 
 Texas & Pacific railroad, which was in the hands of the authorities of 
 the United States Court, and which then, as now, constituted no part 
 of Jay Gould's railroad system. Of course ex-Go v. John C. Brown, one of 
 the receivers of the Texas & Pacific railroad, denied any violation of 
 the agreement of March 15, 1885, with the Missouri Pacific, or any re- 
 sonsibility for his road for the provisions of a treaty with the employes 
 and officials of another company. 
 
 In the meantime active preparations were being made at all points, 
 by both sides, for the great struggle which was to decide the mastery. 
 •Orders were given by the Texas & Pacific Company to "receive no live
 
 BUREAU OF^LABOR STATISTICS. 11 
 
 stock or perishable freight for points on or reached by the Missouri 
 Pacific and the lines operated by said railroad." 
 
 At Fort Worth, on the 3d of March, the following significant circu- 
 lar was issued : 
 ■" To Laboring Men of all Classes: 
 
 " Whereas, The Missouri Pacific, leased and operated lines, and the 
 Texas & Pacific railway, are now employing convict and Chinese labor 
 on their different railways in Texas, to the detriment of lionest labor ; 
 and, 
 
 " Whereas, The said railways are continually violating their con- 
 tract of March 15, 1885, and in fact have never complied with its 
 provisions ; and, 
 
 " Whereas, We have resolved to come to the rescue of our down- 
 trodden brethren known as ' unskilled laborers ; therefore be it 
 
 " Resolved, That we call upon all laborers, such as trackmen, en- 
 gine wipers, coach-cleaners, baggage and freight hands, etc., to lend us 
 their aid in driving convict and Chinese labor from our different roads, 
 and that all laborers receive just and fair remuneration for their ser- 
 vices. Trackmen, get clear out of sight of the track till we gain your 
 vic'ory. 
 
 [Signed] " KNIGHTS OF LABOR." 
 
 Officials of the road emphatically deny the employment of convict 
 labor, and that only about one hundred Chinese were employed, and 
 they at a remote point. Investigation of the facts sustained their as- 
 sertion. 
 
 The committee appointed by the citizens of Marshall on the 3d of 
 March, was composed of Judge W. T. S. Keller, J. H. Vanhook, H. B. 
 Pitts, E. J. Fry and W. C. Pierce, who were to confer both with the 
 Knights of Labor and the receivers, and attempt to arbitrate all differ- 
 ences. The receivers had in the meantime given the striking employes 
 notice that, if they did not resume work by 10 o'clock of the 4th of 
 March, their places would be filled by new men. 
 
 The shopmen at Longv T iew, Texas, quit work in a body and general 
 preparation for a strike was made along the entire system, though the 
 signal for a general strike had not been given. 
 
 The Committee appointed by the citizens of Marshall to adjust the 
 difficulties between the company and the employes, telegraphed on the 
 3d of March to Gov. John C. Brown, one of the receivers, asking for a 
 conference with him. His reply was as follows :
 
 12 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 " Your message proposing- a conference to adjust, if practicable, 
 the strike now existing, lias just reached me, without mentioning time 
 or place, but I do not understand how a conference could be had be- 
 fore 10 o'clock to-morrow, the hour fixed by the General Superintend- 
 ent under instructions from the receivers for the shopmen to return or 
 be discharged. This order was made after careful consideration. We 
 have paid the men promptly the same wages they have received for a 
 year past without a murmur from them. We have not changed the 
 manner nor hours of work, and in no way, as we are aware, have we 
 done the men the slightest injustice. We have given every assurance,, 
 both verbally and in writing, that all men in our employ should be 
 treated with the greatest fairness, and we have met our promises and 
 discharged our duty to them. They have complained of no unfair 
 treatment. Notwithstanding this, they left our shops without the slight- 
 est cause, so far as we can ascertain. Yet so anxious were we to avoid 
 injustice to any who may have inconsiderately acted on bad advice, that 
 we decided that three days be given them to return. We intend 
 standing inflexibly by that order. We will always take pleasure in 
 conferring with any citizen of Marshall or any other community in the 
 State on any question alone affecting their own, or the interests of 
 their communities, and we would gladly listen to the advice of all good 
 men. But, after all, we must follow the advice of the court, under 
 whose control the railway now is, to whom alone we can look and with 
 perfect confidence, we know, for the protection of the property with 
 which we are charged as the agents of the law. 
 
 [Signed] " JOHX C. BRO \YX, Eeceiver, 
 
 " For the Receivers." 
 
 On the 4th day of March the receivers promulgated the follow- 
 ing : 
 
 NOTICE TO STRIKERS AND OTHERS. 
 
 " The receivers of the Texas & Pacific Railway, appointed by the 
 United States Court of the circuit embracing the States of Texas and 
 Louisiana, notified all men in their employ, who left work on Monday 
 last, or since that time, that they could return to work on or before 
 Thursday, the 4th day of March, 1886, at 10 o'clock A. m., and such as 
 did not return by that time were no longer in our employ, and would 
 be paid oft'. The receivers are now informed that at Fort Worth and 
 other points, men who did not avail themselves of the privilege of re- 
 turning to duty and are not now their employes, are congregating about
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 13 
 
 the stations, warehouses and other places of business of said railroad 
 in possession and under control of receivers, to the great inconveni- 
 ence and annoyance of such as are willing to work, and that such per- 
 sons and others having no business about said premises, are by words, 
 threats and other means trying to intimidate men who are willing to aid 
 the railway authorities in performing their duties as common carriers. 
 Now, therefore, all such persons are notified immediately to leave the 
 premises of said railway and other property under the control of the 
 receivers, and altogether desist from congregating about the depots, 
 warehouses, round-houses and other places of business of said railway, 
 and to desist from acts of intimidation of the men who are willing to 
 work, and in all other respects to cease all interference of, or embar- 
 rassment to, said railway and those controlling or serving it in the prose- 
 cution of its duties as common carriers, otherwise the receivers will 
 feel compelled to invoke the aid of the United States Court with all 
 the powers at its command to protect the employes of receivers and 
 the property in their hands and the proper conduct of the business of 
 said railroad. 
 
 [Signed] "JOHN C. BROWN, 
 
 "LIONEL A. SHELDON, 
 
 " Receivers." 
 
 It appears that Judge Don A. Pardee, of the United States Court, 
 had already been appealed to by the receivers, and on the same day of 
 the issuance of the above circular had made the following order: 
 
 " It is ordered that the receivers are authorized to suspend the 
 running of trains and transaction of business upon any part of the line 
 of the Texas & Pacific Railway, or in the shops pertaining to said rail- 
 way, whenever and wherever their possession or control of the prop- 
 erty' confided to their charge is interfered with by strikers, shopmen 
 or unlawful assemblies to such an extent as to, in their judgment, make 
 the continued movements of trains or transaction of business person- 
 ally dangerous to their agents and employes, or to such an extent as to 
 jeopardize the property given to their charge, and in case of interfer- 
 ence with the property in charge of said receivers, or interference with 
 the agents and employes of the receivers, by mobs, strikers or unlaw- 
 ful assemblies, and beyond the power of the receivers to control, the 
 receivers are directed to at once apply by petition, supported by affi- 
 davit, to the judge of the United States Circuit Court, for the district 
 in which the interference occurs, and in the suit of the Missouri Pacific 
 Railway Company vs. Texas & Pacific Railway Company, pending in
 
 14 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 the Circuit Court of said district, in said petition setting out the fact& 
 of interference and the extent of the same, and praying advice, and an 
 order to the marshal of the district with such force as may be neces- 
 sary to at once restore possession and control of all the property of 
 the Texas & Pacific Railroad to the receivers, and to protect the said 
 railway property, and arrest and bring before said court to answer for 
 contempt, any and all persons interfering with the possession of said 
 receivers, or in any unlawful manner hindering or obstructing the said 
 receivers in the control, operation and management of said railway 
 property. 
 
 [Signed] " DON A. PARDEE." 
 
 New Orleans, La., March 4, 1886. 
 
 The Citizens' Committee of Marshall were still engaged in an effort 
 to arbitrate the troubles, and to that end submitted a proposition to 
 the Executive Committee of the Knights of Labor that the men re- 
 sume work the next morning and so continue pending negotiations, and 
 that the Citizens' Committee be furnished with a written copy of griev- 
 ances. At another meeting a list of grievances was presented. They 
 were that C. A. Hall be reinstated in his old position held by him be- 
 fore he was removed as, foreman ; that S. O. Bissett, conductor on the 
 New Orleans Pacific, be reinstated to the position from which he was 
 discharged in December, and that a certain bridge gang be paid the 
 same wages as other bridgemen. The Executive Committee at first 
 declined the proposition of the Citizens' Committee for the men to re- 
 sume work pending negotiations, but subsequently accepted it, where- 
 upon the following telegram was sent to Gov. Brown : 
 
 " The men will go to work to-morrow morning if you will agree to 
 confer with the men aggrieved or their committee. Will you grant 
 this conference ? If so, when and where ? 
 
 "W. T. S. KELLER, 
 " For Citizens' Committee." 
 
 The answer of Gov. Brown was as follows: 
 
 "If the men who were in our service on Monday, the 1st day of 
 March, 1886, desire to go to work for the same rate of pay they were 
 then receiving, the receivers will employ them at that rate to-morrow, 
 and on their proper appearance at the places they left, and if such men 
 have grievances which arose since the appointment of the receivers, 
 we will hear them fairly and 'justly at Marshall on a day to be named 
 by them after the grievance is fully stated, but we reserve the right to 
 redn«« force, as the emergencies of business may require, on proper
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 15' 
 
 notice. The court lias authorized the receivers to close any shop, or 
 to cease operating' the road, or any part of it, whenever they deem it 
 wise and prudent, but we do not wish to do so if the employes will co- 
 operate with us in the same spirit of fairness that we will deal with 
 them on all questions. It is proper, also, to state that if the places of 
 any men that have quit our employment have since been filled by other 
 men, we cannot dismiss such men as came to our aid to enable us to 
 move the commerce of the country and to serve the public, for the pur- 
 pose of restoring the original parties to employment. 
 
 [Signed] "JOHN C. BEOWX, Eeceiver, 
 
 " For both Eeceivers." 
 
 Thereupon the Citizens' Committee, having exhausted its efforts, 
 sent the following telegram : 
 
 " Marshall, Texas, March 4, 1886. 
 " Governor Brown : 
 
 " The men refuse to comply with your telegram on account of the 
 conditions therein. We have earnestly striven, as disinterested par- 
 ties, to aid in adjusting the difficulties between the company and its 
 employes, but we feel that we have failed and herewith discontinue 
 our services. 
 
 " W. T. S. KELLER, 
 " Chairman Citizens' Committee." 
 
 To this telegram Governor Brown promptly responded : 
 
 "I regret you have not succeeded, but am obliged for your earnest 
 efforts. We must have the right to run the road and its shops under 
 the order of the court, or it will be closed. When we pay for service 
 a higher price than is paid by any other industry, we must be permitted 
 to judge for ourselves its fitness for the duty required, or we cannot 
 keep the property in such condition as will enable us to meet the pub- 
 lic demands. 
 
 [Signed] "JOHX C.BEOWN." 
 
 Thus far there had been no violent demonstrations, except at Big 
 Springs, Texas, where about one hundred masked men raided the 
 round-house and disabled several engines by removing and secreting 
 parts of the machinery. 
 
 The signal for a general strike of the Knights of Labor on the 
 Southwest system was given ^y Martin Irons, Chairman of the Ex- 
 ecutive Committee of District Assembly Xo. 101, and was communi-
 
 36 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 cated to all local assemblies on the Gould lines, and on Saturday morn- 
 ing, March 6,1886, five thousand men laid down their tools and marched 
 out of the shops, and all traffic on six thousand miles of railroad was 
 suddenly suspended and the commerce of five states paralyzed. 
 
 In its earlier stages the strike was characterized by little violence, 
 the only injury done being the "killing" of freight engines, which 
 process consisted of drawing the fires and emptying the engines of 
 water. A strike of such magnitude necessarily affected the commer- 
 cial interests of the entire country, and especially of those States and 
 Territories west of the Mississippi Eiver, and therefore speedily became 
 a matter of National concern. It was argued by the Knights of Labor 
 that the cause of one brother is the concern of all ; while on the part 
 of the business public, who were to suffer most, it was urged that no 
 mere sentimentality should be used to prostrate business and injure 
 the innocent. Thus, unlike the strike of March, 1885, in this strike of 
 1886 there was but a modicum of public sympathy with the strikers, 
 and even this almost entirely disappeared later on, when violence and 
 the destruction of property became its potent accessories. 
 
 In the light of subsequent events, it became a question in the internal 
 affairs of the order of Knights of Labor whether a subordinate body 
 had authority to order a strike without first obtaining permission of 
 the National Executive Committee. 
 
 At the outbreak of the strike the following correspondence was 
 had : 
 
 "New York, March 6, 1886. 
 *"T. V. Powderly, Scranton, Pa.: 
 
 " Mr. Hoxie telegraphs that Knights of Labor on our road have 
 struck and refuse to allow any freight trains to be run on our road, say- 
 ing they have no grievances, but are only striking because ordered to do 
 so. If there is any grievance we would like to talk it over with you. 
 We understood you to promise that no strike should be ordered with- 
 out consultation. 
 
 [Signed] "A.L.HOPKINS." 
 
 " Philadelphia, Pa., March 8, 1886. 
 •"A. L. Hopkins, New York: 
 
 " Have telegraphed West for particulars. Papers say strike caused 
 by discharge of man named Hall. Can he not be reinstated pending 
 vestigation ? 
 
 [Signed] " T. V. POWDERLY."
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 17 
 
 " Xew York, March 8, 1886. 
 
 " T. V. POWDERLY : 
 
 " Thanks for your message and suggestion. Hall was employed by 
 the Texas & Pacific and not by us. That property is in the hands of 
 the United States Court, and we have no control whatever over the 
 receivers or their employes. We have carried out the agreement made 
 last spring, in every respect, and the present strike is unjust to us and 
 unwise for you. It is reported here that this movement is the result 
 of Wall street influence on the part of those short of the securities 
 likely to be affected. 
 
 [Signed] " A. L. HOPKIXS." 
 
 On March 8, 1886, the following address to employes was issued : 
 
 "The Missouri Pacific Railway Company, 
 Executive Department, 
 
 St. Louis, March 8, 1886. 
 
 -" To the Employes of the Missouri Pacific Railway Company, Leased and 
 Operated Lines: 
 
 " That all may understand the present condition of affairs whereby 
 some 10,000 men have been thrown out of employment, the operation 
 of about 5,000. miles of railway stopped and the traffic of four States, 
 affecting over 1,000,000 people, partially paralyzed, I desire you to read 
 and carefully consider the following facts, for which abundant evidence 
 can be produced, and which cannot be controverted : On the loth of 
 March, 1885, the strike then pending over this entire system was settled 
 by the voluntary mediation of the Executives of Kansas and Missouri, 
 and a circular issued which was sufficiently satisfactory to cause an en- 
 tire resumption of work. During the sixty days subsequent to the 
 above date, committees representing the employes at different points, 
 and also the various labor organizations to which they belonged, were 
 met and all grievances candidly discussed. Satisfactory agreements 
 were then entered into, so that on May 19, 1885, it seemed that perfect 
 harmony existed between us all as co-laborers of these companies. 
 Any infractions of the spirit or letter of the understandings or agree- 
 ments made between the company and its employes were speedily rec- 
 tified as soon as brought to the attention of proper authorities. This 
 apparent harmony and good understanding continued until September 
 following, when this company was notified by the Knights of Labor that 
 it must not perform any work for nor interchange any business with the 
 Wabash Railway, with which that organization had difficulties pending. 
 
 l s— 2.
 
 18 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 The Executive Committee of the Knights of Labor stated at that time 
 that no cause of grievance of any nature existed against The Missouri 
 Pacific Railway and its associate companies, but that to force the 
 Wabash, which was in the hands of the United States court, it became 
 necessary to involve the Missouri Pacific Eailway on account of the 
 supposed identity of the stockholders' interests. In order that there 
 might be no possible cause for destroying the good feeling then exist- 
 ing between this company and its employes, the order above referred 
 to was acquiesced in, until the Wabash difficulties were adjusted. On 
 December 16, 1885, the United States Court took possession of the 
 Texas and Pacific Railway in Louisiana and Texas for the benefit of its 
 creditors, and from that date the severance of that railway from this 
 system has be§n as complete as if no amicable relations had ever ex- 
 isted between it and these companies. The employes working upon the 
 Texas and Pacific Railway became the employes of the agents of the 
 United States court, and the Missouri Pacific management ceased to 
 have any control over them. Messrs. Brown and Sheldon, the receivers, 
 took possession of the Texas and Pacific Railway, appointed their own 
 agents and made such arrangements with their employes as they deemed 
 proper and fit, as to which the management of the Missouri Pacific Rail- 
 way exercised no voice or control whatever. It is learned that on March 
 the 2d hist., the employes of the Texas and Pacific Railway inaugurated a 
 strike, giving as the reason that one C. A. Hall, of the car department 
 of that road in Marshall, Texas, was discharged without due cause. On 
 Thursday, the 4th inst., the Knights of Labor ordered the boycott of 
 Texas and Pacific cars, and traffic over these roads, and such arrange- 
 ments were thereupon made as not to permit that order to disturb 
 the apparently pleasant relations with our employes. At 10 A. m., Sat- 
 urday, the 6th inst., without previous notice, all of the shopmen, most of 
 the yardmen and many of the trackmen stopped their work and volun- 
 tarily refused to continue as employes of this company, merely stating 
 to their several foremen that they had received orders requiring this 
 from the executive officers of the Knights of Labor, and alleging as their 
 only reason, the discharge of an employe by the receivers of the Texas 
 and Pacific Railway, an alien road in the hands of the United States 
 Court. Since the commencement of this strike, at many points the 
 local committees of the Knights of Labor have notified our foremen and 
 superintendents that they would appoint and place their own watchmen 
 over our property to protect it from loss aud damage, and to take care 
 of the same; but as these self-appointed watchmen assume the author- 
 ity as to who shall or shall not enter upon the grounds and property of
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 19 
 
 the company, except through their own order, it is virtually dispossess- 
 ing the company of its property, and contrary to the very basis of all 
 governments. 
 
 " This company has for years had satisfactory understandings and 
 agreements with certain labor organizations, which have, in every in- 
 stance, complied with their promises, and it has always been the object 
 and aim of the management to comply fully with both spirit and letter 
 of all such understandings and agreements. 
 
 " I would call your attention to the following conclusions from the 
 above history of the past year: 
 
 "This company has made no objections to the existence of organi- 
 zations and combinations of employes, which the latter consider for 
 their mutual benefit. It has recognized and met the committees of 
 such organizations, and made agreements with the same without any 
 distinction, and carried them out as exactly as possible, promptly ad- 
 justing all complaints and differences which have from time to time 
 arisen. 
 
 "When loyal employes permit themselves to be governed and con- 
 trolled by their discontented co-laborers, they necessarily suffer 
 equally with them the consequences of ill-advised acts ; therefore the 
 necessity of their individual efforts to restore the proper relations 
 between the company and its employes. 
 
 "It must be well known and recognized that the capacity of a cor- 
 poration to meet its pay-rolls and vouchers depends upon its capacity 
 to earn money, and that when its earning powers cease, its ability to 
 pay the employes and its other creditors ceases at the same time, as its 
 daily and monthly payments are made from its daily and monthly 
 receipts. 
 
 " The company is legally required to do all in its power to perform 
 its obligations to the public and to the government, and its manage- 
 ment will take every proper measure to comply with these require- 
 ments; and I earnestly hope that every independent, free-thinking co- 
 laborer who has been, or is, an emplo'ye of these companies, will con- 
 sider these facts and inform himself upon all sides of the subject, re- 
 membering that there has never before been an act so arbitrary, use- 
 less and uncalled for as that of last Saturday, whereby a few men, to 
 whom you have voluntarily given the power, are depriving many thou- 
 sands of their co-laborers of their accustomed wages, divesting this 
 company of the capacity to pay its employes for their services, shut- 
 ting up the avenues of traffic in four States and preventing some 
 4,000,000 of people from obtaining their customary supplies and the
 
 20 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 necessities of life because it is claimed that one employe of the car 
 department of the Texas & Pacific Railway, at Marshall, Texas, a road 
 over which this company has no control, has been discharged by the 
 agents of the United States Court. 
 
 "H. M. HOXIE, 
 
 " First Vice-President." 
 
 This was followed by the following- circular: 
 
 "The Missouri Pacific Railway, Company. 
 Office of General Superintendent. 
 St. Louis, Mo., March 9, 1886. 
 
 CIRCULAR. 
 
 " To all who were in the employ of this Company, and who have quit work 
 since March 5, 1886 : 
 
 " You are hereby notified that your action, as stated above, was a 
 voluntary abandonment of the service of this company, that you are 
 no longer in its employment, your names having been stricken from 
 the rolls. All such who are now on or about the company's premises 
 are hereby notified that they must immediately leave the same, to the 
 end that this company may resume the traffic of the country. 
 
 " WM. KERRIGAN, 
 
 " General Superintendent." 
 
 On May 25, 1885, as supplementary to the agreement effected by 
 the State officials of Missouri and Kansas in March, 1885, an agree- 
 ment in the form of a letter was made by Vice-President Hoxie to Mr. 
 Fitzsimmons, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the employes 
 of the Missouri Pacific Railroad at the Sedalia shops, which now be- 
 comes important in view of the fact that as the great strike of 1886, 
 which we are now considering, assumed proportions, many Knights of 
 Labor gave as a technical reason for their present action the construc- 
 tive violation of this supplemental agreement. For this reason we 
 here reproduce this agreement : 
 
 " St. Louis, Mo., May 25, 1885. 
 "To F. W. Fitzsimmons, Sedalia, Mo.: 
 
 "According to promise made you on Saturday, I advise that we 
 will strictly enforce the provisions of the circular of First Vice-Presi- 
 dent Hayes, dated March 15, 1885. In the shops, and wherever else it 
 may be practicable, we will reduce the hours of work instead of reduc-
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 21 
 
 ing the force, whenever the necessity arrives ; that whenver an employe 
 believes that he has been unjustly discharged he may make a statement 
 of his case, in writing, to the Superintendent of the road on which 
 he has worked, who will promptly investigate and reinstate if wrong- 
 fully discharged. It is believed that the interests of the company and 
 employes are identical, and the management earnestly desires the 
 hearty co-operation of all its employes in the efficient and economical 
 administration of the properties under its charge, to the end that the 
 fullest development of their capabilities may be brought about and work 
 may be given to all under conditions in every way satisfactory. 
 [Signed] "H. M. HOXIE, 
 
 " Third Vice-President." 
 
 On the 8th of March, 1886, the strike became general throughout 
 the entire system, and in many places included not only the shopmen 
 but trackmen, switchmen, wipers and other employes, and all freight 
 traffic came to an absolute stand still. It is estimated that 9,000 men 
 had quit work exclusive of those who were "laid off" in consequence 
 of there being no work for them to do. 
 
 The strikers having been discharged from the Missouri Pacific 
 Eailroad shops by the order of Mr. Kerrigan, General Superintendent, 
 and the self-constituted guards of the Knights of Labor removed, the 
 shops were placed in charge of a force of detectives under Mr. Thomas 
 Furlong, whereupon the following notice was posted at St. Louis and 
 mailed to all points on the system : 
 
 u Wanted. — The Missouri Pacific Railway Company is prepared to 
 furnish employment to a number of machinists, carpenters, car-repairers, 
 car-cleaners, engine-wipers, yardmen, switchmen, trackmen and laborers 
 in its shops and yards at St. Louis, Mo., and other stations on its lines. 
 
 "Good and competent men will be employed for the services above 
 specified, without reference to their past or present relations to this 
 company, or their connection with any society or organization, open, 
 secret, secular or otherwise. Such as are accepted will be paid the 
 rate of wages recommended by the Governors and other State officials 
 of Missouri and Kansas, when the labor troubles of March, 1885, were 
 adjusted, the same as have been paid by this company since that date. 
 
 "Apply to E. K. Sibley, Superintendent Missouri Pacific Railway, 
 Sedalia, Mo.; H. G. Fleming, Superintendent St. Louis, Iron Mountain 
 and Southern Railway, St. Louis, Mo.; A. W. Dickenson, Superinten- 
 dent Terminal Facilities, Union Depot; John Hodge, Master Car- 
 builder, Missouri Pacific shops; L. Bartlett, Master Mechanic, Mis-
 
 22 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 souri Pacific shops, St. Louis, Mo.; J. Herein, Superintendent, Palestine, 
 Texas; C. Clarke, Master Mechanic, Denison, Tex.; W. W. Fagan, 
 Superintendent, Atchison, Kan., or to the undersigned. 
 
 "WM. KERRIGAN, 
 " General Superintendent." 
 
 Martin Irons, Chairman of the Executive Committee of District 
 Assembly No. 101, who was the leading spirit of the strike, and whose 
 influence appeared to dominate the entire order throughout the West, 
 having returned to Sedalia, Mo., on the 10th of March, added to the 
 considerable number of authorized statements of grievances and de- 
 mands, the following, which was forwarded to Vice-President Hoxie : 
 
 " In order that the people may understand why the present strike 
 is in existence on the Gould Southwest System, and in order to show 
 to the public the falsity of the circular issued from the executive depart- 
 ment of the Missouri Pacific Eailway, addressed to the employes of 
 said road but in reality intended for the public for the purpose of elicit- 
 ing public sympathy, we consider the circular too insignificant to 
 reply to in detail. It is indeed surprising that railroad magnates, who 
 have so long insulted the people with the epithet ' be damned ' will 
 come down on their knees and cater to them for sympathy. 
 
 " The settlement of the strike of March, 1885, in which we had no 
 voice, but which we accepted in good faith, and which has been kept 
 inviolate by us, has been repeatedly violated by the company, viz. : by 
 not restoring to all the employes the wages paid prior to September, 
 1884, in several places on the Texas and Pacific Railroad, as well as on 
 the Missouri Pacific Railroad and its branches and by the discharge of 
 employes contrary to the spirit and intent of the settlement. 
 
 " Now it is the belief of every Knight of Labor on the system that 
 the companies therein mentioned have inaugurated a systematic method 
 for the purpose of breaking up the organization of the Knights of Labor 
 on the system, and that the placing of the Texas and Pacific in the 
 hands of a receiver and under the jurisdiction of the United States 
 court is the main feature of their scheme, and in order to meet and de- 
 feat these contemptible and blood-sucking corporations and their gov- 
 ernmental allies, and in order to secure redress for the foregoing griev- 
 ances, and the following demands, we have inaugurated this strike. 
 
 "In order to bring about a speedy adjustment of the difficulties 
 now existing between the management of the Missouri Pacific Railway 
 Company, leased and operated lines, and the Texas and Pacific Railway 
 Company and all its branches and their employes, the District Executive
 
 BUKEAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 23 
 
 Board of District Assembly No. 101, of the Knights of Labor of Amer- 
 ica, submits the following basis of settlement to the management of the 
 aforesaid roads : 
 
 " First. — A conference to be arranged with the management of the 
 aforesaid Missouri Pacific Railway Company, leased and operated lines, 
 and the Texas and Pacific Railroad and all its branches, as party of the 
 first part, and the District Executive Board of District Assembly No. 
 101 as party of the second part, for the purpose of settling the follow- 
 ing grievances by arbitration : 
 
 "First. — That all unskilled labor employed by the roads previously 
 mentioned, now receiving less than $1.50 per day, be paid at the rate 
 of $1.50 per day, the above to include all section laborers, trackmen 
 and crossing switchmen. 
 
 " Second. — The abolishment of convict labor on the above named 
 roads, and that convicts now employed on the Missouri Pacific, leased 
 and operated lines, and Texas and Pacific Railway and all its branches, 
 be immediately discharged. 
 
 "Third — That the rate of pay of all bridgemen be restored to the 
 rates of September, 1884, viz. : in a gang of ten men, two at $2.75, four 
 men at $2.50, two men at $2.25 and two men at $2.00. 
 
 "Fourth. — That all home repair men be rated as bridgemen. 
 
 " Fifth. — That all boarding bosses for bridge gangs shall be entitled 
 to half rates of freight on all supplies for the use of bridge outfits. 
 That when outfit cars are moved at night or on Sunday, bridgemen 
 shall be allowed one and one-half time while being so moved. 
 
 " Seventh. — That where bridgemen are compelled to work in water 
 at wash-outs, etc., they shall be allowed double time while so engaged. 
 
 "Eighth. — That when bridgemen are detached from their gangs 
 on special service they shall be allowed time and half time while travel- 
 ing at night, and straight time for all other time until they return to 
 their respective gangs. 
 
 "Ninth. — That bridgemen having families shall be permitted to 
 travel on their gang passes to and from their homes for the purpose of 
 visiting their families at least twice per month. 
 
 " Tenth. — That a system be astablished for the government of the 
 employes and wages of apprentices on the Gould Southwest System of 
 railroads as follows : That four years constitute an apprenticeship, and 
 that the scale of wages be fixed as follows : For the first year $1.00 
 per day, for the second year $1.25 per day, for the third year $1.75 per 
 day, and for the fourth and last year '$2.25 per day, and at the expira- 
 tion of their term of apprenticeship they are to receive the average
 
 21 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 journeymen's wages of the department to which they belong, and that 
 no boys under the age of seventeen years be admitted as apprentices 
 in any department of the above mentioned roads, and that in each case 
 articles of agreement shall be signed by the representative of the rail- 
 road company of the first part, and the legal representative of the ap- 
 plicant for the apprenticeship of the second part; and that in no case 
 shall the ratio of apprentices be more than one to every eight mechanics,, 
 and that no more apprentices be employed until the number is reduced 
 to the above mentioned ratio. 
 
 " Eleventh. — In view of the fact that considerable dissatisfaction and 
 trouble have arisen on account of the discharge of employes without cause 
 first being made known, therefore we demand that, when any employes, 
 who are Knights of Labor, do not give satisfaction in the capacity in 
 which they are engaged, it shall be made known to them in writing, 
 that they may defend themselves in the following manner : The accused 
 party to select two persons to assist in conducting the defense, and the 
 officers of the company in immediate charge of the department in 
 which the accused is employed be allowed to select two persons to as- 
 sist in conducting the prosecution ; and that the accused be tried be- 
 fore three disinterested parties, to be selected in the following manner : 
 The parties assisting in the defense to select one, and the parties assist- 
 ing in the prosecution one, and the two thus selected choose the third. 
 The accused must be allowed to remain at work until the charges are 
 either disproved or substantiated. 
 
 " Twelfth. — We demand that all men be paid the same wages for the 
 same work — in other words, that when a man quits or is taken off a 
 job that pays a certain price, that his successor receive the same rate 
 of pay. 
 
 "Thirteenth. — We further demand that all men who have been 
 unjustly discharged from any of the aforesaid roads, be immediately re- 
 instated in their respective positions at the conclusion of the existing 
 
 difficulties. 
 
 " Respectfully submitted, 
 
 " PH. MARTIN IRONS, 
 
 " Chairman Executive Board, District Assembly 101, Knights of Labor. 7 ' 
 
 " It will be observed from an examination of the foregoing docu- 
 ment that Mr. Irons largely exceeds his brethren in the nature of the 
 grievances, and the number and character of the demand:. lie refers 
 to the employment of convict labor. This is stoutly denied by the rail- 
 way officials, and a careful investigation into the facts fails to confirm. 
 Mr. Irons' charge.
 
 BUEEAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 25 
 
 Efforts were being made to induce the conductors, engineers and 
 firemen to join the strike, but this proved a failure, and no instance ap- 
 pears where they abandoned their posts. 
 
 In the meantime engines were being killed as they arrived or at- 
 tempted to depart from all prominent stations, and at Big Springs, Texas, 
 where the round-house was broken into and engines disabled, a force 
 of Deputy United States marshals had been sent to restore order. No 
 acts of personal violence were resorted to except at Fort Worth, Tex., 
 on the 10th of March, where one man, who belonged to a force of men 
 imported to take the places abandoned by the strikers, was assaulted 
 and badly beaten by the latter. 
 
 Thus, early in the strike, so completely was all traffic suspended, 
 the discharge, temporarily, of a large .number of office clerks, station 
 agents, etc., became a necessity. 
 
 Eepeated efforts were made to move freight trains at St. Louis and 
 other points, but a species of argument was invariably resorted to by 
 the strikers which amounted to scarcely less than intimidation, whereby 
 the engineers and firemen were induced to abandon their engines. 
 Whenever a train was made up, and the engineer and fireman were 
 ready to start their train, they were approached by one or more men, 
 who would present either a written or verbal request for them not to 
 take out the train. Sometimes the language was emphatic, and some- 
 times contained an appeal such as "for the sake of yourself and family 
 do not attempt to take out that engine.'.' Sometimes again these notes 
 of warning were left at engineers' houses or sent to them through the 
 mails, but were always of a character that was significant of danger to 
 the engineer or fireman. These notices invariably had the desired ef- 
 fect and the engine was returned to its stall in the round-house. 
 
 Matters were now rapidly growing from bad to worse. Lawless- 
 ness began to manifest itself. Not only were engines boldly boarded 
 and "killed," but at DeSoto, Mo., on the Iron Mountain Road, the 
 Knights of Labor, some six hundred strong, marched to the round- 
 house, forced it open, and drew the water from all the boilers. At 
 Kansas City, Atchison and Parsons, Kan., and Sedalia, Pacific, Hanni- 
 bal and other points in Missouri, a similar condition of affairs existed. 
 At some points, notably at Pacific and DeSoto, Missouri, where the 
 civil authorities were members of the Knights of Labor, they either 
 could not or would not inforce the law against unlawful assemblages 
 and riotous conduct. The people began to be seriously alarmed. Not 
 only was their business being ruined, but society itself was menaced 
 and civil law openly defied. This feeling of alarm can best be illus-
 
 
 26 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 trated by a series of resolutions adopted by a large meeting of the citi- 
 zens of Sedalia on the night of the 11th of March. They are as follows : 
 
 " Resolved, That the citizens of Sedalia deplore the condition of 
 affairs brought about by the present strike of a portion of the railway 
 employes as productive of the greatest injury to the interest and gen- 
 eral welfare of our city and of citizens, whether or not in anyway con- 
 nected with the railways. We believe that if any grievances exist on 
 the part of employes against the Missouri Pacific Railway Company 
 that such matters could and should have been settled as heretofore, by 
 an appeal to the chief officers of the company, or by arbitration, or at 
 least that an effort should have been made in that direction before in- 
 augurating a strike, the disastrous consequences of which cannot be 
 foreseen, but which can scarcely be exaggerated. 
 
 " We do not understand that any grievance has been laid before 
 the railway company, and from all information which has reached the 
 public ear, we are unable to see any just cause for the present strike. 
 To the striking employes we would appeal to put an end to this condi- 
 tion of things. Many of them have been laboring with us shoulder to 
 shoulder for twenty years, striving to build this heretofore properous 
 city, in which we, as well as they, have invested our all, putting our 
 money into its real estate, incurring heavy debts to build on and im- 
 prove property, and so combine our aims and interests that the injury 
 to one is the concern of all. 
 
 " We appeal to both parties of this unfortunate controversy, both 
 • of whom we are forced to regard more or less in the light of ruling- 
 powers to whom we are subject, but to whom we are not quite ready 
 to surrender our rights, to make an effort to a settlement. We believe 
 that much of the present difficulty is due to the ill-advised utterances 
 of a few individuals who seek to turn the necessities and desires of in- 
 dustrious men to their personal profits. 
 
 " The condition of affairs here, and the feelings and wishes of our 
 people have been misrepresented in reports telegraphed all over the 
 land. While denying no just rights to any one, we think that the peo- 
 ple of Sedalia who are not employes or railway officers have some 
 rights, which they are entitled to have respected. If our trade and 
 commerce are to be broken up every year by these disturbances, can 
 we expect strangers to settle among us, bringing with them their capi- 
 tal, their industry , their families and their household goods, and make 
 their homes with us u ? 
 
 k> ^Ve wish the country to understand that the people of Sedalia 
 are not anarchists and dynamiters, among whom life is unsafe, but law-
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 27 
 
 tbiding American citizens, who invite among them capital and indus- 
 ,ry, and will protect them. The mass of the people of Sedalia are 
 leither capitalists nor Knights of Labor, and they do not propose to 
 )e tyrannized over by either without urgent protest." 
 
 Thus far in the great drama that was being enacted in Missouri, 
 Kansas and Texas, Mr. T. V. Powderly, Grand Master Workman of the 
 Knights of Labor, had not made his appearance. But on the 11th of 
 March he telegraphed Receiver Brown as follows : 
 
 " Philadelphia, March 11, 1886. 
 '' To John C. Brown, Receiver of the Texas & Pacific Railway, Dallas, 
 
 Texas : 
 
 " Will you meet with a committee selected by the General Execu- 
 ive Board of the Knights of Labor to arbitrate for the settlement of 
 ;he difficulties with the Texas & Pacific employes % 
 
 [Signed] "T. V. POWDERLY." 
 
 To this Governor Brown replied: 
 
 " Dallas, Texas, March 11. 
 '' To T. V. Powderly, Philadelphia : 
 
 " Your message received asking me if I will meet a committee se- 
 ected by the General Executive Board of the Knights of Labor to ar- 
 )itrate for the settlement of difficulties with the Texas & Pacific em- 
 ployes. I beg to say that we have no difficulties with the employes of 
 he Texas & Pacific Railway, and should any arise, we are most willing 
 iow, as in the past, to confer with them and right any grievances shown 
 jy them to exist. The only issue between the former employes, who 
 ire now strikers and not now in our service, and ourselves, is that they 
 lave committed depredations upon the property in our possession by 
 lisabling and killing engines and interfering, by intimidation and other- 
 wise, with meritorious and honest men now in our service, desiring to 
 perform the duties abandoned by the strikers. This matter we have 
 'emitted to the United States marshals, and the United States mar- 
 shals, under writs of assistance from the courts, are settling the trouble 
 for us, so I do not see any good arbitration with a committee of 
 Knights of Labor could accomplish. 
 
 [Signed] "JOHN C. BROWN, 
 
 " Receiver." 
 
 Later in the day Receiver Brown sent a supplemental dispatch as 
 xdlows :
 
 28 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 " Dallas, Texas, March 11, 1886. 
 " To T. V. Powderly, Philadelphia : 
 
 "I omitted to say in my dispatch this morning that the II nil 
 States Circuit Court, under the orders of which we hold our appoi 
 ment as receivers, is open and entirely accessible any day to any cc 
 plaint of the employes of the Texas & Pacific Eailway, who have s 
 real or imaginary grievances since the receivers were appointed, a 
 the court will hear and entertain with impartiality any application ms 
 by parties preferring their grievances. 
 
 [Signed] ' " JOHN C. BROWX, 
 
 " Eeceiver Texas & Pacific Eailway." 
 
 At Little Bock, Arkansas, on the 11th of March, 1886, a party 
 strikers detached an engine from a passenger train and rapidly folk 
 ing a freight train, which had successfully run the blockade, overtc 
 and killed it. They were in turn followed by another engine w 
 United States Deputy Marshals, who overhauled the strikers, re-e: 
 tured the engine and returned with both engines to Little Eock. 1 
 strikers, when overtaken, attempted to escape to the woods, but w< 
 fired upon, and one of their number, Dick Sullivan, was shot in 1 
 thigh. 
 
 Xo effort at concealment or subterfuge was now resorted to, 1 
 strikers, boldly, and in the face of marshals, police, detectives, sher 
 and constables, killing engines, side-tracking trains, uncoupling cars s 
 warning engineers and firemen. One day was but a repetition of 1 
 events of another, except in the increasing audacity of the maddened m 
 In St. Louis chaos reigned. The police force of the city, reinforced 
 scores of detectives clothed with the powers of peace officers, w< 
 utterly powerless. 
 
 Vice-President Hoxie determined to ask the intervention of ' 
 courts, and accordingly the following proceedings were had in the < 
 cuit Court of St. Louis, on the 13th of March, and the injunction \ 
 served upon 470 prominent Knights of Labor : 
 
 "Plaintiff states that it is a railroad corporation, duly organized un< 
 
 the laws of the States of , for the purpose of carrying on i 
 
 transacting a general railroad business in the transportation of pass 
 
 gers and freight over its lines of railroads in the States of i 
 
 elsewhere ; that it is the owner in possession and entitled to the ex( 
 sive use of its said lines of railway in this and other States, aggregat 
 many miles in length, and extending from the Mississippi river into i 
 through county of in the western boundary of said State of IV
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 29 
 
 ouri, at Kansas City, and there connecting with numerous other rail- 
 oads, and having - branches and lines connecting with its main line at 
 arious other points in said State, and extending through the same to 
 nd through other States and Territories, and connecting with other 
 oads leading to the Pacific coast, to divers points throughout the 
 Flirted States and the Republic of Mexico, and is the owner of, and has 
 ow in its possession and ready for immediate use within the said 
 
 ounty of , a large number of locomotives, cars, switch engines 
 
 nd all other appliances necessary and proper for running and operating 
 ;s said railroads, and for the transportation of freight and passengers 
 ver the same, the transaction of its business generally, and for the 
 roper discharge of its duties to the public as a common carrier. 
 
 "Plaintiff further states that the eastern terminus of its said lines of 
 ailroad is in the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, where it connects 
 rith many lines of railroad going to various cities and other places 
 orth and east of said city of St. Louis, to and from which, when its 
 usiness is not interrupted, its trains are constantly moving. 
 
 "Plaintiff further states that the defendants, most of whom were 
 armerly employes of the plaintiff, are citizens or residents of the said 
 
 ounty of ; that on March 6, 1886, said employes, defendants 
 
 erein, as plaintiff is informed and believes, and so charges, in obedience 
 o a peremptory order from an organization known as the Knights of 
 .labor, of which said order they are members, without proper or reason- 
 ble notice to plaintiff, and without any cause, in a body, abruptly, 
 imultaneously and wrongfully abandoned the service of plaintiff, and 
 rbitrarily and without authority or right, and without the consent and 
 gainst the wishes of plaintiff, attempted to assume custody and control 
 f plaintiff's said yards, locomotives, switch engines, cars, tracks, 
 
 nachine shops and round-houses in said county of , and them- 
 
 elves refused to perform any work or labor for plaintiff, or to permit 
 ,ny one else to do so, except with special permission from them, thus 
 
 Liilawfully and wrongfully stopping within the said county of all 
 
 pork in the shops and yards of plaintiff, and also the handling of freight, 
 nd the movement of trains for the transportation thereof by plaintiff, 
 ,nd also stopping the plaintiff's passenger trains, except such as they 
 peeially permitted to run, thereby interfering with and obstructing 
 •laintiff's business as a common carrier over all of its said lines of rail- 
 oad, to the irreparable damage and injury of the plaintiff. 
 
 "Plaintiff further states that it is informed and believes, and so 
 barges, that the said organization, known as the " Knights of Labor of 
 ■forth America," is a secret society with branches and sub-organizations
 
 30 BUREAU OF LABOR^ STATISTICS. 
 
 known as District Assemblies and lodges ; that the members of said 
 organization are composed of railroad employes and other persons. 
 Plaintiff is not advised as to all the purposes and objects of said organi- 
 zations, but is informed and believes, and so charges, that one of the 
 avowed purposes of said organizations is to control the action of their 
 members as to when, how, and upon what terms, they shall enter into 
 the service of this plaintiff, and when, and under what terms, they shall 
 abandon such service, and also as to the mode and manner in which 
 they shall attempt to compel the acquiescence of this plaintiff in any 
 demands they may choose to make. Plaintiff further states that it is 
 informed and believes, and so charges, that one of the said organiza- 
 tions of the "Knights of Labor of Xorth America," known as District 
 Assembly No. 101, is located in the City of St. Louis, of which J. J. 
 Mc Garry is a general officer and Judge-Advocate, and M. H. Palmer is 
 Grand Worthy Foreman ; that another and inferior organization of said 
 
 Knights of Labor, known as the " Assembly Lodge, No. ,"' 
 
 is located in said county of , of which said lodge is chair- 
 man and said constitute the Executive Committee of said lodge, 
 
 and all of the defendants herein are members of said lodge and said 
 District Assembly, and subject to the orders of the officers and execu- 
 tive committees thereof. 
 
 "Plaintiff is informed and believes, and so charges, that in pursuance 
 of the secret obligations assumed by each and all of the members of 
 said organizations, including the defendants herein, and of the regula- 
 tions prescribed for their government, they are required to yield im- 
 plicit and unquestioning obedience to any and all orders or requests 
 made, given or communicated to them by said officers, executive com- 
 mittee or either of them, directly or indirectly, verbally or in writing, 
 relating to the employment or service of themselves or others by or in 
 connection with this plaintiff. 
 
 "And plaintiff further states that it is informed and believes, and so 
 charges, that the members of said organizations located in said county 
 
 of , including the defendants herein, have held frequent meetings, 
 
 prior and subsequent to said March 6, 1886, for the purpose of unlaw- 
 fully conspiring and combining together, and that they had so unlawfully 
 combined and conspired together, to dictate to this plaintiff whom it 
 should, and whom it should not employ, to perform the various services 
 necessary for the transactions of its said business. That said defend- 
 ants, by said unlawful combination and conspiracy, have taken, and are 
 still taking, an unlawful advantage of their position and power to con- 
 trol the actions and business of this plaintiff, and to wrongfully and un-
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 31 
 
 lawfully oppress and destroy its business and property, and to intimi- 
 date and deter by threats and force other persons from entering into 
 the service of plaintiff. 
 
 "Plaintiff charges on information and belief that before and after 
 the defendants herein abandoned its service as hereinbefore stated, 
 
 the members of said «— Assembly, Lodge No. , and District 
 
 Assembly No. 101, including the defendants herein, unlawfully and 
 wrongfully combined, confederated and conspired together to prevent 
 this plaintiff from running its trains, using its' shops, operating its 
 switch engines, and from transporting freight and passengers thereon 
 
 from its depots in the said county of and elsewhere over its 
 
 said lines of road, and also to prevent by intimidation, threats and 
 force, this plaintiff from retaining or securing the services of such 
 other men, for the purpose of performing its necessary work in its said 
 shops and yards and operating its trains, as are not members of the 
 Knights of Labor aforesaid, and that the officers and Executive Com- 
 mittee of said District Assembly No. 101, and the officers and Execu- 
 tive Committee of said Assembly, Lodge No. — , in pursuance of 
 
 the resolution and determination of their respective bodies, have them- 
 selves entered, and by their orders and directions have caused the 
 other defendants herein to enter upon the premises and right of way 
 
 of this plaintiff in said county of , for the purpose of ordering, 
 
 directing and requesting, and by intimidation, threats and force, caus- 
 ing such of plaintiff's employes as are still in the service of plaintiff, 
 and who are willing to continue in its servce, to abandon their employ- 
 ment, and to refuse to render such service as they have engaged to 
 render to this plaintiff, and to persuade and intimidate by threats and 
 force such others as are willing, if unmolested, and not interfered with 
 by the defendants, to work for this plaintiff and to handle the freight 
 offered for transportation, and operate and manage the trains of this, 
 plaintiff, and thereby enable it to discharge its duty to the public as a 
 common carrier, to abandon plaintiff's service; and all said defendants,, 
 including said officers and members of said Executive Committees,. 
 have, as ordered, directed and requested as aforesaid, and in pursuance 
 of the said unlawful confederation, combination and conspiracy, re- 
 peatedly, wrongfully and unlawfully, and against the orders and pro- 
 tests of this plaintiff, entered upon the premises and right of way of 
 
 this plaintiff in said county of , and have by demand, direction, 
 
 solicitation, intimidation, threats and force, deterred and prevented the 
 servants of this plaintiff from rendering it any service in its said shops 
 and yards, and in the operation and management of its switch engines
 
 32 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 and trains, and in the conduct of its business and the discharge of its 
 duties to the public as a common carrier, and they are now hourly con- 
 tinuing- to so trespass upon plaintiff's said premises and right of way, 
 and to so interfere with its servants and business, to the irreparable 
 injury and damage of the plaintiff and to the great detriment of the 
 community at large. 
 
 " And the plaintiff, on information and belief, further charges that 
 the said defendants have, in pursuance of the orders, directions and re- 
 quests of said officers and committee, and in pursuance of the said com- 
 binations and conspiracy aforesaid, repeatedly, unlawfully and wrong- 
 fully, and against the orders and protests of this plaintiff, entered upon 
 
 the premises and right of way of this plaintiff in said county of , 
 
 and injured, disabled and killed its engines and cars, so as to entirely 
 prevent this plaintiff from lawfully and peacefully pursuing its said 
 business as a common carrier as aforesaid, and the said defendants 
 have threatened, and are stil threatening to, and will continue and re- 
 peat the said several trespasses and interferences with the employes 
 and said property of plaintiff hereinbefore set out, so as to entirely 
 and indefinitely prevent this plaintiff from running its trains and trans- 
 acting its business as a common carrier, unless restrained by the orders 
 of this court; and plaintiff avers that without the aid of this court it 
 is utterly powerless to prevent said unlawful and wrongful trespasses 
 and interferences with its said employes and property, and is now and 
 will be utterly unable to transact its business and to discharge its 
 duties to the public as required by law. 
 
 "Plaintiff further states that it is imformed and believes, and so 
 charges, that for each of the said several trespasses upon its said 
 premises and right of way, and interferences with its said employes 
 and property, done and threatened by the defendants to the injury 
 of this plaintiff, this plaintiff is entitled to maintain an action at law, 
 but to avail itself of such right would occasion a great multiplicity of 
 suits, amounting to many hundreds each and every day, and this, plain- 
 tiff states, as a further reason for not instituting such action at law; that 
 it is informed and believes, and so charges, that said defendants are 
 wholly irresponsible in damages adequate to the great loss and injury 
 they cause, and threaten to cause daily to this plaintiff, so that actions 
 at law would be wholly unavailing to afford adequate redress to this 
 plaintiff for the said loss and injuries. 
 
 " And plaintiff further states that it has, at various points on its 
 lines of road, in the State of Missouri and elsewere, including said 
 county of , a large number of freight trains, composed of cars
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 33 
 
 loaded with costly and perishable goods, wares and merchandise, which 
 it is under contract to deliver to the consignees thereof in the State of 
 Missouri and elsewhere, within a reasonable time from the receipt of 
 the same, which said freight this plaintiff has been unable to deliver 
 by reason of the said wrongful and unlawful conduct of the defendants 
 herein, and if the threatened interference of these defendants with the 
 business of this plaintiff and its efforts to procure employes and to 
 retain those now in its service is carried into execution, this plaintiff 
 will be wholly unable to perform its said contracts to deliver said 
 freights, to the irreparable injury and damage of this plaintiff and to 
 the great damage to the consignees thereof. 
 
 " Wherefore, inasmuch as the plaintiff has no adequate remedy at 
 law by an action for w damages, for the said several grievances, and 
 which said damages are likewise incapable of being accurately computed 
 or adequately recompensed in an action at law, and in order to avert a 
 threatened irreparable damage and injury to itself and to its property and 
 business, and to prevent the consummation of grievous, irreparable 
 wrongs and injuries, and to prevent a multiplicity of suits, the plaintiff 
 prays that this Honorable Court will, on the final hearing of this case, 
 grant its writ of injunction, perpetually enjoining and restraining the 
 said defendants, and each and all of them, from entering upon its said 
 premises and right of way, and from committing any of the said tres- 
 passes, acts and things threatened as aforesaid. And this plaintiff 
 further prays this Honorable Court that in the meantime, and pending 
 this litigation, a temporary injunction or restraining order be issued, 
 forbidding and commanding said defendants and each of them, from 
 committing any of the said several acts, trespasses and things com- 
 plained of, and threatened to be repeated as hereinbefore set forth, 
 until the further orders of this Court, and the plaintiff prays for such 
 other and further relief as in equity and good conscience it may be en- 
 titled to, on the facts herein stated. And plaintiff will ever pray, etc. 
 
 [Signed] " THOS. J. POETIS, 
 
 " Attorney for The Missouri Pacific Railway. 
 " HOUGH, OVERALL & JUDSON, 
 " Of Counsel." 
 
 " State of j 
 
 County of j S8, 
 
 "I, H. M. Hoxie, on oath state that I am tbe First Vice-President of 
 the Missouri Pacific Railway Company, plaintiff in the foreging petition, 
 
 L S — 3.
 
 34 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 that I have read the said petition, and know the contents thereof, and 
 that the matters and things stated as facts are true, and the matters 
 and things stated upon information and belief, I believe to be true. 
 '[Signed] "H. M. HOXIE, 
 
 " First Vice-President." 
 
 "Now on this 13th day of March, 1880, comes The Missouri Pacific 
 Railway Company, plaintiff in the above entitled suit, by attorneys, and 
 presents its petition praying relief against the defendants, and also 
 praying that a temporary injunction issue to restrain the said defend- 
 ants from doing or performing certain acts and things in said petition 
 specified, which said petition being heard and duly considered, and it 
 appearing to the satisfaction of the Court that upon the facts stated in 
 its petition the plaintiff is entitled to the relief prayed, it is hereby or- 
 dered that upon the execution by the plaintiff of a bond in the sum of 
 ten thousand dollars, conditioned according to law, with good and suf- 
 ficient sureties, the defendants, and each of them, be enjoined and re- 
 strained from entering upon the premises and right of way of said 
 plaintiff in the City of St. Louis and from ordering, directing, request- 
 ing, soliciting and intimidating any of the employes of this plaintiff, 
 while they are upon the premises of plaintiff, for the purpose of induc- 
 ing them to abandon the service of plaintiff, and from in any manner 
 deterring any persons from entering into or continuing in the service 
 of plaintiff, while such persons are upon its premises, and said defend- 
 ants, and each of them, are hereby enjoined and restrained from inter- 
 meddling with, or in any manner molesting or injuring the property of 
 said plaintiff, and also from hindering or obstructing the plaintiff in the 
 use of its property, and in the running and management of its trains, 
 and the public performance of its duties as a common carrier.- 
 
 " Bond approved and filed. 
 
 " A true copy from the record. 
 
 " Attest, with seal of Court. 
 
 " CHARLES F. VOGEL, Clerk." 
 
 Similar petitions were thereafter filed, and similar restraining orders 
 were granted, in the Circuit Courts of the counties of Franklin, Osage, 
 Johnson, Cass, Marion, Jackson and Mississippi, in Missouri, and in 
 several counties and also the Federal Court in Kansas ; and also in the 
 Chancery Court for the State of Arkansas, and in several courts in 
 Texas. 
 
 The following offers of reward and others of similar import were
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 35 
 
 inserted in the newspapers and posted in public places, at St. Louis 
 and other principal points along the lines : 
 
 "$300 Reward. 
 
 "Three hundred dollars reward will be paid by the St. Louis, Iron 
 Mountain and Southern Railway Company for the arrest and conviction, 
 or for information leading to the arrest and conviction, of each of the 
 persons who have destroyed or injured the property of said company 
 at De Soto, in Jefferson County, or in the City of St. Louis, or else- 
 where in the State of Missouri, since the 5th day of March, 1886, and 
 the sum of $200 will be paid for the arrest and conviction, or for in- 
 formation leading to the arrest and conviction of each person who has 
 agreed, conspired, combined and confederated with any other person 
 or persons, to destroy or injure the property of said company in said 
 State since the 5th day of March, 1886. 
 
 " Parties desiring to give information under this notice will com- 
 municate the same to Col. Robert S. McDonald, of the City of St. Louis. 
 
 "H. M. HOXIE, 
 
 " Vice-President." 
 
 The railway officials at all prominent places continually renewed 
 their efforts to move freights, but were invariably unsuccessful, not be- 
 cause of lack of men, but because great crowds would surround the 
 engines and by their peculiar methods "persuade " the willing employes 
 to abandon their tasks. At Pacific, Mo., on the 13th, a passenger train, 
 which had heretofore been permitted to run unmolested, was detained 
 by a force of one hundred bridge men under a contractor. These men 
 were not in the employ of the railway company. On the same day vio- 
 lent demonstrations were made at Sedalia, where the men, in defiance 
 of the police force, with noise and menaces, drove firemen and en- 
 gineers from their posts. The police made a large number of arrests, 
 including that of Hugh Fitzsimmons, Chairman of the Strikers' Local 
 Executive Committee. Similar acts of violence and intimidation oc- 
 curred at Kansas City, Atchison and Parsons, Kansas, and at all the 
 principal points in Texas. But in Texas the potent influence of the 
 Deputy United States Marshals was being felt and many arrests were 
 made for contempt of court. Some few freight trains at principal 
 points were sullenly allowed to arrive and depart. 
 
 On March 15 Martin Irons telegraphed to Vice-President Hoxie 
 as follows :
 
 36 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 " Sedalia, Mo., March 15, 1886. 
 "H. M. Hoxie, First Vice-President Missouri Pacific Railway Com- 
 pany, St. Louis, Mo. : 
 
 " It has been intimated to me that a Committee of Knights of La- 
 bor, composed of railroad employes, would be admitted to conference 
 with you in regard to the difficulties now existing with said employes 
 and the railroad companies composing the Gould Southwestern Sys- 
 tem. If it is your wish, such committee is ready for said conference at 
 such time and plaee as you may determine. Please answer me at Se- 
 dalia. 
 
 [Signed.] "MARTIN IKONS, 
 
 "Chairman K. of L. Executive Committee." 
 
 Mr. Hoxie replied as follows : 
 
 " St. Louis, Mo., March 16, 1886. 
 "Martin Irons, Chairman Executive Committee Knights of Labor, 
 
 Sedalia, Mo. : 
 
 " I am in receipt of yours of the 15th inst., in which you say it has 
 been intimated to you that a committee of the Knights of Labor, com- 
 posed of railroad employes, would be admitted to a conference with 
 me in regard to the difficulties now existing with said employes and 
 the railroad companies composing the Southwestern System. 
 
 " While I am always ready to confer with and hear the complaints 
 of any employe of the companies I represent, I can not see that a meet- 
 ing with a committee, such as you propose, would adjust the trouble, 
 as I am informed that the reason for the existing difficulties was the 
 discharge of one C. A. Hall by the Receivers of the Texas & Pacific 
 Railway, a road not under my control, and with the management of 
 which I have no voice or authority. 
 
 " I would further say in this connection that the action taken by 
 our late employes has so reduced our traffic that we shall not soon 
 again require as many men in our shops as heretofore, but all good 
 men who desire employment, and are acceptable to our Superintend- 
 ents, will hereafter, as heretofore, be well and promptly paid for the 
 services rendered, and if they have any complaints I will take pleasure 
 in meeting them for that purpose. 
 
 [Signed] "H. M. HOXIE." 
 
 While this state of affairs existed in St. Louis serious troubles, 
 ultimatelv to result in a tragedy, were brewing among the employes of
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 37 
 
 the various railways centering- at East St. Louis, Illinois, growing out 
 of an alleged difference in the prices paid at East St. Louis and those 
 paid at Chicago for the same kind of work. 
 
 Even if the grievance was unfounded, in fact, it was evident that 
 the sympathetic feeling existing between those of either side of the 
 Mississippi river would induce the Knights of Labor of the Illinois 
 side to make common cause with their brethren of the west side 
 on the slightest pretext. From a comparison of contemporaneous 
 newspapers it appears that in St. Louis, March 17, a meeting represent- 
 ing the Wabash, Vandalia, Indianapolis & St. Louis, Ohio & Missis- 
 sippi, Chicago & Alton, Burlington, Cairo Short Line, Louisville & 
 Nashville, East St. Louis & Carondelet, Bridge & Tunnel and the 
 Gould roads, was held to consider a request from A. C. Caughlan and 
 Berry for an advance in the wages of the East St. Louis switch- 
 men. These men, Caughlan and Berry, not being in the employ of any 
 railroad, the representatives of the roads above mentioned adopted the 
 following resolutions : 
 
 "Whereas, An application has been made by a committee of the 
 ' Knights of Labor,' asking various roads at St. Louis and East St. 
 Louis to increase the pay of certain employes; and, 
 
 " Whereas, We do not believe that non-employes should come 
 between employers and those employed, in the settlement of differen- 
 ces ; therefore be it 
 
 "Resolved, That we say to our employes that we will not consider 
 the question of the increase of wages unless application for such in- 
 crease is made directly by our employes to their immediate employers, 
 in which case due consideration will be given to the requests and 
 proper action will be taken." 
 
 This action was construed to be a refusal to recognize the Knights 
 of Labor as an organization, and a determination to treat with employes 
 merely as individuals. 
 
 Previous to this Messrs. Caughlan and Berry had requested Mr. P. 
 Flanigan, freight agent of the Wabash road, to adopt the following 
 schedule of wages for switchmen in East St. Louis, viz. : 
 
 " Xight foremen, $3 ; night helpers, $2.75; day foremen, $2.75 ; day 
 helpers, $2.50; also to constitute one foreman and two helpers to each 
 engine, a crew, and ten hours a days work, with over-time to be paid 
 30 cents per hour for foremen and helpers." 
 
 Mr. Flanigan replied informing the gentlemen that the road was in 
 the hands of the United States Court, and that any grievance would 
 be promptly considered by that tribunal, and that employes understand
 
 38 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 that they will be paid the same wages for similar services as are paid 
 by competing roads. 
 
 This is only interesting as the initial history of the subsequent 
 troubles in East St. Louis that resulted in so much loss of life and 
 property. 
 
 At this time under the active agency of the United States Mar- 
 shals, business was being gradually resumed and trains were running 
 with some degree of safety and regularity on that part of the Texas 
 and Pacific, south of Sherman, and at Marshall many of the strikers 
 had resumed their former places, and new men were being rapidly im- 
 ported to take the places of those who still persisted in the strike. 
 
 Of course, acts of violence were common, and a number of ar- 
 rests were made. On the night of the 16th an attempt was made to 
 wreck a passenger train near Marshall by the removal of spikes from 
 the rails, but no serious consequences occurred. Public sentiment 
 against the striking men began to express itself in public meetings, 
 such as at Dallas and Greenville, Texas, where strong condemnatory 
 resolutions were adopted. 
 
 It was currently reported, that in a conference with a committee 
 of strikers, Governor Sheldon, one of the receivers of the Texas and 
 Pacific road, had made concessions in the C. A. Hall case, whereby 
 United States Circuit Judge Don A. Pardee should arbitrate the mat- 
 ter. Gov. Brown, the other receiver, in referring to this matter in an 
 authorized interview, says : 
 
 " As he understood the matter, Gov. Sheldon made no concession 
 at all, but only saw the committee of the striking employes who called 
 upon him at New Orleans yesterday (March 17th), and asked the ques- 
 tion whether or not the receivers would make any opposition to the 
 presentation of the Hall case to Judge Pardee. They were assured by 
 Gov. Sheldon that there woidd be no opposition on the part of the re- 
 ceivers; on the contrary, it was the course they had marked out as the 
 proper remedy for men who claimed to be aggrieved. ***** 
 He was satisfied that Judge Pardee would entertain the application, 
 and would hear all the facts and decide the case fairly, and that the 
 receivers were far from resisting the application, but were pleased that 
 tins course should be taken as a solution of the question. Gov. Brown 
 further said, that in his second reply to Mr. Powderly he had indicated 
 that this was the proper course for Mr. Hall, or any other employes feel- 
 ing themselves aggrieved, to pursue, and that in interviews with the 
 press and through circulars to the men he had indicated this as the 
 proper course to pursue. There will be no discretion if Mr. Hall, or
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 39 
 
 any other of the discharged employes were reinstated by the court, as 
 the receivers are but officers of the court and are bound by all its man- 
 dates." 
 
 Mr. T. Y. Powderly, Grand Master Workman of the Knights of 
 Labor, arrived in Kansas City on the morning of March 18th, where he 
 was met by a number of the local officials of the order, and after con- 
 sultation sent this telegram to Mr. Hoxie : 
 
 "Kansas City, March 18, 1886. 
 
 "H. M. Hoxie, First Vice-President, Missouri Pacific Railway, St. 
 
 Loiiis, Mo.: 
 
 "Will you meet with committee and myself to arrange settlement 
 of pending difficulties ? If so, where ? 
 
 [Signed] " T. V. PO WDERLY." 
 
 To which Mr. Hoxie made the following reply : 
 
 " The Missouri Pacific Railway Company, 
 Executive Department, 
 
 St. Louis, March 19, 1886. 
 
 " T. Y. Po WDERLY, Kansas City, Mo. : 
 
 " I have just received your telegram of the 18th hist., asking if I will 
 meet yourself and committee to arrange settleineniy of the pending diffi- 
 culties. 
 
 " As this company now has contracts and agreements with various 
 labor unions and organizations, and is not unwilling to continue to 
 make such agreements as circumstances may require with such unions 
 and organizations of its employes as have shown a disposition to carry 
 out, in good faith, their undertakings ; and, as it has had in the past 
 contracts with your organization, and its representatives have hereto- 
 fore had conferences with yourself and other members of your Execu- 
 tive Committee, it is but just and courteous that I should give you the 
 reasons for this company now declining to meet yourself and your 
 Executive Committee, which it would have done before this strike was 
 inaugurated. 
 
 "The usual object of such meetings between railway companies, 
 through their representatives, and committees of their employes, is 
 either to discuss such differences as may have arisen, in order that an 
 understanding may be reached of the rights and relations existing be- 
 tween them, and such mutual concessions made as will avoid strikes 
 and the losses resulting therefrom; or on the other hand, to settle and
 
 40 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 compromise such differences between the parties, after the grievances 
 of the employes have been presented and redress refused, and after 
 resort has actually been had to the strike as the only remedy. 
 
 " In the present case neither of the above reasons for a conference 
 exists, but the anomaly is presented of a strike which is without a re- 
 dressable grievance, which was entered upon without notice to the 
 company, and which has resulted in the wanton and malicious destruc- 
 tion of this company's property by violence and incendiarism, and in 
 the almost total stoppage of its business by threats, intimidation and 
 force. 
 
 " A review of the history of the past year is essential to a full 
 understanding of the present conditions. 
 
 " The differences between this company and its employes, resulting 
 in the strike of March, 1885, were settled by the voluntary intercession 
 of the executives and officers of the States of Kansas and Missouri, 
 and not with your organization. The agreements subsequently entered 
 into with the committees of your organization have been faithfully car- 
 ried out by this company. Minor grievances under these agreements 
 have from time to time been presented, considered by the management 
 and adjusted in a manner apparently satisfactory to the petitioners,and 
 for the sake of peace and harmony this company has repeatedly, on 
 the demands of your organization, made changes in its staff by the 
 removal of officials entirely satisfactory to the company, but objec- 
 tionable to some of your members. 
 
 " In our meeting with you of last August in Xew York, your com- 
 mittee then stated that no grievances or complaints existed against the 
 Missouri Pacific Railway on the part of your organization through non- 
 compliance with the contracts then existing, but that it was necessary 
 to utilize your organization upon the Missouri Pacific Road to force an 
 adjustment of the difficulties then pending witli another corporation. 
 
 " Similar action has been taken by your organization in three in- 
 stances within the last eight months. 
 
 "1. In threatening that the members of your organization upon the 
 Missouri Pacific Railway would strike if it continued to exchange busi- 
 ness with the Wabash Road. 
 
 " 2. When the members of your organization compelled a strike of 
 a portion of the employes of this company in carrying out your boy- 
 cott against the Mallory line, at Galveston, Tex. 
 
 " 3. In the present instance, when the existing strike was forced 
 upon this company by the discharge of one C. A. Hall by the receivers 
 of the Texas & Pacific Railway, a road in the hands of the United
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 41 
 
 States Court, and in the management of which this company has no 
 voice or control, a fact which your organization fully recognized when 
 your committee made application to the receivers of that road for rein- 
 statement of said employe. 
 
 " Instances might be cited where endeavors have been made to use 
 this company for the purpose of boycotting individuals who had in- 
 curred the displeasure of your organization. 
 
 u An especially aggravated case of the failure of your organization 
 to carry out its agreements, was that of the workmen at the Palestine 
 shops, who, in the last days of February, stopped work on account of 
 an alleged grievance, which was thereupon adjusted in a manner to 
 their entire satisfaction, so that they resumed work with an agreement 
 to continue under the concessions made by the company ; but within 
 ten days thereafter again left their work on demand of your organiza- 
 tion in ordering the present strike, and without any grievance what- 
 ever against this company. 
 
 " These continued stoppages of the work of this company without 
 cause have become so frequent that, believing the future will be as un- 
 settled as the past, it cannot consent to renew the agreement volun- 
 tarily and arbitrarily abrogated by your organization, and longer sub- 
 mit to it the management of our business. 
 
 " This company, through its representatives, is and has always been, 
 willing to meet the public through committees or individuals, on matters 
 of public concern, and if yourself or other intelligent citizens can sug- 
 gest practical methods whereby the present situation can be changed 
 and traffic permanently resumed, this company will be pleased to meet 
 yourself, or them, as citizens, but not as representatives of your organ- 
 ization, to discuss the pending difficulties, or any other matter of public 
 interest. 
 
 " In conclusion, I desire emphatically to state that the responsibility 
 for the further continuance of the present unjustifiable strike will not 
 rest with the management of this company, but inasmuch as your or- 
 ganization has committed the error of striking first and endeavoring to 
 negotiate afterwards, it has the power to, and should end the present 
 troubles by permitting such of our former employes and others as de- 
 sire to work to do so without fear of threats and intimidation, leaving 
 this company free to resume its operations and adjust with its employes, 
 as it is at all times ready and willing to do, any grievances that they 
 may have. 
 
 [Signed] " H. M. HOXIE, 
 
 " First Vice-President The Missouri Pacific Railway Company."
 
 42 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 Mr. Powderly replied as follows : 
 
 " Kansas City, Mo., March 20, 1886. 
 
 " H. M. Hoxie, First Vice-President Missouri Pacific Railway, St. 
 Louis, Mo.: 
 
 " Since you will not meet with me as General Master Workman of 
 the Knights of Labor, I must decline to meet you in any other capacity, 
 and the responsibility for the future continuance of the strike must 
 not be charged to the Knights of Labor, since the executive officers of 
 that order will not be permitted to meet and co-operate with you in 
 settling the strike. It was my intention, had you consented to meet 
 with me, to effect such a settlement as would prevent impositions be- 
 ing practiced upon the employes of your company by subordinate 
 officials, and put an end to strikes on your lines for the future. 
 
 [Signed] " T. V. POWDEKLY." 
 
 By prearrangement Governor John S. Marmaduke, of Missouri, ac- 
 companied by Col. D. W. Marmaduke, Warden of the Missouri Peniten- 
 tiary, and myself as Labor Commissioner of Missouri, met Governor 
 John A. Martin and Labor Commissioner Frank Betton of Kansas, at 
 the Coats House in Kansas City, Mo., on the morning of March 19, for 
 the purpose of consultation. Mr. Powderly being in the city, at the 
 suggestion of Mr. Betton he called upon the two Governors, and during 
 this time Martin Irons and the full Executive Committee of the Knights 
 of Labor of District Assembly No. 101, were admitted to the confer- 
 ence. Mr. Betton, in speaking of this meeting, which he had much to 
 do in bringing about, says, in his paper, which he read before the Na- 
 tional Convention of Bureaus of Labor, at Trenton, X. J. : "A lengthy 
 discussion ensued, which resulted (after several separate conferences) 
 in an agreement on the part of the Committee, that the two Governors 
 should visit St. Louis and endeavor to procure a settlement of the 
 strike upon the basis of the contract of 1885. Within an hour from 
 the time the above conference terminated the Governors were on their 
 way to St. Louis," Upon their arrival in St. Louis, March 20, the fol- 
 lowing letter was submitted and reply received:
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 43 
 
 " St. Louis, March 20. 
 
 " H. M. Hoxie, Esq., First Vice-President Missouri Pacific Railway 
 
 Company : 
 
 " Dear Sir : On the 19th hist, the undersigned met at Kansas City 
 to discuss the very serious condition of affairs in the States of Kansas 
 and Missouri, growing out of the late ' strike ' on the lines of the Mis- 
 souri Pacific Railway, and the resulting obstruction of the two States. 
 
 "While at Kansas City we were visited by a delegation of your late 
 employes, and after discussing with them various phases of the strike, 
 we consented to visit you and urge a continuation of the terms of 
 agreement made with the management of your road on the 15th of 
 March, 1885, and, if deemed advisable, recommend such modifications 
 of said agreement as might be thought just to all concerned. 
 
 " On the 15th of March, 1885, the undersigned, with other State 
 officers of Missouri and Kansas, presented to Capt. Hayes, First Vice- 
 President of the Missouri Pacific Railway Company, the following sug- 
 gestions : 
 
 " ' To Capt. R. S. Hayes, First Vice-President and Chief Executive 
 Officer of the Missouri Pacific Railway Company and Associated 
 Roads : 
 
 " ' Whereas, On account of the strike among certain of the em- 
 ployes of the Missouri Pacific Railway Company, in the States of Mis- 
 souri and Kansas, resulting in the stoppage and cessation of all frieght 
 traffic over said company's lines in said States, to the great detriment 
 of business interests and rights of the people of said States, and the 
 continuance of which endangers the public peace and safety of the 
 company's property; and, 
 
 " 'Whereas, The undersigned, representing the two States named 
 aboved, respectively, anxious to restore harmonious relations between 
 the said company and its said employes, and to restore to the public 
 the unobstructed use of said lines of railroad, do recommend and re- 
 quest said company to restore to the striking employes in Missouri and 
 Kansas the same wages paid them in September, 1884, including one 
 and one-half price for extra time worked ; and to restore all said strik- 
 ing employes to their several employments without prejudice to them 
 on account of said strike.
 
 44 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 " ' Believing that the foregoing will constitute a just and fair set- 
 tlement, we recommend their acceptance by the striking employes as 
 well as the Missouri Pacific Railway Company. 
 " ' Dated, St. Louis, March 15, 1885. 
 [Signed] « ' JOHN A. MARTIN, 
 
 " ' Governor of Kansas. 
 " ' JOHN S. MARMADUKE, 
 
 " ' Governor of Missouri. 
 " ' ALMERLN GILLETT, 
 "'JAMES HUMPHREY, 
 "'L. L. TURNER, 
 " ' Railroad Commissioners of Kansas. 
 " ' GEO. C. PRATT, 
 "'JAMES HARDING, 
 " ' W. G. DOWNING, 
 " ' Railroad Commissioners of Missouri. 
 "'B. G. BOONE, 
 " ' Attorney-General of Missouri. 
 "'J. C.JAMISON, 
 
 " ' Adjutant-General. 
 " ' OSCAR KOCHTITZKY, 
 " ' Commissioner of Labor Statistics and Inspection.' 
 
 " Capt. Hayes on the same date issued a circular embodying the 
 suggestion thus made, and giving notice that the rates of wages and 
 terms specified would go into effect on the morning of March 16, 1885, 
 and be in effeet from and after that date ; and, further, that said rates 
 would not thereafter be changed, except after thirty days' notice 
 thereof, given in the usual manner. 
 
 " It wil be observed that the recommendation of the officers of 
 Kansas and Missouri embodied only two propositions, viz. : 
 
 "'First. — That the company restore to its striking employes in 
 Missouri and Kansas the same wages paid them in September, 1884, 
 including one and one-half price for extra time worked; and, 
 
 " ' Second. — To restore all said striking employes to their several 
 employments without prejudice to them on account of said strike.' 
 
 " To these conditions Capt. Hayes added a third, viz. : That there- 
 after said rates would not be changed except after thirty days' notice 
 thereof, given in the usual way. 
 
 "After careful investigation, we are unable to find wherein the 
 Missouri Pacific Railway Company has violated the terms and condi-
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 45 
 
 tions of the agreement made on the 15th of March, 1885, touching its 
 employes in our respective States. No complaint has ever been made 
 to the Governor of Missouri based on an alleged violation of said 
 agreement, and but one has ever been made to the Governor of Kansas ; 
 and that, on investigation, proved to be without foundation, and was 
 withdrawn by the party making it. 
 
 " We are, therefore, forced to the conclusion that the ' strike ' of 
 March 6, 1880, could not have been and was not based on a violation of 
 the terms of the agreement of March 15, 1885, by the management of 
 the Missouri Pacific Railway Company, in its dealings with its employes 
 in Missouri and Kansas. 
 
 "We recognize the fact that the Missouri Pacific Company may justly 
 claim that the strike of March 0, 1886, relieves it of the obligations it 
 assumed in the circular of March 15, 1885 ; but, nevertheless, anxious 
 that amicable relations be restored between the Missouri Pacific Com- 
 pany and its employes, and especially that the far more important in- 
 terests involved in the mighty commerce of the States of Missouri and 
 Kansas should not continue to suffer, and that the great highways of 
 business and travel should be at once reopened to the public, we would 
 respectfully but earnestly suggest and recommend that the agreements 
 embodied in the circular of March 15, 1885, be restored and continued 
 in letter and spirit, and that the Missouri Pacific Company re-employ 
 in its service all of its old employes, without prejudice to them on ac- 
 count of the strike, so far as the business of the company will justify 
 their re-employment. 
 
 " We make these suggestions and recommendations in the interest, 
 as we believe, alike of the company and its employes, and more 
 especially the greater interests of the commerce and the people of the 
 two States. 
 
 [Signed] " JOHN A. MARTIN, 
 
 " Governor of Kansas. 
 "JOHN S. MARMADUKE, 
 
 " Governor of Missouri." 
 
 " The Missouri Pacific Railway Company, 
 Executive Department, 
 
 St. Louis, Mo., March 20. 
 
 "Hon. John S. Marmaduke, Governor of Missouri, and Hon. John 
 A. Martin, Governor of Kansas: 
 
 "Dear Sirs : I beg respectfully to acknowledge receipt of your 
 communication of this date, stating that after a conference at Kansas
 
 16 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 Kansas City, with a delegation of our late employes, you consented to 
 visit the undersigned and urge the continuance of the agreement made 
 between yourselves and other State officers and the management of 
 this company on March 15, 1885, and, if deemed advisable, recommend 
 such modifications of said agreement as might be thought just to all 
 concerned. 
 
 " I note with pleasure your conclusion after investigation, that the 
 agreement of March 15, 1885, has been kept inviolate by the Missouri 
 Pacific Railway Company, and that the present strike could not have 
 been, and was not based on a violation, by the management of this 
 company, of the terms of said agreement ; and I have carefully con- 
 sidered your recommendation that this agreement, which you concede 
 the Missouri Pacific Eailway Company is no longer under any obliga- 
 tions to observe towards those of its employes who have abandoned 
 its services since the 5th day of March, 1886, should be restored and 
 continued. 
 
 " On March 10, 1886, this company inserted in newspapers on its- 
 lines and posted in public places upon its property the following ad- 
 vertisement : 
 
 " 'Good and competent men will be employed without reference to 
 their past or present relations to this company or their connection with 
 any society or organization, open, secret, secular or otherwise. Such 
 as are accepted will be paid the rate of wages recommended by the 
 Governors and other State officials of Missouri and Kansas when the 
 labor troubles of March, 1885, were adjusted, the same as have been 
 paid by this company since that date.' 
 
 " The above notice was designed as a continuance, so far as the rate 
 of wages is concerned, of the agreement of March 15, 1885, and is still 
 in force, thus anticipating the recommendations which you make as to 
 the amount which employes should be paid. 
 
 " In addition to the foregoing action of the company, which is in ac- 
 cord with your recommendations as to wages, this company is further 
 willing to pay its employes a rate of wages equal to that now being 
 paid by other railway companies in the same section of country. 
 
 "The further provision of said agreement relative to notice in case 
 of reduction of wages, is not objectionable to this company, and will 
 be continued. 
 
 " Your next and final recommendation that this company re-engage 
 in its service all of its old employes, without prejudice to them on ac- 
 count of the existing strike, so far as the business of the company will 
 justify their employment, is acceptable to this company, with these
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 47 
 
 qualifications : The men who have been engaged under the advertise- 
 ment of March 10, 1886, will be continued in our employment. We 
 cannot re-engage or continue in our employ any persons who have ac- 
 tually engaged in the destruction or injury of the company's property, 
 or who have advised such destruction or injury. We shall give pref- 
 erence to those of our late employes who have families and own homes 
 on the line of the road. It is to be remembered that the loss of traffic 
 caused by the present strike, will, to a considerable extent, reduce the 
 necessity of employing as many men in our shops as heretofore. 
 
 •'Thanking you for the consideration you have given the subject, 
 and trusting your action will result in an early resumption of traffic, I 
 am, your excellencies, most obedient servant, 
 
 [Signed] " H. M. HOXIE. 
 
 -First Vice-President of the Missouri Pacific Railway Company." 
 
 One of the curious phases of the difficulty was the repudiation of 
 the mediation of Governors Marmaduke and Martin by the Executive 
 Committee of the Knights of Labor, and the falsification of history. 
 The following was by them published : 
 
 " TO THE PUBLIC. 
 
 " A statement in reply to H. M. Hoxie's letter to the Governors of Mis- 
 souri and Kansas : 
 
 " In response to the propositions contained ina note written to Mr. 
 Hoxie by the Governors of Kansas and Missouri, and also the reply of 
 Mr. Hoxie to the Governors, we beg to state : 
 
 " First. — That while in conference in Kansas City we were sent for by 
 the Governors, and out of respect for them a committee was appointed, 
 consisting of employes of the Gould road only, which met with them, and 
 by request stated the cause of the present withdrawal of active labor 
 from the roads of the Gould Southwest System. On their suggestion 
 these gentlemen agreed to see Mr. Hoxie and attempt a settlement if 
 possible. It was agreed, in deference to their wishes, that we should 
 submit to them all our grievances, with the understanding that they 
 would arrange a meeting between Mr. Hoxie and ourselves. They de- 
 sired permission to settle as best they could on an understanding that 
 we would abide by their decision. To this we demurred, unless we 
 were first permitted to pass upon the terms of settlement. With this 
 understanding we consented to the interposition between Mr. Hoxie 
 and ourselves. Mr. Hoxie refused to receive a delegation from the
 
 48 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 employes or the Knights of Labor, and the Governors received from 
 Mr. Hoxie the document published yesterday, which was given to the 
 press even before we were permitted to see it. Now, in justice to our- 
 selves and the truth of history, we desire to make the following points 
 of fact : 
 
 " First. — The interposition of the Governors was voluntary on their 
 part, coming to Kansas City and seeking an interview with our board. 
 
 " Second — We refused them the privilege of adjusting our differ- 
 ences or accepting terms of such settlement without first submitting 
 them to this committee for approval, notwithstanding which they re- 
 ceived Mr. Hoxie's ' proposition, 7 qualifications and all, and turned 
 them over to the press and the public to see them. 
 
 " Third. — They say to Mr. Hoxie : ' After careful investigation we are 
 unable to find wherein the Missouri Pacific Eailway Company has violated 
 the terms and conditions of the agreement made on the 15th of March, 
 1885, touching the employes in our respective States.' 
 
 " To say the least of such a statement, it is not creditable to the 
 minds and hearts of men to whom has been committed the welfare of a 
 great people to say that they will take advantage of our want of skill 
 in legislative technicalities and wink at gross violations of a sacred 
 agreement in its plainly manifest spirit, because its technical letter 
 gives an apparent advantage to a great corporation. 
 
 " The Goverors state further: 'We recognize the fact that the 
 Missouri Pacific Railway Company may justly claim that the strike of 
 March 6, 1886, relieves it of the obligations it assumed in the circular 
 of March 15, 1885.' In rendering this verdict the Governors have 
 blindly ignored the fact that the obligations assumed in said circular at 
 that time took effect on all the roads operated and leased by the said 
 Missouri Pacific Eailway Company, and was fully understood so to ap- 
 ply, although by oversight but two roads and States were mentioned 
 therein. Evidence is at hand that striking employes of that date were, 
 up to the day of this strike, still working for less pay than before the 
 strike of last year, showing not a restoration of old pay, but really a 
 reduction, in violation of said circular agreement. 
 
 " Evidence is at hand that bridgemen have been compelled to 
 work many hours over time without receiving the agreed over-time 
 pay. Evidence is at hand to prove that in order to make it necessary 
 to reduce the force of workingmen, work has been sent to contract 
 shops, and in one instance a whole foundry sub-let in order to bring 
 the men under a new supervision, thus depriving the men of the pro- 
 visions of the circular agreement. All this done to create dissatisfac-
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 49 
 
 tiou and induce the men to leave the company's employ, after which 
 other men were employed and always at reduced rates. Evidence is at 
 hand that whole gangs of men have been discharged, notwithstanding 
 that Mr. Hoxie agreed on May 18, 1885, that rather than reduce the 
 working force he would reduce the hours of work. 
 
 " Every effort to have these men reinstated was refused by the 
 company on the ground that they were not covered by the agreement, 
 which agreement says : "We will reduce the hours of work instead of 
 reducing the force whenever the necessity arises." The outrages on 
 the Texas Pacific Railroad are sought to be made a matter entirely out 
 of the range of the agreement. Men were, out of sheer prejudice, dis- 
 charged without an effort to reduce the hours of work. The receivers 
 fail to comply with the agreement of the company with the employes, 
 after the institution of the receivership, notwithstanding they do not 
 repudiate the agreements of said officials, showing a clear intent to use 
 the United States Court and its officials for dishonorable purposes. It 
 is charged by Mr. Hoxie in previous statements that the agreement of 
 March 15, 1885, has been violated by the employes. Said agreement is 
 published in the morning papers of March 22, and we ask any intelli- 
 gent person to read with care and note if it be possible for the em- 
 ployes to violate any provisions of said agreement, be they never so 
 desirous, and that for the sole reason that it is an agreement on the 
 part of the company to do certain things, but requiring nothing what- 
 ever of the employes. 
 
 " But why should we say more ? If Mr. Hoxie does not know that 
 he was guilty of gross wrong and injustice, why would he refuse to 
 listen to our evidence and hear our appeal for redress ? Why would he 
 shelter himself behind subterfuges and technicalities ? Why would he 
 refuse to treat with the men he has wronged, and with evasive letters 
 to Governors who cannot posssibly enter into the merits of the con- 
 troversy ? The truth is simply this : Mr. Hoxie wanted trouble. He 
 has provoked it. He is still inciting it and making an innocent public 
 pay the price of his perfidy. How long will the public consent for 
 Gould and Hoxie thus to rule or ruin ? We wait to see. 
 
 " By order of the Executive Board of District Assembly 101." 
 
 It is an error to charge, that the Governors visited Kansas City to 
 confer with the Knights of Labor. One of them assuredly did not 
 know that Mr. Powderly.and the Executive Committee of District 
 Assembly ]S"o. 101 were in Kansas City, and the interview was brought 
 about at their own solicitation. Mr. Frank Betton, Labor Commissioner 
 
 l s — 4.
 
 50 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 of Kansas, through whom the interview was obtained, in a paper 
 (heretofore referred to) read before the National Convention of Bureaus 
 of Labor, 1886, says : 
 
 " In answer to the first charge, I will say that the Governor of 
 Kansas visited Kansas City by invitation of the Governor of Missouri 
 to confer with him regarding the strike, and that the interview with the 
 committee was brought about at the request of the committee itself. 
 
 " In answer to the second charge, I will say that the Governors 
 absolutely refused to visit St. Louis unless the committee placed its 
 cause entirely in their hands, and agreed to abide by whatever arrange- 
 ment they succeeded in making. This the members of the committee 
 finally agreed to do after they had had several private conferences. 
 
 " As to the third charge, the Governor of Kansas received but one 
 complaint of breach of the contract of 1885, and this upon investiga- 
 tion proved to be without foundation. 
 
 " In my jugement, had the Executive Committee kept faith with 
 the Governors, and accepted the terms they succeeded in obtaining, 
 most of the men would have been re-employed, and much misery and 
 want avoided." 
 
 The 18th and 19th of March developed several acts of lawlessness 
 in Texas. Railroad bridges were burned and at least one passenger 
 train was derailed. In all cases of lawlessness the Knights of Labor 
 were the first to denounce them and disclaim any complicity. Never- 
 theless numbers of strikers were arrested by the United States mar- 
 shals, charging them with obstructing the execution of the processes of 
 the courts, and armed bodies of citizens, with blood hounds, began ac- 
 tive pursuit of the wreckers and bridge burners. In view of this 
 alarming state of affairs, the following circular was issued on the 19th, 
 at Marshall. 
 " To the Law-abiding Citizens of Harrison County, Texas. 
 
 " The time has arrived when those who class themselves as in- 
 cluded in the above caption, whether members of secret organizations 
 or not, should come promptly forward and by their deeds, not simply 
 words, align themselves with the sworn officers of the government to 
 preserve order, suppress violence and aid in carrying out the mandate 
 of the United States Circuit Court. The indisputable fact that an at- 
 tempt was made on last Monday night to burn a bridge on the Texas & 
 Pacific Road, just east of Marshall, and again last night the drawing of 
 spikes from the track which caused the derailment of passenger train 
 No. 305 this morning, about one and one-half miles west of Marshall, 
 are acts too diabolitical to comtemplate. Will the honest working-men
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 51 
 
 of Marshall, irrespective of all considerations except the preservation 
 
 of law and order, stand supinely by and thereby give sanction to 
 
 such acts which endanger the lives of innocent and defenceless women 
 
 and children, by fiends who are a disgrace to mankind ! 
 
 [Signed.] " E. B. WHEELER, 
 
 "General Agent for the Receivers." 
 " R. B. REAGAN, 
 
 " United States Marshall." 
 
 hi the meantime the citizens of Texas in all important towns were 
 holding mass meetings and passing resolutions condemnatory of the 
 strike. These were met by counter-resolutions on the part of the 
 Knights of Labor. Gov. Ireland, of Texas, offered rewards of $500 
 each for the arrest and conviction of the persons who removed the 
 rail on the Texas & Pacific Road on the 17th of March and burned two 
 bridges on the night of the 18th. Injunctions were served against the 
 strikers at Atchison and other points in Kansas, and sheriffs were en- 
 gaged in swearing in and arming of citizens as deputies at the princi- 
 pal places on the Missouri Pacific Railway lines in Missouri. 
 
 Mr. Powderly Lad departed for Canada. During his stay at Kansas 
 City, at his request, he was furnished with a copy of the grievances of 
 the employes of the Missouri Pacific Railway Company. It was as 
 follows : 
 
 "The company failed to live up to the terms of the agreement 
 made March 15, 1885, by the Governors of Missouri and Kansas and 
 the railroad company, and the subsequent agreement by the railroad 
 company and the employes, every article of which has been violated to 
 a great extent by the management of the Missouri Pacific. Committees 
 have been sent to Mr. Hoxie by the men to adjust the differences ex- 
 isting between them and the company. These committees were ignored 
 or would not be given a hearing, or when seen would be put off with 
 promises which were never fulfilled. Time and again the men visited 
 Mr. Hoxie without being able to effect a settlement of the difficulties. 
 Men were discharged without notice, in violation of the agreement re- 
 quiring thirty days' notice to be given, and in violation of the agreement 
 which plainly states : ' Should the company find it necessary to reduce 
 expenses, said reduction must be in the number of hours, and not by 
 the discharge of emplo3 T es.' Mr. Hoxie, when this violation was 
 brought to his notice, said he would do just as he saw fit about that. 
 contract or no contract. An entire force of section men were dis- 
 charged because they were Knights of Labor. When the matter was
 
 52 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 submitted to the officials of the Missouri Pacific they claimed that the 
 shopmen only were covered by the terms of the agreement, which 
 claim is absurd as the agreement includes all the employes of the com- 
 pany. The company refused to treat with any employes other than 
 shopmen. The working hours of the section men were so re- 
 duced that they could earn but fifty-five cents per day, and in stormy 
 weather their earnings were reduced still more. Nearly all of these 
 men have families to support on this pittance. They were often com- 
 pelled to go long distances from home to work and remain some time. 
 Their board bills alone exceeded their earnings from $1 to $3 per 
 month. They were not permitted to go home until their work was 
 completed. On one occasion the men were taken 400 miles from home, 
 and were not allowed time going and returning from work. Mr. Hoxie 
 refused to increase the pay of these men as per agreement. Represen- 
 tatives of several railroads held a meeting at St. Louis March 13, 1886, 
 to consider grievances of employes, and agreed to increase the wages 
 of unskilled workingmen to 11.50 per day. Mr. Hoxie was not present 
 at said meeting. On the following Monday, the loth, another meeting 
 was held, which Mr. Hoxie attended. The action of the previous 
 meeting was reconsidered. Notwithstanding the statement made by 
 the managers on the 13th, that the demands were reasonable and just, 
 it was decided that the railway companies would not confer with or re- 
 ceive any committee nor entertain any requests or demands from other 
 than individual employes. 
 
 " In order to build shops at Atchison the wages of the men em- 
 ployed there were reduced. The improvements are to cost $52,000, 
 and the money comes out of the employes. The Missouri Pacific and 
 tli?' central branch of the Union Pacific had about eighty engines at 
 this place for repairs, but removed them to the Cypress yards at 
 Kansas City, thereby reducing the working hours at Atchison. This 
 was done after the agreement one year ago. 
 
 " Bridgemen have been out on the line thirty-six hours, and re- 
 ceived pay for ten hours, the balance of the time being consumed in 
 going to and from the work. These men receive $2.60 per day for 
 the best men, and this is only since the trouble on the Texas & Pacific. 
 The employes being unable to get a hearing at the headquarters of 
 the Missouri Pacific, submitted the matter to the local assemblies of 
 Knights of Labor in the district, and it was unanimously resolved to 
 quit work.
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. ~>'o 
 
 " Mr. Hoxie has refused to arbitrate or confer with any committee 
 whatever, hence the present trouble on these lines. 
 
 " F. G. ELLS, 
 "Secretary District Assemby 107." 
 
 This matter is only alluded to here to illustrate the varied and dis- 
 similar character of the demands made upon the Missouri Pacific road. 
 The allegation that there was an agreement whereby the Missouri 
 Pacific Bailway Company bound itself to give thirty days' notice before 
 discharging an employ is not supported by the record. Neither does 
 it appear that the section men alluded to were discharged because they 
 were Knights of Labor. So far as is ascertainable, the bridgemen in 
 the employ of the Missouri Pacific never presented any grievances to 
 the management of that system, and as a class never struck. To add 
 to the complications already existing, the switchmen of the Chicago & 
 Alton ; Eock Island ; Wabash; Missouri Pacific ; Hannibal & St. Joseph ; 
 Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluffs ; Burlington & Missouri 
 Eiver ; Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe ; Union Pacific, and Kansas City, 
 Fort Scott & Gulf Eailroads, numbering two hundred and thirty per- 
 sons, struck at Kansas City on the morning of the 22d of March, and 
 the strike enforced idleness upon one hundred and fifty engineers and 
 as many firemen. No trains were allowed to depart, and all traffic 
 came to a standstill. This strike appears not to have been ordered by 
 the Knights of Labor, but grew out of a misunderstanding whereby 
 switchmen at Kansas City were to receive the same wages as were 
 paid at Chicago. 
 
 The round-house at Big Springs, Texas, was fired on the night of 
 the 21st, and about $60,000 worth of property destroyed. That the 
 , strikers were engaged in this outrage is only inferential. While round- 
 houses were broken into and machinery stolen and destroyed, shops 
 burned, bridges burned, tracks torn up and trains forcibly detained, 
 with cruel sarcasm the Knights of Labor at St. Louis were demanding 
 that the railway companies perform their duties according to their 
 charter privileges and resume commerce. It is not to be supposed 
 that during all this time the railroad officials were inactive. On the 
 contrary, they were pertinaciously day after day attempting to move 
 their trains, but with varying success. In many places men were ap- 
 plying for work and were being received in place of the strikers, and 
 in a degree traffic was in some localities being resumed. This only 
 maddened the baffled strikers at points where they were most numer- 
 ous, and they became bolder in their operations. After the failure of
 
 54 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 the two Governors to effect a settlement, and their announcement that 
 there was no just cause for a strike, citizens from Galveston to Kansas, 
 in public meetings, began to express their sympathies with the railroads, 
 and denounce the excesses of the Knights of Labor. Such actions 
 only served to exasperate the men engaged in the strike, and while it 
 would be unfair to charge acts of outrage and violence to the Knights 
 of Labor as an organization, it is safe to say that their constant recur- 
 rence could only be attributed to the more lawless individuals among 
 their number. Trains at St. Louis on the 23d were prevented by vio- 
 lence from departing. 
 
 At Sedalia on the same afternoon an attempt was made to 
 break the blockade. A freight train, in addition to its usual com- 
 plement of men, had on board officer Mason and special policeman 
 Neil, started, and had reached a crossing about three miles 
 from the city, when it was boarded by several men. Torpedos were 
 exploded and the train ditched. Mason had an arm and Neil a leg 
 broken ; Superintendent Frey and Trainmaster Lyon were badly bruised. 
 Conductor Spangler was hurled through the window of the caboose, 
 but was not dangerously hurt, while detective John DeLong was also 
 injured. Investigation showed that fish-plates and bolts had been re- 
 moved by skillful hands. At Atchison, Kansas, on the morning of the 
 23d, a mob of one hundred and fifty masked men entered the Central 
 Branch shops, forced the fifteen watchmen employed there into the 
 oil-house, threw a suggestive piece of crape in after them, and then 
 proceeded to disable all the engines in the round-house by bending the 
 valve-stems and stealing the link-lifters. A freight train was also cap- 
 tured and the fires withdrawn, as was also a switch-engine, which had 
 been heretofore unmolested. At Denison and Sherman, Texas, troubles 
 occurred by large bodies of men uncoupling cars and killing engines. 
 
 On the 24th of March scenes of violent excitement occurred in St. 
 Louis. A switch-engine was killed. A freight train under special po- 
 lice protection was. after difficulties, successfully moved. The angry 
 crowd of strikers then made an assault upon the shops of the Missouri 
 Pacific, but was repulsed, one police officer being severely wounded 
 by a stone. But with the moving of the train the backbone of the 
 strike was broken and gradually thereafter traffic was being resumed. 
 
 At this stage of proceedings the Knights of Labor at St. Louis .en- 
 deavored to enlist the sympathy and support of the business men of 
 that city, and for that purpose a meeting of merchants, etc., was called. 
 On the 24th, at a joint meeting of the Board of Directors of the Mer- 
 chants' Exchange and the Merchants' Transportation Committee, the 
 following paper was submitted and unanimously adopted :
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 55 
 
 "The Board of Directors and the Transportation Committee of tlie 
 Merchant's Exchange, in joint 'meeting' assembled, recognizing the im- 
 mense loss to the trade of this city by the suspension of traffic on the 
 Southwestern System, demand that the strike now throttling the com- 
 merce of several States and checking the slowly returning prosperity 
 of the whole country after three years of depression shall cease. We 
 demand this in the interest of labor, because, if continued or extended 
 it must deprive thousands not engaged in the present strike of wages 
 with which they are satisfied. 
 
 " It will force merchants and manufacturers, who have prepared 
 for the spring trade, into bankruptcy and enforce the discharge of large 
 numbers of laborers, besides preventing future undertakings, involving 
 the employment of capital and labor, it will, by depriving labor of 
 employment, lessen the ability to buy, and increase the cost of the 
 necessaries of life in the cities, where wage laborers congregate. 
 * " It will ruin such farmers as are dependent on prompt transporta- 
 tion of perishable products, and of fruit trees, seeds, and tools required 
 at this season. It will suspend mining and deprive the country of the 
 direct collateral benefits thereof. These are some of the material dam- 
 ages of a continuance of the strike. The moral effect will be to till the 
 country with tramps and outlaws ready at all times to take advantage 
 of the disturbed conditions to disgrace the name of labor. While we 
 believe in the right to quit work, we do not concede the right to pre- 
 vent others from working, and the ability and right to employ must in- 
 clude the right to discharge ; under free government, whether labor or 
 employment can be compelled. The strike has been conceded by some 
 of the principals to have been a blunder. The Governors of two States, 
 after investigation, declare it was without cause. It has led to lawless 
 acts, by which property has been damaged and blood spilled, and estab- 
 lished a veritable reign of terror. The continuance can only lead to 
 further crime and destruction of life and property. 
 
 " With this view of existing and prospective conditions we demand 
 of the strikers to resume work or to keep out of the way and cease in- 
 timidating others who may be willing to work, and we invoke the civil 
 and military powers of the cities, counties and State, and, if necessary, 
 of the United States, to preserve law and order, which will put an end 
 to the present unbearable conditions. 
 
 " While expressing these plain sentiments on the present situation, 
 we desire to express our sympathy with all wageworkers, and our will- 
 ingness to do anything in our power to improve their condition. Let 
 the prosperity of the country return, and then, if labor does not fairly
 
 56 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 participate in the improvement, we will be ready to help in the extent 
 of all the influence and power we can exercise. While these plain 
 words are addressed to the strikers, we must say to the managers of 
 the railroads involved : Treat your late employes with consideration. 
 Make them satisfied to work faithfully for your interests, and more 
 disposed to strike for than against you. Consider fairly all their griev- 
 ances. Let them feel that they are participating in your prosperity, 
 and then do your part towards protecting the community against 
 further calamity. 
 
 On the same day a monster mass-meeting of merchants and manu- 
 facturers was held at the Mercantile Club, and was presided over by 
 Mr. M. J. Lippman, with Mr. John E. Holmes as secretary. Upon 
 taking the chair the presiding officer used this language : 
 
 " The meeting has been called for the purpose of expressing our 
 views in the most emphatic manner, and declaring that the blockade 
 on the commerce of the city shall and must be raised — peaceably, if 
 possible, forcibly, if necessary. ^Ye do not propose to discuss the 
 causes of the strike, nor to take sides, but we will not submit to ter- 
 rorism and anarchy. The trains must run." 
 
 Resolutions which had been previously prepared and circulated 
 for signatures were taken up, discussed and unanimously adopted. 
 They were as follows : 
 
 "Resolved, That in the opinion of the merchants and manufac- 
 turers of St. Louis the strike on the Missouri Pacific System has 
 ceased to be merely a question between employers and employed, and 
 has become a matter of national importance, involving great questions 
 of right and wrong, in the settlement of which four States are vitally 
 interested, and on the right solution of which may depend the very 
 integrity of the republic, and certainly the maintenance of the principle 
 of freedom and the rights of persons and property upon which our 
 government is founded. In view of this, we believe it to be the duty 
 of all good citizens to refuse to be silent when justice, peace, order 
 and liberty of action are threatened, and that it is peculiarly the duty 
 of the mercantile and manufacturing communities to protest against 
 a state of affairs which is working ruin to the commercial, industrial 
 and laboring interests of St. Louis and of the southwest. 
 
 "Resolved, That while we recognize to the fullest extent the right 
 of all men to organize for mutual protection and all legitimate and law- 
 ful purposes, and to unitedly abandon employment when they see fit, 
 we denounce as tyrannical, unjust and illegal any attempt to interfere 
 with the rights of others to such employment, or to prevent by vio-
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 57 
 
 lence or secret or open intimidation, the exercise of their rights, and 
 we denounce also any and all interference with the rights of property, 
 with the rights of the public to the unrestricted use of the railways 
 of the country, and any unlawful dictation from any source as to how 
 the business of citizens or corporations shall be conducted, and all 
 similar efforts to destroy the freedom of action, or to control the 
 property of others, believing- them to be subversive of every principle 
 upon which free government and free institutions are founded, and to 
 be equally destructive to the rights of rich and poor, employers and 
 employed, and to threaten the very foundations of society. 
 
 "Resolved, That in this crisis, as we esteem it, we call upon all 
 good citizens, all business exchanges and business organizations, and 
 especially upon all wageworkers, to rally to the support of law and order, 
 and to express their convictions fearlessly on the question at isssue, 
 which is : Shall the laws be enforced which guarantee to owners of 
 property that they may control it, and to those who seek work, that 
 they may accept it 1 
 
 "Resolved, That we demand of the Missouri Pacific Railway Sys- 
 tem that freight traffic be resumed at once, and that we demand also 
 of the municipal and State authorities that protection to the full ex- 
 tent of the power of the city and the State be afforded in such resump- 
 tion. 
 
 "Resolved, That we pledge to the authorities our support in up- 
 holding law and order, and in the protection of life and property." 
 
 Notwithstanding these emphatic utterances of business men all 
 over the system, the work of destruction and intimidation was contin- 
 ued, no less than five engines being killed on that day, the 24th, in the 
 yards at St. Louis alone. Engines were also killed at Omaha, Ne- 
 braska, 
 
 Governor Marmaduke, of Missouri, issued the following proclama- 
 tion : 
 
 " proclamation. 
 
 " Executive Department, 
 City of Jefferson, March 24, 1886. 
 
 "The internal commerce of the State of Missouri is carried on almost 
 entirely by railroad. These roads are owned by private corporations 
 belonging to that class of persons whose property is subject to a public 
 use, and that use is, in this case, as a thoroughfare or public highway, 
 as defined in section 14, article 12 of our State Constitution. Railroad
 
 58 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 companies are declared by the same section of the Constitution to be 
 ' common carriers.' As such it is their duty to receive all passengers 
 and freight that are offered, transport the same with reasonable dis- 
 patch, and, in general terms, to deliver them uninjured at their point of 
 destination. In order that these public highways may be opened and 
 these common carriers established in business upon them, the State 
 has granted to these companies the privileges of incorporation, where- 
 by their stockholders, after paying in the par value of their stock, are 
 exempt from any further pecuniary liability to the company or to its 
 creditors, no matter what amount of debt maybe incurred by it. They 
 are also authorized to issue stock to the full amount of the cost of their 
 property and a bonded debt to an equal amount more. In addition, 
 the State and its lesser public corporations, such as cities, counties 
 and townships, have subsidized these companies so liberally that in 
 some localities debts were created therefor, to pay which generations 
 to come wiil have to be taxed. To crown all, the State has exerted in 
 their favor its right of eminent domain by condemning private property 
 for their use, which act alone stamps their property with an indelible 
 mark signifying devoted to a public use. 
 
 "In return for all these privileges, immunities and favors, the 
 State claims nothing, except that her people shall have the use of the 
 transportation facilities thus created and provided, in the manner indi- 
 cated by their constitutional and other legal rights. The right to the 
 enjoyment of this use by the people is paramount, ought to be, and 
 shall be respected. The railroad companies themselves have, by accept- 
 ing these conditions, assumed the responsibility of securing to the 
 people this enjoyment. Every stockholder in these companies has 
 knowingly assumed his share of that responsibility, and every employe, 
 from president to trackmen, has knowingly entered a service on 
 which this responsibility rests, and has voluntarily assumed the actual 
 performance of a part of the duties incident thereto. 
 
 •• The lines operated by the Missouri Pacific Eailway Company 
 carry nearly one-third of the railroad traffic of the State of Missouri. 
 On these lines no freight has been moved during the last seventeen 
 days. Thousands of tons are stopped in transit, and the people are 
 consequently suffering enormous inconvenience, damage and loss. 
 This is caused by a refusal of a part of the employes of said company 
 to perform their duties or to allow others to take their places. It is 
 alleged that there are unsettled grievances of some sort between them 
 and the chief executive officers, which is to say. that there is some dis-
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 59 
 
 agreement between two classes of the employes of the same company. In 
 the eye of the law they are all component parts of the same organization, 
 and they must settle whatever differences there may be among them- 
 selves in some other way than by inflicting upon the people of the 
 State the incalculable injury which this stoppage of the freight traffic 
 involves. 
 
 " Wherefore, I, John S. Marmadnke, Governor of the State of 
 Missouri, by virtue of the authority in me vested, do hereby call upon 
 the Missouri Pacific Railway Company, and upon all its officers, agents 
 and employes of every grade, each in their several capacities, to assist 
 in resuming traffic of all kinds, in the usual way, on all railroad lines 
 operated by said company in Missouri, and I warn all persons, whether 
 they be employes or not, against interposing any obstacle whatever in 
 the way of said resumption ; and with a firm reliance upon the courage, 
 good sense and law-abiding spirt of the people, I hereby call upon all 
 good citizens to assist in carrying out the purposes of this proclama- 
 tion ; and I also hereby pledge the whole power of the State, so far as 
 it may be lawfully wielded by its chief executive officer, to sustain said 
 company and its servants in said resumption, and to restrain and 
 punish all that may oppose it. 
 
 "In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand and cause to be 
 affixed the great seal of the State of Missouri. Done at the City of 
 Jefferson, this 24th day of March, A. D. 1880. 
 
 " JOHN S. MARMADUKE. 
 
 " By the Governor : 
 
 " Michl. K. McGrath, 
 
 " Secretary of State." 
 
 The proclamation issued by Governor Marmadnke is significant in 
 this: That it clearly points out and defines the duties of all employes 
 of corporations. No distinction is made between the president and 
 directors of the railway corporation and the sub-employes. Under their 
 charter individuality ceases, and all, in whatever degree, become em- 
 ployes of the corporation, and are alike responsible to the State. The 
 proclamation simply declares that because of a dispute between two 
 classes of employes the State and the public shall not suffer. 
 
 On the 25th of March Governor Martin, of Kansas, issued the fol- 
 lowing proclamation :
 
 60 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 " State of Kansas, 
 Executive Department, 
 Topeka, March 25, 1886. 
 
 " To the Sheriffs, County Attorneys and other Peace Officers of the State 
 of Kansas : 
 
 " Kansas has no waterways within in its borders ; its interstate 
 and internal commerce is carried by its railways. The railways are 
 common carriers, and the prosperity of the State and the interests and 
 welfare of its people, farmers, mechanics, merchants, manufacturers, 
 laborers and all others are dependent upon the uninterrupted operation 
 of the railway lines of the State. The interruption of these great 
 arteries of commerce is a disaster to all, and hence is the concern of 
 all. The operation is vitally essential to every commercial, industrial 
 and agricultural interest of the people, and hence not only the greatest 
 good to the greatest number, but the greatest good to each individual 
 citizen, is subserved by their uninterrupted operation. 
 
 "We are now in the third week of the most serious business dis- 
 aster that has ever befallen our State. The forcible stoppage of trans- 
 portation along the lines of railroads touches the interests of a third of 
 the people of Kansas, several hundred thousand in number. Supplies 
 of food and fuel are cut off in many localities. Farmers, mechanics 
 and manufacturers are prevented from selling and shipping their stock 
 and goods, and from paying thousands of laborers hitherto in their 
 employ. Thus the strike of a few railroad men cripples and stops the 
 business and industry of great masses of our people. 
 
 " The cause of the difficulty it is not our province to determine. We 
 live in a law-abiding State, and are the servants of law ; corporations 
 and the people must alike obey the law. As new grievances arise new 
 legislative remedies will be found and adopted, but we must act under, 
 and obey and enforce the laws we have. Those who violate the laws 
 should be arrested and brought before the courts for trial and pun- 
 ishment. 
 
 "The stopping of transportation and the stagnation of business 
 have endured long enough. The wheels of industry must be put in 
 motion. No one class of men have any right in law or equity, common 
 sense or justice, to paralyze the business of the country, to work dis- 
 aster to the tiller of the soil, to close the mills and factories of the 
 State, and to throw thousands of workingmen engaged in every de- 
 partment of human activity out of employment. The rights of the 
 many cannot be yielded to the claims of the few. The men engaged in 
 this ' strike ' may have just grievances ; they may be the victims of cor-
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 61 
 
 porate greed and power, but this fact does not justify lawlessness or 
 turbulence, or the destruction of property, or the forcible stoppage of 
 the transportation lines of the State, and the resulting loss or wrong to 
 hundreds of thousands of people in no wise responsible for the contro- 
 versy between the railway company and its employes. 
 
 "The people of Kansas, acting through their representatives, can 
 be relied on to see that the just grievances of any class of citizens, or 
 any wrongs done by corporate power, are redressed and prevented by 
 law. The laws of Kansas, in so far as the interests of her workingmen 
 are involved, are more liberal than those of any other State in the 
 Union. The Legislature at its last session enacted a law, the object of 
 which was to settle conflicts between employers and employes by 
 peaceful and honorable arbitration. Kansas has taken the lead on 
 many great questions affecting the rights or interests of her work- 
 ingmen. 
 
 " I therefore call upon all sheriffs, county attorneys, and other 
 peace officers to discharge their duties under the law, to preserve the 
 peace, to protect the property, to see that the commerce of the State 
 is not interrupted by violence or lawless acts, and to arrest and bring- 
 before the courts for trial and punishment all who are guilty of any 
 violation of law. In the discharge of this duty you have power to call 
 upon every citizen to aid you, and I appeal to all law-respecting citizens 
 to support your authority, to the end that order may be restored, that 
 commerce of the State may be resumed, and that industry and pros- 
 perity may take the place of unseemly feud, business stagnation, and 
 industrial paralysis. All the lawful authority of the State will be ex- 
 erted to support local officers in the discharge of the duties thus en- 
 joined upon them, and all persons are hereby warned against inter- 
 posing any obstacles in the way of the officers of the law, or obstruct- 
 ing the lines of transportation on which the commerce of the State 
 is -carried. 
 
 " In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand, and cause to be af- 
 fixed the great seal of the State of Kansas. Done at the city of To- 
 peka, tli is 25th day of March, A. D. 1886 
 
 " By the Governor. * "JOHX A. MARTIN. 
 
 " E. B. Allen, Secretary of State." 
 
 On the same day, March 25, Governor Ireland, of Texas, issued his 
 proclamation as follows : 
 
 " Whereas, it has been made known to me that disturbances, ir- 
 regularities and violations of law are of frequent occurrence on various
 
 62 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 railroads in this State ; that trains carrying freight and passengers are 
 interfered with by persons having no connection with said roads ; that 
 bridges have been burned, spikes have been withdrawn, and trains de- 
 railed, to the great detriment of commerce and travel and the placing 
 of life in great peril. It is said that this condition of affairs on the rail- 
 way lines has been brought about by the organization known as the 
 Knights of Labor, and that the persons engaged in these lawless deeds 
 are members of that order. 
 
 " Whether this is true or not, it is hardly credible that this order, 
 or the best element of it, can countenance the violation of the law men- 
 tioned. Employes have the unquestioned moral and legal right to 
 quit the service of their employers whenever their employment is not 
 remunerative and satisfactory, provided such action does not violate 
 their contract ; but when they quit and sever their relations it is the 
 duty of those quitting to get out of the way, and leave any others who 
 may wish to take the service abandoned free to do so. Intimidation of, 
 or interference with, persons desiring to work is a gross violation of 
 the rights of freemen and cannot be tolerated in a free government. 
 
 " Now, therefore, I, John Ireland, Governor of Texas, do hereby 
 issue this, my proclamation, warning all persons, whoever they may be, 
 engaged in any of said unlawful acts, that they are entailing on them- 
 selves disaster and ruin, and that offended and outraged justice must 
 sooner or later overtake and punish them unless they promptly cease 
 their lawlessness. I appeal to the law-abiding people throughout the 
 State to aid the civil officers in restoring order and in executing the 
 laws and in discountenancing in every way possible this abnormal con- 
 dition. I especially appeal to all civil officers, judges, sheriffs, con- 
 stables, and city officials to make use of all means given them by law to 
 restore order with the assurance that every power of the State, if law- 
 fully invoked, will be used to enforce the law. 
 
 [Signed] "JOHN IRELAND, 
 
 " Governor." 
 
 On the same day Governor Hughes, of Arkansas, issued a procla- 
 mation to like effect. 
 
 The proclamation of Governor Marmaduke being telegraphed to 
 New York, the next day he received. the following telegraphic message: 
 
 " New York, March 2o, 188G. 
 "To his Excel! cue a. Governor Marmaduke, Jefferson City, Mo. 
 
 " At a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Missouri Pacific 
 Railroad Company, held in New York, March 25, 1886, at 2 p. M., the
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 63 
 
 proclamation of his Excellency. Governor Marmaduke, of Missouri, 
 was read, and on motion duly seconded, it was 
 
 " Resolved, That this company will in the future, as it has sought 
 to do in the past, make every effort to secure the earliest possible full 
 and regular resumption of the operation of its trains, and it pledges 
 itself to perform and comply on its part with all the requisitions of the 
 Governor in said proclamation. 
 
 " Resolved, That the second assistant secretary transmit a copy of 
 the foregoing to his Excellency, the Governor of Missouri. 
 
 " By order of the Board. 
 
 [Signed] " Guy Phillips, 
 
 " Second Assistant Secretary." 
 
 The switchmen's strike at Kansas City terminated satisfactorily on 
 the 25th, but in East St. Louis, Illinois, on the same date, about eighty 
 switchmen, representing the several terminal railways at that point, at 
 the instance of J. J. McGarry, Judge Advocate of the Knights of 
 Labor, quit work. The strike appears to have been sympathetic with 
 the strikers of St. Louis and the Gould system, though it was claimed 
 that there was a discrimination in wages in East St. Louis and Chicago 
 for the same character of work. Martin Irons and J. J. McGarry ap. 
 peared to be the leading spirits in this strike, which was ultimately to 
 result in tragedy and disaster. 
 
 During this time, freight trains, under difficulties, had began to 
 move, irregularly, and new men had began to be employed in the vari- 
 ous departments of railroad business. This only served to incense 
 the strikers and acts of violence became more frequent, but the unde- 
 niable fact remained that the roads were gradually resuming their busi- 
 ness. 
 
 On the 25th a freight train passing through Pacific, Mo., was raided 
 by a large number of Knights of Labor and their wives, who nocked 
 from the Assembly Hall, and pelted the trainmen and guards with all 
 sorts of missiles, including gun and pistol shots. These shots were re- 
 turned by the guards, but fortunately no one was seriously injured. 
 This affair, however, subsequently resulted in the indictment, arrest 
 and conviction of the leader of the mob, who after serving a few 
 months in the Missouri Penitentiary was released and soon after died. 
 
 A mass-meeting was held at Jefferson City, irrespective of party, 
 at which resolutions were adopted, endorsing the Governor's proclama- 
 tion and denouncing the strikers. On the same date, the strikers and 
 Knights of Labor at Holden, Mo., held a meeting, declared they had
 
 64 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 no grievance, and announced their determination to go to work. At 
 the same time the Knights of Labor at Fort Worth, Texas, in a public 
 meeting, asked a "suspension of judgment." etc. 
 
 Immediately upon receiving the news of the trouble at Pacific, 
 which is some thirty-six miles west of St. Louis, on the mainline of the 
 Missouri Pacific, and St. Louis & San Francisco Railroads, Governor 
 Marmaduke, by special train, dispatched Adjutant-General Jamison, 
 p-with a select party of fourteen men and seventy-five stands of arms and 
 ammunition to that place. Upon arriving there, the sheriff swore in as 
 special deputies about fifty citizens. It is worthy of note that this ac- 
 tion of the Governor was by telegraphic request of the Mayor of Pa- 
 cific, himself a Knight of Labor. 'While in conference with General 
 Jamison and others a passenger train passed through Pacific going 
 west, and when only a few miles out, strikers, who had previously 
 boarded the train, " demoralized " the conductor and killed the engine- 
 However, after the deputies were armed, there was no further trouble 
 at Pacific. 
 
 ^Yhile these events were transpiring on the west side of the river, 
 troubles of even a more serious nature were being enacted on the east 
 side, at East St. Louis. Acts of violence were frequent and all trains 
 were impeded in their movements. 
 
 The gradual and partial resumption of railroad traffic in Missouri, 
 Kansas and Texas portended the end of the strike, and Mr. Powderly 
 again became prominent. On the 27th, he indited the following letter 
 to Mr. Jay Gould : 
 
 " Xoble Order of the Knights of Labor of 
 America, Office of General Secretary, 
 Philadelphia, March 27, 1886. 
 
 " Mr. Jay Gould : 
 
 "Sir: The General Executive Board would be pleased to have 
 
 an interview with you at your convenience to-day for the purpose of 
 
 submitting the Southwest difficulties to a committee of seven (7) for 
 
 arbitration, three of the committee to be appointed by yourself and 
 
 three by the General Executive Board ; the six to select the seventh 
 
 member of the committee, their decision in the matter to be final. 
 
 Should this proposition be acceptable we will at once issue an order 
 
 • for the men to return to work. 
 
 " By order of the General Executive Board, 
 
 " Frederick Turner, 
 
 " SecT etarv of Board."
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. G5 
 
 To which Mr. Gould responded as follows : 
 
 "The Missouri Pacific Railway Company, 
 New York, March L'7, 1886. 
 
 *' Frederick Turner, Esq., Secretary, etc., Philadelphia, Pa.: 
 
 " Dear Sir : I have your note of this date proposing an inter- 
 view between your Executive Committee and the officers of this com- 
 pany, for the purpose of submitting to arbitration by a committee of 
 seven what you term the '* Southwestern difficulties.' You are doubt- 
 less aware that in the negotiations which took place here last August 
 between Mr. T. V. Powderly, Grand Master Workman, and associates, 
 and the officers of this company, it was agreed that in future no strikes 
 would be ordered on The Missouri Pacific road until after a conference 
 with the officers of the company and an opportunity to adjust any al- 
 leged grievances. In view of this fact, attention is drawn to the fol- 
 lowing correspondence between Mr. A. L. Hopkins, Vice-President 
 acting for this company in my absence, and Mr. Powderly : 
 
 " ' New York, March 6, 1886. 
 "'T. V. Powderly, Scranton, Pa.: 
 
 '"Mr. Hoxie telegraphes that the Knights of Labor on our road 
 have struck and refuse to allow any freight trains to run on our road, 
 saying they have no grievance, but are only striking because they are 
 ordered to do so. If there is any grievance we would like to talk it 
 over with you. We understood you to promise that no strike should 
 be ordered without consultation. 
 
 "'A. L. HOPKINS. 
 
 " ' Philadelphia, Pa., March 8, 1886. 
 "'A. L. Hopkins, Secretary Missouri Pacific Railroad, 195 Broadway, 
 New York: 
 
 " ' Have telegraphed West for particulars. Papers say strike caused 
 by discharge of man named Hall. Can he be reinstated pending inves- 
 tigation ? 
 
 " ' T. V. PO WDEELY. 
 
 " ' New York, March 8, 1886. 
 " l T. V. Powderly: 
 
 " ' Thanks for your message and suggestion. Hall was employed by 
 the Texas & Pacific and not by us. That property is in the hands of 
 the United States Court and we have no control whatever over the re- 
 
 L s — 5
 
 66 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 ceivers or over the employes. We have carried out the agreements 
 made last spring in every respect, and the present strike is unjust to us 
 and unwise for you. It is reported here that this movement is the re- 
 sult of Wall street influence on the part of those short of the securities 
 likely to be affected. 
 
 " ' A. L. HOPKIXS.' 
 
 " No reply to this message was received, but this company's re- 
 quest for a conference was ignored and its premises at once invaded 
 and its property destroyed by the men of your order in great numbers, 
 who also seized and disabled its trains, as they have since continued to 
 do. whenever attempting to run. The Board of Directors of this com- 
 pany thereupon had a copy of the correspondence above given made 
 and transmitted to Mr. H. M. Hoxie, the First Vice-President and Gen- 
 eral Manager at St. Louis, with instructions to use every endeavor 
 to continue the operation of the road, and committed the whole matter 
 to his hands. 
 
 " Mr. Hoxie's overtures, made through the Governors of Missouri 
 and Kansas, who stated that they found no cause for the strike, were 
 rejected by your order. These and the subsequent correspondence 
 between him and Mr. Powderly are well known to you, and Mr. Hoxie's 
 course has been confirmed by the board and the matter is still in his 
 hands. I am, therefore, instructed by the board to refer you to him as 
 its continuing representative in the premises. 
 
 "I am directed toaddin behalf of the board, that in its judgment so 
 long as this company is forcibly kept from the control of its property and 
 from performing its charter duties, its business is done, if at all, not un- 
 der the conditions of law, which are common to all citizens, but only at 
 the will of a law-breaking force. Any negotiations with such a force 
 would be unwise and useless. Terms made with it would not be a set- 
 tlement of difficulties, but a triumph of force over the law of the land. 
 It would mean nothing in their judgment but new troubles and worse. 
 This is the result of their experience. 
 
 "In the meantime, the Governor's proclamation enjoins upon your 
 men to return to duty, and this company's continued advertisement 
 offers them employment on the same terms as heretofore. The board 
 further suggests that inasmuch as your order assuming in your com- 
 munication responsibility for these men and power and control over 
 them, the following from the proclamation of the Governor of Missouri 
 is expressive of their duty and of your own :
 
 BUEEAU OF LABOE STATISTICS. 67 
 
 " ' I warn all persons, whether they be employes ar not, against in- 
 terposing any obstacle whatever in the way of said resumption, and with 
 a firm reliance npon the courage, good sense and law-abiding spirit of 
 the public, I hereby call upon all good citizens to assist in carrying out 
 the purposes of this proclamation ; and I also hereby pledge the whole 
 power of the State, so far as it may be lawfully wielded by its chief ex- 
 ecutive officer, to sustain the company and its servants in said resump- 
 tion, and to restrain and punish all that may oppose it.' 
 
 " When this proclamation shall be obeyed and when the company's 
 late employes shall desist from violence and interference with its trains, 
 the board hereby assure them that they will find themselves met by Mr. 
 Hoxie in the spirit in which he has heretofore successfully avoided 
 rupture and cause for just complaint, and in that just and liberal spirit 
 which should always exist between the employer and the employed. 
 By order of the board. 
 
 " Very respectfully yours, 
 
 "JAY GOULD, 
 " President Missouri Pacific Eailway Company." 
 
 To this Mr. Powderly made the following reply : 
 
 " New Yoek, March 27, 1886. 
 " Jay Gould, President : 
 
 "Deae Sib — We have received your reply to our communication 
 of this morning. The statements made in your reply are worthy of more 
 consideration than can be given to them at this moment. We are not 
 in possession here of the telegrams or communications or copies of the 
 same, referred to in your letter. We came here unprepared, with no 
 thought of using them here. The field that would be opened up for 
 discussion would be so broad that it would take a good deal of time and 
 space to cover it as contained in your reply. This would necessitate a 
 review of the transactions of last year, beginning with the strike of 
 March, 1885, continuing through the Wabash troubles, which brought 
 on our meeting with you in August, down to the strike on the Texas 
 Pacific, and its extension to the Missouri river lines. 
 
 ' We consider that all this is unnecessary at this time. Public in- 
 terest, the interest of both parties to this controversy, will not be served 
 by a longer continuance of the strike if there is a shadow of a chance 
 to bring'it to a"speedy termination. With that idea in view, we prefer 
 to let this discussion go, and allow this matter to be decided upon its 
 merits by an impartial committee, selected as indicated in our communi- 
 cation of this morning. Let them proceed to adjust the differences,
 
 68 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 and having settled that matter and set in motion the idle wheels and 
 hands, we have no objections to the same committee reviewing our 
 actions in the matter, and we are willing to be judged, to receive cen- 
 sure at their hands if necessary, for any short-comings they may deem 
 us guilty of. The needs of the hour require that this strike terminate 
 speedily ; if that is done the other matters can be very readily at- 
 tended to. " Very truly yours, 
 
 "T. V. POWDERLY." 
 
 Mr. Gould's reply to this letter was as follows : 
 
 "President's Office, 
 The Missouri Pacific Railway Co., 
 New York, March 28, 1886. 
 
 " T. V. Powderly, Esq., 6. M., Etc. : 
 
 " Dear Sir— Replying to your letter of 27th inst., I write to say 
 that I will to-morrow morning send the following telegraphic instruc- 
 tions : 
 
 " ' H. M. Hoxie, General Manager, St. Louis : 
 
 " ' In resuming the movement of trains on the Missouri Pacific and 
 in the re-employment of labor in the several departments of the company 
 you will give preference to our late employes whether they are mem- 
 bers of the Knights of Labor or not, except that you will not re-employ 
 any person who has injured the company's property during the late strike 
 nor will we discharge any person who has taken service with us during 
 said strike. We see no objection to arbitrating any differences be- 
 tween the employes and the company, past or future.' 
 
 " ' Hoping the above will be satisfactory, I remain, 
 
 " ' Yours truly, 
 "< JAY GOULD, President.' " 
 
 On the 28th Mr. Powderly sent the following telegrams : 
 
 " New York, March 28, 1886. 
 
 ' Martin Irons, Chairman Executive Board, District Assembly No. 
 101, St. Louis, Mo.: 
 
 " President Jay Gould has consented to our proposition for arbitra- 
 tion, and so telegraphs Vice-President Hoxie. Order men to resume 
 work at once. By order of the Executive Board. 
 
 [Signed! " T. V. POWDERLY, 
 
 " G. M. W., K. of L."
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 69 
 
 " New York, March 28, 1886. 
 "To the Knights of Labor noiv on strike in the Southwest: 
 
 Pursuant to telegraphic instructions sent to the chairman of the 
 Executive Board, District Assembly 101, you are directed to resume 
 work at once. By order of the Executive Board. 
 
 [Signed] "T. V. POWDERLY, 
 
 " G. M. W.» 
 
 The situation in East St. Louis at this time was becoming serious. 
 The strikers were violent and aggressive, and speedily all traffic was in 
 a measure suspended. This strike in East St. Louis appears to have 
 been purely sympathetic, and was therefore more violent. It is not of 
 record that they even presented their grievances, real or immagi- 
 nary, to all the railway companies of which they complained ; yet rein- 
 forced by boys and women, they assailed and stopped nearly all trains, 
 assaulting trainmen, pulling coupling pins, etc. 
 
 In the meantime, while negotiations were pending in New York ; 
 looking to a settlement of the difficulties, various acts of violence were 
 being perpetrated in Missouri, Texas and Kansas. 
 
 The history of the diplomatic controversy between Mr. Powderly 
 and Mr. Gould is interesting, if not valuable. The "fence" of each is 
 admirable. 
 
 On the 26th of March the St. Louis Globe-Democrat printed the 
 following secret circular from Mr. Powderly, which will explain some 
 things heretofore unaccountable for in the history of the great strike : 
 
 " [Secret Circular.] 
 
 "Xoble Order of the Knights of Labor of America, Phila- 
 delphia, Pa., March 13, 1886. — The recording secretary will, on receipt 
 of this circular, place it in the hands of the Master Workman, whose 
 duty it shall be to issue a red letter call for a full meeting either regu- 
 lar or special, have a full attendance, and read it. Its extreme length 
 must be excused, for I cannot go to each assembly to speak on the 
 present crisis, and take this method of reaching them. 
 
 "An order was recently issued to suspend organization of new as- 
 semblies for forty days. It did not go out until a careful review of the 
 field had been taken. Had I not been convinced that it was absolutely 
 necessary for the salvation of the order, my vote would not be cast in 
 favor of a cessation of the work. 
 
 "One of the gravest emergencies that ever faced a human being 
 stands squarely before the head of this order to-day. It is not coming —
 
 70 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 it is here — and must be firmly dealt with. Before taking another step 
 in any direction, I want to go before the great mass of our membership 
 through the medium of this circular, ask of them to speak to me as 
 frankly as I now talk to them, and tell me what is best to be done. If 
 the order is to perform its mission as intended by its founders and 
 those who have worked with it from the beginning, a radical change 
 must be effected. A stop must be called and the ship brought back 
 to her moorings. It has always been, and is at the present time, my 
 policy to advocate conciliation and arbitration in the settlements of 
 disputes between employer and employe. The law of knighthood de- 
 mands at the hands of our members an adherence to that policy. Thou- 
 sands of men who have become disgusted with the ruinous policy of 
 the strike, as the only remedy for ills we complain of were drawn to us 
 because we proclaimed to mankind that we had discarded the strike 
 until all else had failed. The men and women who flocked to our stand- 
 ard have a knowledge of their wrongs. They have endured these 
 wrongs for years and in reason are in duty bound to learn how to right 
 these wrongs by the least expensive and most satisfactory, as well as 
 lasting, remedy. 
 
 " Six months will not teach men our principles and proper methods, 
 yet men are impressed with the idea that they can learn them in six 
 weeks or six days, and before the groundwork for a proper education 
 is laid, we find our assemblies on a strike or locked out ; and in too 
 many cases the provocation comes from their own hasty and incon- 
 siderate action. No matter what advantage we gain by the strike, it is 
 only medicating the symptoms ; it does not penetrate the system, and 
 therefore fails in effecting a cure. The only natural sequence is a re- 
 lapse, and a relapse always means more medicine and a weaker patient 
 than before. You must bear with me and read this letter to the end, 
 for it may be the last one I will ever write to you. My duties to the 
 order and humanity must not be measured by the standard of dollars 
 and cents. My policy must no longer be misunderstood. 
 
 "While I, as the chosen mouth-piece of the order, am proclaiming 
 to the world that the Knights of Labor do not advocate or countenance 
 strikes until every other remedy has failed, the wires from a thousand 
 cities and towns are bearing the news of as many strikes by Knights 
 of Labor in which arbitration and conciliation were never hinted at. 
 Not that alone, but they were in many cases scorned and rejected by 
 our own members. In some cases these strikes were entered upon 
 against the advice of the general Executive Board. It is claimed by 
 our members that arbitration is one-sided. That may be true of the
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 71 
 
 past, but the voluntary concessions made to us within the last three 
 months prove most conclusively that the just claims of labor will be 
 listened to if we go forward in the way we started out. It is claimed 
 that this is a year for concessions and advances. Be that as it may, we 
 can not force them by striking. I am aware that the machinery is not 
 capable of performing the work required by the large gains in member- 
 ship, and this fact must have a restraining influence on our members 
 until the next General Assembly meets. Five hundred assemblies 
 were added to the roll in February — as many as were organized in the 
 first eight years of the order's existence. It is not within the bounds 
 of human possibility to expect that all of these new recruits can be 
 properly trained before the assemblies are founded. The organizers 
 seldom visit them for instruction but once, and this is not enough. 
 They must devote their spare moments to educating those already or- 
 ganized, before adding any more new assemblies to the order. To at- 
 tempt to coin concessions or gains with our present raw, undisciplined 
 membership, would be like hurling an unorganized mob against a well 
 drilled regular army. Again, it is not fair to the older assemblies to 
 bring in new members, pick up their quarrels as soon as organized, 
 and have them expect pecuniary aid from those who helped build the 
 order up for a noble purpose. It is not wise to give men and women 
 a premium for joining us. It is wrong to encourage them in the idea 
 that they have nothing to do themselves, that they are to lean upon 
 others ; they must depend upon themselves, and in any case cannot 
 receive assistance inside of six months, and I will hold out no induce- 
 ments that will encourage them in the belief that they will receive as- 
 sistance even then. We have built up a moral force that will command 
 a hearing for us before any tribunal in the country. We must not 
 fritter away our strength and miss the golden opportunity to crown 
 every effort with success by rushing into useless strikes. 
 
 "To the cardinal principles of the order we must add another — 
 patience. You have had patience for years: and had not the Knights 
 of Labor appeared upon the scene you would still be waiting. Your 
 scales of prices must stand as they arc for the present if you can not 
 raise them by any other process than a strike. You must submit to 
 injustice at the hands of the employer in patience for a while longer. 
 Bide well your time. Make no display of organization or strength until 
 .you have every man and woman in your department of industry organ- 
 ized, and then do not strike, hut study, not only your own condition, 
 but that of your employer. Find out how much you are justly entitled 
 to, and the tribunal of arbitration will settle the rest. Organizers who
 
 72 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 publish an account of their work to the world, assemblies that publish 
 an account of their strength to the world, and members, whether pub- 
 lic or private, wlio speak boastingly of our strength to the world, are 
 very indiscreet. Mind your own business, keep your own counsel. If 
 the world wishes to learn anything concerning" us let it ask for infor- 
 mation. If it is proper to give the information we may do it. When 
 we can win a victory let us be magnanimous, and not boast of it or 
 speak slightingly of the vanquished ; he who does so is a coward. 
 Each district assembly, each local assembly must appoint a committee 
 on instructions to teach our members what our order was intended for. 
 I have no advise as to how much they should be taught : let them learn 
 all they can. 
 
 "The Knights of Labor are not opposed to the employer of labor,, 
 but it was not intended that the order should harbor unjust employers. 
 In many assemblies the employer and manufacturer have a controlling 
 influence. The men who work for them will express themselves as 
 they feel, and, in my opinion, it would be best to treat with an employer 
 as he is rather than as a brother Knight. We can deal with him just as 
 fairly beyond the veils as within the sanctuary. Take in as few em- 
 ployers as possible. 
 
 " The name of this order and its principles are published every- 
 where, and men who stood openly arrayed against us twoyer.rs ago are 
 now our friends ; beware of them. Take them in if you will, but watch 
 them. The politician is planning night and day how to catch the Knights 
 of Labor for the advantages of himself or party, and, rest assured, he 
 has his emissaries in our ranks. We must expect this and we must 
 stamp out every effort of the party man — it matters not of which party 
 — who attempts to use us for political purposes. To those assemblies 
 which drag the name of the order into the political action of any party, 
 I say: We are greater than any party on American soil to-day, and 
 we must remain so. Every reform that could possibly come through 
 the organization of a new party can be obtained with one. We are 
 every day gaining concessions from State and Nation : thus the lie is 
 given to those who urge the formation of a new party. To use the name 
 of the order in a political contest is criminal, and must not occur again. 
 It is evident that our members are not properly instructed, else we 
 would not find them passing resolutions approving of the action of our 
 executive officers in fixing the first of May as the day to strike for eight 
 hours ! The executive officers of the Knights of Labor have never fixed 
 upon the first of May for a strike of any kind. Assemblies of the Knights 
 of Labor must not strike for the eight horn- system on May first under
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 73 
 
 the impression that they are obeying orders from headquarters — for 
 such an order was not and will not be given. 
 
 "Neither employer nor employe are educated to the needs and 
 necessities of the eight-hour plan. If one branch of trade or one 
 assembly is in such a condition, remember that there are many who are 
 in total ignorance of the movement. Out of 00,000,000 of people in the 
 United States and Canada our order has possibly 300,000. Can we 
 mould the sentiments of the millions in favor of the short-hour plan 
 before May first ? It is nonsense to think of it. Let us learn why our 
 hours of labor should be reduced, then teach others. 
 
 "Nearly every State Assembly that has been formed since the 
 General Assembly met has been organized among discord and conten- 
 tion. I fear that the struggle is not to serve the order so much as to 
 serve personal ends. Nearly every assembly in the States of Kansas 
 and Michigan has complained to me about the attempts being made to 
 organize State Assemblies. To attempt to elevate labor by starting out 
 an assembly of any kind with a light is folly. It would be far better to- 
 stop work in these States now and begin work in a practical way than 
 to carry the work forward under the prejudices and animosities now 
 resting in the breasts of the disappointed ones. Our order is a business 
 institution. It must be run on business principles, and if it is not 
 managed in this way it will go the road of all mismanaged concerns. In 
 selecting officers to manage a banking concern the best qualified are 
 chosen. The rash, inconsiderate man is set aside ; the man who is quick 
 of temper and hasty of speech is passed over and the man of mature 
 judgment and business qualities is selected. I am pained to witness 
 the quality of men some parts of our order select for important work. 
 
 " These words of mine must be heeded or this order goes down as 
 surely as night follows day. Elect no man because of his fine speech 
 or impetuosity, put none but the coolest men in positions of any kind,. 
 Keep them there and uphold them in their work. It is not the duty of 
 an officer to picture the wrongs of a man until he excites his assembly 
 to fever heat. Heaven knows the indignities which labor complains of 
 are grievance enongh, and require no painting. We must look to them 
 as they really exist, and settle them as best we can. While I write, a 
 dispatch is handed me in which I read these words : They discharged 
 our brother and we struck, for you know our motto is : An injury to one 
 is the concern of all! Yes, an injury to one is the concern of all! but 
 it is not wise to injure all for the sake of one. 
 
 " It would have been far better to continue at work and investigate 
 the matter, bringing it before every known tribunal, than to have struck-
 
 71 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 The thousands of men now earning nothing could have given ten cents 
 apiece to support the brother for a few weeks much easier than to 
 spend weeks and months in idleness. Many of them will never be 
 restored to their former positions. In this case the injury to one was 
 not repaired, and all concerned will be more or less injured. 
 
 We could have prevented our brother from being injured by assist- 
 ing him in a far different way. Zeal in a cause sometimes brings on the 
 discharge of a member. Sometimes a too open expression of opinion 
 does it. It is not necessary to indulge in the latter. Now. recurring to 
 another subject : the Church has been watching our order for years. 
 In our infancy we had but little power for good or evil ; to-day we are 
 the strongest as well as the weakest labor organization on earth; strong 
 in numbers and principles ; strong in justice of our demands if prop- 
 erly made : we are weak in the methods we use to set our claims before 
 the world. Strikes are often the forerunners of lawless actions. One 
 blow brings on another, and if a single act of ours encourages the 
 anarchist element we must meet with the antagonism of the Church. 
 I warn our members against hasty, ill-considered action. The Church 
 will not interfere with us so long as we maintain the law. If the law 
 is wrong it is our duty to change it. I am ashamed to meet with clergy- 
 men and others to tell them that our order is composed of law-abiding, 
 intelligent men. while the next dispatch brings the news of some petty 
 boycott or strike. 
 
 "The daily papers have a column devoted to strikes and boycotts 
 every day, and some of the causes are ridiculous. I write this circular 
 to lay before the order the exact condition of things. I am neither 
 physically nor mentally capable of performing the work required of me. 
 I am willing to do my part but must not be asked to maintain a false 
 position before the world any longer. One of two things must take 
 place : Either the local and district assemblies of the order must obey 
 its laws or I must be permitted to resign from a position which obliges 
 me to play one part before the public and another to our members. I 
 say to the world that the Knights of Labor do not approve of or en- 
 courage strikes, and in one day dispatches came to me to come to 
 Troy, Is. Y., Manchester, N. H., Chicago, 111., Cincinnati. O., Lynchburg, 
 Ya., Springfield. O.. and Montreal, Canada. It is impossible for human 
 nature to stand the strain any longer. I must have the assistance of 
 the order or my most earnest efforts will fail. 
 
 " Will I have it ? If so, strikes must be avoided, boycotts must be 
 avoided. Those who boast most must be checked by their assemblies.
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. J5 
 
 * ' 
 
 No move must be made until the court of last resort has been appealed 
 to. Threats of violence must not be made. 
 
 "Politicians must be hushed up or driven out. 
 
 " Obedience to the laws of knighthood must have preference over 
 those of any other order. If these things are done the next five years 
 will witness the complete emancipation of mankind from the curse of 
 monopoly. In our members we require secrecy, obedience, assistance, 
 patience and courage. If, with these aids, you strengthen my hands I 
 will continue in the work. If you do not desire to assist me in this 
 way, then select a man better qualified to obey your will, and I will 
 retire in his favor. 
 
 "T. V. POWDEELY, 
 
 " Grand Master Workman." 
 
 Traffic was being gradually resumed on the 28th at St. Louis, Se- 
 dalia, Atchison and various points in Texas. Freight trains, with police 
 protection, began to move and new men in sufficient numbers assumed 
 the places of the strikers. But the end was not yet, for pending the 
 diplomacy going on between the officers of the Knights of Labor and 
 the railroad officials, violence of more or less serious character was 
 frequent. This was notably so at DeSoto. Mo., the location of the 
 most extensive shops on the Iron Mountain Railway. A passing 
 freight train in charge of Conductor Nelson was delayed, Nelson as- 
 saulted, and Yardmaster Todd, who attempted to interfere on behalf of 
 the conductor, was assaulted and driven to his boarding-house by an 
 infuriated mob, and his life probably only saved by the heroism of a 
 Mrs. Duffy — the boarding-house keeper — who, with pistol in hand, 
 braved the mob and prevented their entrance. 
 
 It appears that a misunderstanding between Mr. Gould and Mr. 
 Powderly regarding the telegram to Mr. Hoxie was brought about, 
 which the following correspondence will explain, and which is neces- 
 sarv to be recited : 
 
 li Personal :" 
 
 " ."Missouri Pacific Railway Company, March 29, 1886. 
 
 "T. Y. Powderly, Esq. 
 
 "Dear Sir — The papers this morning published the following: 
 " 'Jay Gould has consented to our proposition for arbitration, and 
 
 so telegraphed Vice-President Hoxie. Order the men to resume work 
 
 at once. — T. Y. Powderly. G. M. W.' 
 
 "They published an interview with you which leads one to think
 
 76 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 that the officers of jour order in St. Louis may construe your message 
 into a consent on the part of this company to conform to the require- 
 ments contained in the letter from the Secretary of you order, dated 
 Philadelphia, March 27, which in my letter to you of the same date I 
 declined to consider. 
 
 " You will remember that at our conference of Sunday I said to 
 you that the position of this company was unchanged in this respect,, 
 and that the whole matter was left in the hands of the First Vice-Pres- 
 ident and General Manager of the road with the instructions contained 
 in my telegram to him, which was written before my interview with 
 you, and i»ead to you at the time. This telegram stated, ' We see no 
 objection to arbitrate any differences between the employes and the 
 company, past or future.' I feel confident that your understanding of 
 this matter is the same as my own. I write this in the hope that there 
 may be no ground for future misunderstanding. 
 
 " Very respectfully yours, 
 
 "JAY GOULD, 
 " President Missouri Pacific Railway Company.'' 
 
 To this Mr. Powderly simply replied by asking: 
 
 "Do I understand you from your personal letter of this date that 
 your company refuse arbitration, and must I so telegraph Martin Irons ¥* 
 
 To which question Vice-President Hopkins, in the absence of Mr. 
 Gould, made answer as follows : 
 
 "You may say distinctly to him : No, we do not. He is not so to 
 understand that letter. He is simply referred to Mr. Gould's written 
 communication to him, which he is prepared to carry out in every par- 
 ticular." 
 
 Then Mr. Powderly wrote the following : 
 
 " Astor House, New York, March 29, 1886. 
 "Mr. Jay Gould, President Missouri Pacific Railway Company: 
 
 " Dear Sir — I regret exceedingly that my sickness to-day has 
 prevented me from keeping the engagement made by my associates 
 with you for 3 o'clock this afternoon. Our proposition that the men 
 should return at once to work on the agreement that any complaints 
 that they might have should be submitted to arbitration, was made in 
 perfect good faith, and when after the receipt by you of our letter of 
 Saturday night, and our conference on Sunday, you made the tele- 
 graphic order to General Manager Hoxie, contained in your letter to 
 me of the same date, in which was used the following language : ' We 
 see no objection to arbitrating any differences between the employes
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 77 
 
 and the company, past or future,' we accepted your approval to the 
 general principles of arbitration in equal good faith, and at once issued 
 an order for the men to return to work. 
 
 " We are not particular in the adjustment of the present difficulties 
 whether the arbitrators appointed by your company shall be named by 
 the general managers or yourself, or whether their number shall con- 
 sist of three, five or seven. In case they consist of three, my associ- 
 ates have named me, or if sickness prevents, one of the other members 
 of the board will take my place ; in case they consist of five, Mr. W. O. 
 McDowell would be associated with me ; in case of seven, we would 
 add a third name. 
 
 "We can imagine no greater misfortune for your company than 
 that the impression should go forth, not only to the members of our 
 organization, but the community at large, whose interests are suffering 
 as the result of the present condition of affairs, that a break has oc- 
 curred between the interests which you represent and which I repre- 
 sent, by reason of a technicality. 
 
 "The gentleman who waited upon you informs me that in case I 
 was unable to meet with you this afternoon at 3 o'clock I was to meet 
 you to-morrow morning at 10 o'clock. I hope to be able to keep the 
 engagement at that time. After the receipt of your personal letter to 
 me, and reading the interviews with you published in the papers this 
 evening, the following telegram was sent to each of the following gen- 
 tlemen — Messrs. Daly, Irons and Houx, at Sedalia, St. Louis and Fort 
 Worth: 
 
 "'New York, March 29.— Complications have arisen since this 
 morning as to the number of arbitrators. Another conference will be 
 held to-morrow. — T. Y. Powderly.' 
 
 "T. Y. POWDEIILY, 
 
 " Grand Master Workman." 
 
 While these proceedings were pending quite a different state of 
 affairs were existing and being enacted in the west. At East St. Louis 
 passenger as well as freight trains were boldly stopped, and no effect- 
 ual resistance was made, but it was evident that the resumption of 
 traffic was at hand. On that day, the 28th of March, one hundred and 
 fifty freight trains were moved on the Missouri Pacific system. The 
 end was only a battle of skirmishers. 
 
 On March the 30th a conference was held between the General 
 Executive Board of the Knights of Labor and the officials of the Mis- 
 souri Pacific Eailroad Company in New York, the substance of which 
 is embodied in the following correspondence :
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 "Xew York. March 30. 1886. 
 "H. M. Hoxie, General Manager, St. Louis: 
 
 "Mr. Powderly wishes to know if you will meet the General Execu- 
 tive Board of the Knights of Labor or a committee of your employes 
 from the Knights of Labor for the purpose of hearing what their cause 
 of complaint was and for the purpose of making a settlement of present 
 difficulties alike honorable to both parties, either on the basis of arbi- 
 tration or by mutual agreement, the same to be binding on all parties, 
 
 [Signed] "A. L. HOPKINS." 
 
 " St. Louis. March 30, 1886. 
 " A. L. Hopkins, New York : 
 
 " Replying to your inquiry from Mr. Powderly of this date, I have 
 to say that yesterday I received from Mr. Gould the following message : 
 
 ■■ In resuming the movement of trains on the Missouri Pacific, and 
 in the employment of labor in the several departments of this company, 
 you will give preference to our late employes, whether they are Knights 
 of Labor or not, except that you will not employ any person who has 
 injured the company's property during the late strike, nor will we dis- 
 charge any person who has taken service with the company during said 
 strike. We see no objection to arbitrating any differences between the 
 employes and the company, past or future." 
 
 To which I sent the following reply : 
 
 "Jay Gould, President, New York: 
 
 "I have your message in relation to your interview with Mr. Pow- 
 derlv, and also the letter of instructions, and will carry out the same to 
 the best of my ability. 
 
 [Signed] "H. M. HOXIE." 
 
 " I am, therefore, willing to meet a committee of our employes 
 without discrimination, who are actually at work in the service of the 
 company at the time such committee is appointed, to adjust with them 
 any grievances that they may have. 
 
 [Signed] •• H. M. HOXIE." 
 
 " New York. March 30. 1886. 
 
 "Martin Irons. St. Louis: 
 
 "Have been in conference all day with the result that Yiee-Presi- 
 dent'Hoxie agrees to the following:
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 79 
 
 "Willing to meet a committee of our employes without discrimina- 
 tion who are actually at work in the service of the company at the time 
 such committee is appointed to adjust with them any grievances that 
 
 they may have. 
 
 " H. M. HOXIE." 
 
 " Have your Executive Committee order the men to return to work 
 and also select a special committee from the employes of the Missouri 
 Pacific to wait on Mr. Hoxie to adjust any difference. Do this as quickly 
 as possible. Board will leave for St. Louis to-morrow. 
 
 "FREDERICK TURNER, Secretary." 
 
 "Master Workmen Local Assemblies District 101: 
 
 "You are ordered by the General Executive Board to go to work. 
 Honor demands that you see that those who came out to support you 
 go to work first. 
 
 [Signed] "MARTIN IRONS, Chairman." 
 
 " St. Louis, March 31, 1886." 
 
 Then came the following order : 
 
 " Noble order of Knights of Labor : 
 Peace and Prosperity to the Faithful. 
 Sanctuary of Local Assembly No. 1212. 
 East St. Louis, III., March 31, 1 o'clock p. m. 
 
 To Members of Local Executive Board, Greeting : 
 
 You are hereby ordered to return to work in your former positions 
 if received. If not, report back to this Joint Board of District Assem- 
 blies 17, 101 and 93. 
 
 [Signed] M. IRONS, Chairman 101. 
 
 [Seal 101] A. C. CAUGHLIN, Chairman 93. 
 
 [Seal 93] E. F. McKEON, Secretary 93. 
 
 How this order was received and executed the following statement 
 which was published in the newspapers of April 1, 1SSG, will show : 
 
 " To the Public : 
 
 "As showing the sincerity of the railroad managers in their treat- 
 ment of the Knights of Labor we respectfully state that, pursuant to the 
 order of our General Executive Board, we this day sent committees to 
 the managers of the several railroads, offering to return the men to 
 work. In no instance would they be received or treated with, each 
 official in turn either refusing them a hearing or evading them with
 
 80 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 specious subterfuges for direct answers, or refusing; them employment. 
 Mr. Hoxie has agreed to receive a committee of employes to adjust any 
 grievances which may exist. He refuses personally and through his 
 subordinates to recognize any of us as employes, and refuses to receive 
 any but such as he calls employes. In short, after himself and Mr. 
 Gould have conveyed the impression to the world that they are willing 
 to settle, they refuse to settle. Now we appeal to a candid and suffer- 
 ing public, on whom -is falling all the weight of this great conflict, if we 
 have not been deceived enough? How much is long-suffering labor to 
 bear? This great strike never would have been had Mr. Hoxie con- 
 descended months ago to hear our complaints. We do not claim to be 
 more than human. It should not be expected of us to be more than 
 human. In this country position makes no man king or slave, and im- 
 perious refusal on the part of one citizen to confer with other citizens 
 with whom he may have business connections when such refusal begets 
 great business and social revolution, is not only a mistake, but a crime 
 against the public. Mr. Gould is invoking the law against little crimi- 
 nals who are made desperate by his poilcy of duplicity and oppression. 
 Yet a terrorized public does not invoke the law against the arch crimi- 
 nal of the land. If we can not be allowed to return to work the 
 strike must go on. 
 
 "By order of Executive Boards District Assemblies 101, 93 and 17." 
 
 The complications which were caused by the misunderstanding on 
 the part of the General Executive Committee of the Knights of Labor re- 
 garding arbitration tended to demoralize the heretofore acknowledged 
 leaders of the strike, whose absolute control of the strikers began to 
 weaken, and united action no longer prevailed, and in its place turbu- 
 lence and viciousness obtained the mastery. To such an extent did 
 this state of affairs prevail that it became evident that the round-house 
 and machine shops at HeSoto were in immediate danger of destruc- 
 tion, and accordingly Governor Marmaduke ordered to that place two 
 special officers — T. W. Park and John T. Clark — who were armed with 
 plenary power. They reasoned and remonstrated with the des- 
 perate strikers— over seven hundred strong — drew the citizens and 
 officials, the latter of whom were mostly Knights of Labor, into public 
 meeting, and by the exercise of a moral influence prevented the necessity 
 of the service of a military force. Order was restored and a collision 
 prevented, which would have involved both blood and treasure. A. 
 large number of deputy sheriffs were sworn in and many arrests were 
 made and the catastrophe averted. One attempt to derail a passenger
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 81 
 
 train was ineffectually made, but nothing- further occurred of this char- 
 acter after the advent of the officials. Thus it was generally throughout 
 Missouri. Governor Marmaduke's wise, conservative and impartial 
 conduct obtained the respect of all, and although Missouri was the 
 heart and seat of the strike, the occasion did not come when a resort 
 had to be made to the military power of the State. 
 
 At Parsons, Kansas, quite a. different order of things prevailed. 
 The situation can best be described as given in the Topeka Capital 
 of April 3 : 
 
 " THE SITUATION AT PARSONS. 
 
 " We give below the facts in relation to affairs at Parsons and the 
 ordering out of the militia : 
 
 "On Monday evening, March 28, the Governor received dispatches 
 from the Sheriff of Labette County and the Mayor of Parsons, stating 
 that the strikers were acting outside of the pale law ; that the sheriff 
 had eighty deputies and the mayor a posse of two hundred citizens ; 
 that every appeal to respect the law was met with shouts of derision ; 
 that forcible attempts were made to pull the sheriff from his position 
 on the engine ; and that the situation was such that the use of firearms 
 would have resulted in killing or wounding a number of people. They 
 declare that the presence of a military force, acting under State author- 
 ity, would enable the radroad company to move its trains without 
 bloodshed, while a successful effort to move a train under civil author- 
 ity would unquestionably be accompanied by a collision and bloodshed. 
 They therefore called upon the Governor, as Chief Executive, to afford 
 the protection which, they stated, they were powerless to give, and 
 suggested that five hundred militia be ordered there at once. 
 
 " Senator Kimball telegraphed the same evening that the facts 
 stated in the dispatch of the mayor and sheriff were true, and that, in 
 his opinion, the presence of troops would put an end to the trouble 
 without bloodshed. Representative Kelso telegraphed on the same 
 evening that there was in that city an organized body of men who ap- 
 peared determined to override the civil authorities and to trample un- 
 der foot the loyal sentiment of law-abiding citizens, and that a military 
 force was necessary. 
 
 " The papers of that morning and evening indicated that the strike 
 was over, and the Governor so informed the mayor by telegraph, de- 
 clining for this reason to send troops. 
 
 l s — 6.
 
 82 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 "On the morning of the 30th Sheriff Woodford and Mayor Brown 
 telegraphed that they could not furnish the necessary assistance to 
 protect the moving of freight trains ; that an engine was disabled at 
 10:30 o'clock that morning; and they renewed their demand that the 
 Governor give them the requested military assistance at once. Mayor 
 Brown also telegraphed, at a later hour, that a passenger train 
 approaching the city on the previous evening was ditched by removing 
 fish plates ; that great loss of property had ensued ; that other out- 
 rages were threatened, and would be attempted ; that the civil authori- 
 ties were powerless to enforce the law ; and he renewed the request 
 for troops at once. Senator Kimball and representative Kelso sent 
 dispatches of a similar nature. 
 
 "Still anxious to avoid the use of military force, the Governor tele- 
 graphed that it was the universal opinion here that the strike would be 
 settled that day ; that order was being restored at other points ; and 
 that it was better to wait twenty-four hours than to have trouble just 
 as the strike seemed approaching an end. He however sent the Adjutant- 
 General to Parsons on the afternoon train to ascertain the situation, 
 and to endeavor to effect a peaceful settlement. 
 
 " Colonel Campbell arrived there on Tuesday night, and remained 
 until Thursday evening. He had conference with the officers and citi- 
 zens, and with the strikers. He was unable to persuade the strikers 
 to desist from their unlawful proceedings. On Wednesday attacks 
 were again made on trains, and again on Thursday, and on the last men- 
 tioned date Colonel Campbell telegraphed the Governor that all 
 authority was deliberately trampled upon and set at defiance. On the 
 first instant Bepresentative H. C. Cook also telegraphed the Governor 
 that he concurred in the opinion that prompt efforts must be made to 
 enforce respect for the law at Parsons, and that all good citizens of 
 Labette county were anxious that it be done. 
 
 " During the four days of the week, commencing with Monday last, 
 orders were issued by the National Committee of the Knights of Labor, 
 and also by District Assembly committees, to the effect that terms for 
 an amicable settlement of the strike had been arranged by the confer- 
 ence between Jay Gould and Mr. Powderly. All advices during the 
 whole of the time indicated a harmonious and satisfactory adjustment 
 of the trouble. But the Parsons strikers never for a moment sus. 
 pended their lawless and violent demonstrations. 
 
 " On Thursday night the Governor telegraphed Adjutant-General 
 Campbell to order Colonel Patrick to move to Parsons as many com- 
 panies of his regiment as might be necessary to sustain the civil officers
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 83 
 
 in the performance of their duties, acting at all times only in support 
 •of the civil authorities in preserving order and enforcing the law. The 
 First Regiment of the Kansas National Guard, in accordance with 
 these instructions, started to Parsons yesterday morning. Major-Gen- 
 eral Thos. M. Carroll will also go to Parsons, in person, to command 
 the forces. 
 
 " In addition to the telegrams above referred to, the Governor has 
 also received a petition, signed by a number of prominent citizens of 
 Parsons, appealing for the presence of a military force as the only 
 means of enforcing law and preserving peace." 
 
 Governor Martin expresses himself as to his reasons for ordering 
 the militia to Parsons, as follows : 
 
 " When I received a call from the local authorities Monday I 
 thought that the strike was about over, and it was so reported in all 
 the newspapers. The next day the call from the authorities at Par- 
 sons was repeated, the report saying that the mob of strikers defied 
 the officers, having dragged the mayor off the trains and perpetrated 
 other acts of violence. The authorities were constantly importuning 
 me for troops, so on Wednesday I sent Adjutant-General Campbell to 
 Parsons to preserve order, if possible. General Campbell talked to 
 the strikers for an hour or more in a hall, but without perceptible 
 effect. The strikers acted like madmen, and, undisguised, threw rotten 
 eggs at Senator Kimball, and created general havoc about the city. 
 There was general alarm, and as the court authorities, assisted by the 
 Adjutant-General, seemed helpless, late last evening I telegraphed to 
 General Campbell to call out the militia. I think that the presence of 
 an armed force will have the desired effect on the men and have a 
 quieting influence." 
 
 Governor Martin was correct in his opinion as to the results of 
 ordering troops to Parsons. No further violent demonstrations were 
 made, and after a few days the troops were ordered home. 
 
 On the 29th and 30th of March traffic had been generally resumed 
 everywhere, men had either returned to work in the shops and the 
 yards, or their places filled by new men. The strike, as a power to 
 interfere with traffic, was practically a thing of the past. It is true 
 that when Mr. Powderly's telegrams came, announcing his disagree- 
 ment with Mr. Gould, the frenzy that follows disappointment was let 
 loose. . Trains were broken up and officers of the law were assailed by 
 mobs of hooting men, woman and boys in East St. Louis. At Texar- 
 kana, Arkansas, Atchison and Parsons, Kansas. Palestine, Texas, and 
 .Sedalia, Missouri, there were riotous proceedings, and in some in-
 
 81 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 stances trains were stopped, but still no delay came from a lack of 
 working force, but simply from the irresponsibility of disorganized vio- 
 lence. 
 
 The situation in East St. Louis became more serious day after day. 
 On the 30th Adjutant-General Vance, of Illinois, under the direction of 
 the Governor, visited that place for the purpose of making a personal 
 investigation into the condition of affairs and reporting as to the 
 necessity of military intervention. Orders had already been issued 
 for the National Guard to hold itself in readiness for immediate duty- 
 The situation can best be summed up in the following telegram : 
 
 " East St. Louis, III., March 30, 1886. 
 " To Governor Oglesby, Springfield, III.: 
 
 " Your dispatch was received too late for me to come to Spring- 
 field, and my state of health is impaired so much by late vigils that it- 
 is out of the question for me to go far from home. I called the posse 
 at East St. Louis when the emergency occurred. Few persons re- 
 sponded and few will. There are nine yards here. There are fully 
 1,500 men determined that no freight trains shall move. They respect 
 no authority, and seem to hold the State of Illinois in contempt. It is 
 folly to think of moving freight trains here unless the State sends a 
 strong force. All attempts to do so would result in failure and bring 
 the authorities into further contempt. Engines have been killed this 
 morning, and the freight blockade is complete, except as to the road in 
 the hands of United States marshals. The strikers seem to have a 
 strong respect for the United States, but none for this State. 
 
 "FEED EOPIEQUET, 
 " Sheriff St. Clair County, 111." 
 
 Just ex actly what was the cause of the strike in East St. Louis 
 has not been, and probably will never be known, no two men giving 
 .te same reason. Its apparent cause was because they were receiv- 
 ing, as they claimed, less wages than were paid in Chicago for similar 
 Yet no complaint was ever made nor demands presented. The 
 more plausible reason probably was that it was sympathetic with the 
 strike on the Southwest System and an attempt to force the recogni- 
 tion of the order of the Knights of Labor by the railway officials. 
 
 At Parsons, Kansas, a passenger train was wrecked on the 30th 
 and mail agent Moore was seriously injured. At Atchison, Kansas, 
 the strikers served notice upon the men who had accepted work with 
 the railway company to quit work at the peril of their lives. At Kan-
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 85 
 
 :sas City, Missouri, a freight train under the protection of the police 
 was thrown from the track by the sudden throwing of a switch, and 
 eleven cars were wrecked. 
 
 Police officer Nugent and five policemen who were on the wrecked 
 train gave pursuit to the fleeing wreckers. Martin Leon was quickly 
 arrested, but D. J. Xoonan was shot and seriously wounded before his 
 capture was effected. Both men were identified as ex-railroad em- 
 ployes and as Knights of Labor. At nearly all other points on the 
 Southwest System trains were moved without opposition, and with 
 something of former regularity. 
 
 Exciting scenes on the last day of March and the following days of 
 April were being enacted at Fort Worth, Texas. At 1 : 30 p. m. an en- 
 gine carrying a posse of officers intended to guard a train into Alvar- 
 ado, Texas, was suddenly approached by six men and killed. Later in 
 the day a train of thirty cars was assailed by a howling mob " who 
 climbed up the sides of the cars like ants." The officers in heavy force 
 did all that men could do to restrain the mob, except actually killing, 
 but the brakes were set, pins removed, and when the engine departed 
 it bore only six of the thirty cars with which it entered the yards. One 
 striker was knocked down by a revolver in the hands of a United 
 Stales marshal, and several arrests were made. The "hoodlum" ele- 
 ment of the town had come to the assistance of the strikers, and sat- 
 urated with intoxicants, all restraint was abandoned. At ten o'clock 
 the next day another effort was made by the officers to move a train, 
 but it was equally unsuccessful, some 2,000 or 3,000 men attacking it 
 and succeeding in pulling all the coupling pins. 
 
 On the morning of the next day an engine loaded with armed offi- 
 cers pulled out and steamed to the Missouri Pacific yards. It was 
 hooted at and hissed, but was permitted to attach a caboose and back 
 up to a station named " Hodges," from which it was to pull a freight 
 train into the city. At 11 : 35 a. M. it returned with the train and pro- 
 ceeded on its way south. At this time it was unmolested except by the 
 wild demonstrations of three women with a red flag. A local report 
 says that when the train left the depot it was under the protection of 
 a posse of twelve officers commanded by J. Courtright, a special 
 deputy marshal. Some of these officers were deputy marshals and 
 others were regular police. We now quote, in preference to the con- 
 flicting accounts of excited men, from a special dispatch to the St. 
 Louis Republican, which is about as correct as any account we can 
 gather :
 
 86 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 " The train proceeded slowly to the crossing of the Fort Worth & 
 New Orleans Railroad about a mile and a half south from town, where 
 it stopped as is customary before crossing. The switch was found 
 open, and two men stood near the crossing. The officers approached 
 the switch and as they did so they discovered live men with Winchester 
 rifles, partly concealed in the weeds a few yards distant. The entire 
 party advanced towards the men in ambush. They had reached the 
 switch, when the chief of the posse of deputies called out for the fel- 
 lows to throw up their hands. Instead of complying the men in am- 
 bush suddenly sprang to their feet, and bringing their Winchesters to 
 bear, fired a volley at the officers. The fire was returned several times, 
 but their aim must have been bad, judging from the results. As the 
 firing proceeded the men retreated in very bad order to a rank of tie 
 timber, ensconsced behind which they were comparatively out of dan- 
 ger. They made a momentary stand there, but were dislodged and 
 broke on a wild run for the sycamore bottoms and were soon lost sight 
 of. The deputy sheriffs did not follow them but gave their attention to 
 the victims. It was found that Richard Townsend, a special deputy 
 sheriff, was shot in the back as he stood on the engine, the ball passing- 
 through his left lung and coming out on bis left side. Charles Sneed, 
 another deputy sheriff, was shot near the ear, the ball coming out on 
 the opposite side of his head near his mouth. Both these men will die. 
 Police officer John Fulford was shot in both thighs, one of the balls 
 ranging upward into his body. His wounds are dangerous. Jim Court- 
 right is claimed to have received two bullets through his hat, but 
 escaped unharmed. 
 
 "The wounded men were put in the caboose of the train and 
 brought back to the city. Fulford, after having his wounds dressed,. 
 was taken to his home, and the other two men to the Missouri Pacific 
 hospital. 
 
 " About two o'clock this afternoon one of the strikers, who was in 
 the attacking party, was brought to the city shot through the thigh. 
 His name is Tom Nace. He was a switchman here at the time the 
 strike began. * * * It is stated by parties who were on the train 
 when the trouble occurred that three of the strikers fell beneath the* 
 fire of the officers, two of whom did not rise after falling. 
 
 " A lady, who lives near the spot where the fight occurred, recog- 
 nized one of the men who ran off into the river bottom, and says that 
 he carried a Winchester rifle in each hand. He had been engaged in 
 the carpentering business in this city, and is regarded as an out-and- 
 out communist."
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 87 
 
 As to the number of men engaged on the part of the strikers much 
 uncertainty exists. Probably their number was twelve or fifteen. 
 Townsend died of his wounds, and Siieedj md F ulford subsequently 
 recovered. This tragedy, so near the conclusion of the strike, and 
 while trains were moving everywhere, produced an excitement that., 
 foreboded trouble everywhere. The prompt response of Governor /) 
 Ireland to a call for military aid gave some assurance of the restoration ( 
 of order. He rapidly ordered militia to Fort Worth. 
 
 On April 3, 1886, Messrs. Turner and Bailey, members of the Gen- 
 eral Executive Board of the Knights of Labor, arrived in St. Louis and 
 held an informal interview with Mr. Hoxie at his office. 
 
 Mr. Hoxie frankly stated that he could not receive them in their 
 official capacity as officers of the Knights of Labor, but would talk to 
 them as private citizens. In this meeting Mr. Hoxie stated that he 
 would, as he had many times previously expressed himself, meet a com- 
 mittee of workingmen who at the time were actually employed in Jris 
 service to hear grievances, but he would not meet a committee of men 
 who were not in his service ; while Messrs. Turner and Bailey insisted 
 such a committee should be selected by the Executive Committee of 
 Knights of Labor. 
 
 After deliberating upon this interview wherein to the unprejudiced 
 observer the technical difference between Mr. Hoxie and the represen- 
 tatives of the General Executive Board consisted merely in the fact 
 that Avhile Mr. Hoxie was willing to meet a committee of his employes 
 at work for him, the Executive Board held that the striking Knights of 
 Labor should be recognized through their chosen representatives, the 
 following was promulgated : 
 
 "St. Louis, Mo., April 5, 1886. 
 
 "At the conference held in New York with Jay Gould and his asso- 
 ciates, and the General Executive Board, the following was mutually 
 agreed upon with Mr. Hoxie : 
 
 " That he was willing to meet a committee of his employes without 
 discrimination, who were at work in the service of the company at the 
 time such Committee is appointed to adjust with them any grievances 
 that they may have. The General Executive Board, upon its arrival in 
 St. Louis, having been informed that Mr. Hoxie has refused to comply 
 with the agreement as all parties to the conference understood it, waited 
 upon him to ascertain his intention of carrying out the same, and received 
 the following as his intentions : That only fifty per cent, of his former 
 force would be needed and that he would consider personal applications
 
 88 BUEEAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 only, and use his own pleasure as to their employment, without the 
 dictation of any society or committee. This being in direct violation 
 of the agreement, the General Executive Board still further believes 
 the refusal to carry out said agreement is done for the purpose of stock- 
 jobbing speculation in New York by using our organization as a bid to 
 further those ends. 
 
 "They, therefore, recall the order issued by us for the men to return 
 to work, the company having made it impossible for its execution and 
 the proper fulfillment of the same. The matter now stands as it did 
 previous to the order being issued to resume work, in the hands of 
 those districts interested, and the general executive board will render 
 all possible assistance in carrying out the demands of the men for justice. 
 
 "FREDERICK TURNER, Secretary. 
 
 "JOHN W. HAYES, 
 
 "W. H. BAILEY, 
 
 " For the Executive Board." 
 
 This was quickly followed by the proclamation of the district As- 
 semblies : 
 
 "To the Working Men of the World: 
 
 "Friends and brothers, hear us, for we plead for our right ; men of 
 equity, look upon us, for we struggle against giants of wrong. 
 
 "Mad with the frenzy of pride and self-adulation, begotten, as it is, 
 of the success of outrage and infamy, there stands before us a giant of 
 aggregated and incorporated wealth, every dollar of which is built upon 
 blood, injustice and outrage. That giant of corporate wealth has 
 centralized its power in and is impersonated by the eager fiend who 
 gloats as he grinds the life out of his fellow-men, and grimaces and 
 dances as they writhe upon his instruments of torture. 
 
 "Oh! ye working-men of America, who love your liberty and your 
 native land ; ye great creators of wealth, who stand as the foundation 
 of all national good, look upon your brothers to-day ! Gould, the giant 
 fiend ; Gould, the money monarch, is dancing, as he claims, over the 
 grave of our order, over the ruin of our homes and the blight of our 
 lives. Before him the world has smiled in beauty, but his wake is a 
 graveyard of hopes, a cyclone's path of devastation and death. Our 
 strong arms have grown weary in building the tower of his strength 
 and yet he bids us build on or die. Our young lives have grown gray 
 too soon beneath the strain of unrequiting, constant toil. Our loved 
 ones at home are hollow-cheeked and pale with long and weary waiting
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 89 
 
 for better days to come; nay, more than this, the graveyards are hiding 
 his victims from our longing eyes. 
 
 "Brother Workmen, this monster fiend has compelled some of us to 
 toil in cold and rain for five and fifty cents a day. Others have been 
 compelled to yield their time to him for seventeen and thirty-six hours 
 for the pittance of nine hours' pay. Others, who had dared to assert 
 their manhood and rebel against his tyranny, are blacklisted and boy- 
 cotted all over the land. 
 
 "He has made solemn compacts with the highest authority in our 
 order and then has basely refused to fulfill his pledges. 
 
 "He lives under and enjoys all the benefits of a republican form 
 of government, and yet advocates and perpetuates the most debasing 
 form of white slavery. 
 
 " He robs the rich and poor, the high and low, with ruthless hand, 
 and then appeals to corrupt and purchased courts to help him to take 
 our little homes away. 
 
 "He breaks our limbs and maims our bodies and demands that we 
 shall release him from every claim for damages or be blacklisted for- 
 ever. 
 
 " He goes to our grocers and persuades them not to give us credit, 
 because we refuse to be ground in his human mill. 
 
 " He turns upon us a horde of lawless thugs who shoot among our 
 wives and children with deadly intent, and then he howls for govern- 
 ment help when he gets his pay in coin alike. 
 
 "Fellow-workmen, Gould must be overthrown; his giant power 
 must be broken, or you and I must be slaves forever. The Knights of 
 Labor alone have dared to be a David to this Goliath. The battle is not 
 for to-day; the battle is not for to-morrow, but for the trooping genera- 
 tions behind us in the coming ages of the world ; for our children and 
 our children's children. 'Tis the great question of the age. Shall we 
 in this coming age be a nation of freemen, or a nation of slaves ? This 
 question must be decided now. The chains are already forged that 
 are to bind us. Shall we wait until they are riveted upon our limbs ? 
 May God forbid ! 
 
 " 'Workmen of the world, marshal yourselves upon the battle-field ; 
 workmen of the world, of every trade and clime, on to the fray. Gould 
 and his monopolies must go down, or your children must be slaves. 
 Think of the little olive plants around your hearth stones that will be 
 blighted by his course. Think of the little home he is seeking to rob 
 you of. Think of the wife from whose eyes he has wrung floods of tears 
 and from whose heart he has tortured drops of blood.
 
 90 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 " Who can look upon his perfidy, his outrage and his crimes, for 
 he has sought to incite felony among our rank and file ; he has brought 
 the perfidy of vile men to entrap the unwary that he might stain our 
 fair name and gloat over our misfortunes. 
 
 " Once for all, fellow-workmen, arouse ! Let every hand that toils 
 be lifted to heaven and swear by Him that liveth forever, that these 
 outrages must close. 
 
 "Let every breast and brow be trained toward our common foe, and 
 let no man grow weary until, like Goliath, our giant is dead at our feet. 
 
 " By order of Executive Boards 101, 93 and 17." 
 
 The strike, if such it could now be called, dragged its weary length 
 along through the month of April without incident of any graver char- 
 acter than petty annoyances, such as the occasional killing of an engine, 
 the derailment of a train, the marching of troops and the unending 
 issuance of orders and passage of resolutions and correspondence of 
 all kinds. The quantity of this peculiar mass of matter, some useful, 
 but most of it trivial, would fill a volume. Only that part of this cor- 
 respondence, necessary to a historical sequence to the narrative, is here 
 given. Trains were running over all the roads of the Southwestern 
 System, freight was being everywhere received and transmitted, and 
 the shops and yards were manned with a complement of new men and 
 large numbers of those who had returned to work. 
 
 On the 11th of April Grand Master Workman Powderly addressed 
 the following letter to Mr. Jay Gould: 
 
 " Scbanton, Pa., April 11, 1880. 
 "Jay Gould, Esq., President Missouri Pacific Railroad: 
 
 " Dear SiR^-The events of the past forty-eight hours must have 
 demonstrated to you the absolute necessity of bringing this terrible 
 struggle in the Southwest to a speedy termination. You have the 
 power, the authority, and the means to bring the strike to an end. I 
 have done everything in my power to end the strife. The gentlemen 
 associated with me on the General Executive Board of the Knights of 
 Labor have done the same. Everything consistent with honor and 
 manhood has been done in the interest of peace. Xo false notions of 
 pride or dignity have swayed us in our dealings with you or the gen- 
 tlemen associated with you. 
 
 " In that conference with you on Sunday, March 28, I understood 
 you to mean that arbitration would be agreed to ; the only method of 
 arbitration that was discussed was in line with that suggested in the
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 91 
 
 letter which I sent to you in the name of our board the day previous ; 
 there was nothing particular agreed upon, as you well know. You said 
 that in arbitrating the matter, the damages sustained by the company 
 during the strike ought to receive consideration. I said too that it 
 would not be the part of wisdom to bring that question up in the set- 
 tlement of the strike. When I called upon you again that evening you 
 had prepared, as the result of your understanding of the morning's 
 interview, a letter which you intended to give inc. That letter in- 
 cluded a telegram to be sent to Mr. Hoxie, and in that telegram you 
 said that the damages sustained by the company would be a proper 
 subject for the arbitration board to discuss. This latter part of the 
 letter or telegram you agreed to strike off after we had talked the mat- 
 ter over for some time, and I left you as you were about to go to your 
 room to rewrite the letter which you afterwards placed in the hands of 
 Mr. McDowell to be given to me, for I had to leave at that time in or- 
 order to keep an appointment at the hotel where I stopped. The state- 
 ment which you have siin-e then made to the effect that you had pre- 
 pared that letter before I called is not quite correct, or if you did 
 have it prepared you changed it after we talked the matter over for 
 some time. This I believe you will admit to be true. In the confer- 
 ence held between the members of our Executive Board and the di- 
 rectors of the Missouri Pacific Company at No. 195 Broadway on March 
 30, you said to me that you understood me to say that the men along 
 your lines would be ordered back to work at once, they having violated 
 the rules of our organization. 
 
 " I then reiterated the statement which I have made to you and 
 now repeat it: 'The men out along the lines of your railways can be 
 ordered back to work, but if they are given to understand that they 
 are deserted, that we do not take any interest in them, it will not in 
 any way mend matters; on the contrary, it will make things worse. 
 There are, all along the roads out there, a great many men who have 
 no regard for organization or law, men of hardy spirit, energy and dar- 
 ing. Such men as have left the East and have taken up their liomes 
 out in a wild country such as that is will not submit as quietly as the 
 men they have left behind in the East ; they are apt to do rasher things 
 than they could do elsewhere, and I have no doubt we have some in 
 our order, in fact my experience with the men of that vast section 
 leads me to think that the men on both sides out there are more dare- 
 devilish than they are in the East. Even the business men of that 
 country are of that stamp of character.' 
 
 "Both you and Mr. Hopkins heard me make that statement, and I
 
 92 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 believe the latter agreed that that was his experience also. The danger 
 of the strike spreading was also discussed, and I said to you that it 
 would not spread, that an effort had been made to have the men of the 
 Union Pacific take a part in it, but that the Knights of Labor on that 
 road had a standing agreement with the management of the road that 
 there was to be no trouble or strike until the last effort to effect a set- 
 tlement had failed ; and not then until the court of last resort had 
 been reached. When I made that statement Mr. Hopkins remarked 
 that they had better strike then, for if they did not the Union Pacific 
 would not much longer have sufficient money to pay their employes. 
 The impression made on me was that you would be pleased to see a 
 strike take place on the Union Pacific. 
 
 " This, I believe, covers the chief points of discussion. I did not 
 hear either you or Hopkins say that the present trouble out along your 
 road would not be arbitrated with the men who were not at work. It 
 was my firm belief when I left you that night that you meant to have 
 the entire affairs submitted to arbitration at the first possible moment. 
 That belief is shared by Mr. McDowell, who was present during the 
 entire interview. 
 
 " When you sent the telegram to Mr. Hoxie you sent it as Presi- 
 dent of The Missouri Pacific Railroad Company. You sent it as the 
 chief sends his message to an inferior officer, and it meant as much to 
 a sensible man as the most imperative order could possibly mean. 
 When I, as the chief officer of the Knights of Labor, send a message 
 such as that, it is understood to be my wishes and those wishes are 
 respected by the subordinate officer to whom they are sent. It is not 
 his place to put a different construction on them and give them his own 
 interpretation. His duty is to obey the spirit of the instruction. The 
 man in power need not be an autocrat in order to have his wishes re- 
 spected. ' I would like to see it done,' comes with as great a force 
 from the man in authority as ' I must have it done.' That was the idea 
 that I entertained when I left your house that night. I also explained 
 to you at your house that night that the men who had entered upon 
 the strike had not violated any law of the order in so doing ; that while 
 I thought it would have been better if they had laid their grievances 
 before the General Executive Board before striking, yet there was 
 nothing in our laws to command them to do so. I said that a District 
 Assembly of the Knights of Labor bore the same relation to the Gen- 
 eral Assembly, of which I was the chief officer, that one of the States 
 of the American Union had to the general Government of the United 
 States, and that while I could interfere, it was under the law which
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 93 
 
 gave me jurisdiction over the entire order, and not under any particu- 
 lar law. I furthermore explained to you that the spirit of our organi- 
 zation, its genius, was opposed to strikes, and that was the reason why 
 our general convention never enacted any particular legislation for the 
 government of them. I also said that the occasion had never before 
 called for any interference from the general officers, but that this strike 
 would show the necessity of the passage at our next convention of 
 laws that would place the subject of strikes under the control of the 
 General Executive Board of the general order. 
 
 "When on Monday, March 29, you sent me the letter marked 
 'Personal,' you at the same time told a newspaper correspondent that 
 you had done so. What your motive was in marking your letter ' Per- 
 sonal,' and at the same time informing a representative of the press 
 that you so addressed me, I do not know, nor do I question your 
 motive. I felt it to be my duty to let the public see the letter, which 
 contained nothing of a personal nature whatever. There are people 
 who might be uncharitable enough to say that your intention was to 
 give out the impression that there was something between you and me 
 which would not bear the light of public scrutiny. I have had no such 
 dealings with any man since this trouble began, nor previous to that 
 time. I am quite willing to allow the fullest light possible to shine 
 upon my every transaction. I have nothing to conceal. 
 
 "You can settle this strike. Its longer continuance rests with 
 you and you alone. Every act of violence, every drop of blood that 
 may be shed from this time forth must be laid at your door. The 
 Knights of Labor were not founded to promote or shield wrong-doing, 
 and to-day the Order of the Knights of Labor stands between your 
 property and ruin. We are willing to absolve the men along your 
 railways from their allegiance to our order. We leave that to them- 
 selves. We will not allow any claims which the order may have on 
 them to stand between them and their restoration to their former posi- 
 tions. The Order of the Knights of Labor asks of no man to remain a 
 member if it is not to his interest to do so. You may deal with them 
 as citizens if you will. We will surrender our right to claim these men 
 as members if they wish, but we will not surrender our right to see this 
 affair thoroughly investigated. 
 
 "You have said that the Order of the Knights of Labor was a con- 
 spiracy, a secret menace, etc. I am willing, as the chief officer, to lay 
 everything connected with our order bare to the world, if you will, on 
 the other hand, lay open to the public the means and methods whereby 
 you have piled up the wealth which you control, and allow the tribunal
 
 94: BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 of public opinion to pass in judgment on the two and say which is the 
 conspiracy. Do you accept the challenge ? 
 
 " You have instructed your legal adviser to proceed against every 
 man connected with the Knights of Labor for the damages sustained 
 since the strike began. Two weeks ago I said: 'Do not do this.' 
 To-day I say begin at once, lay claims for damages in every court within 
 whose jurisdiction a Knight exists. Proceed at once, and in every 
 State where you can recover damages do so if the law will sustain you 
 in it. Let the majesty of the law be vindicated; it is just and right 
 that it should be so. We are willing to face you before the law. AVe 
 will tight you with no other weapon. For every violation of the law of 
 State or Nation we will enter suit against you, and in this crusade 
 against you do not understand that we mean to persecute you. On the 
 contrary, we wish to see the law vindicated. If you have at all times 
 obeyed the law in your dealings, in the methods by which you have 
 acquired your immense fortune, then it is time that the many offenses 
 with which you are charged should be refuted. You have remained 
 silent under many a damaging charge of injuring the State. We will 
 be your avengers. If you have been wronged we will let it be known 
 to the world through the medium of the courts of justice. And. let me 
 say right here that no money will buy a verdict at the hands of these 
 courts. 
 
 " There are people who say that this struggle is the beginning of 
 the war between capital and labor. That statement is false. This cer- 
 tainly means war; but it is a war between legitimate capital, honest 
 enterprise and honest labor on the one hand, and illegitimate wealth on 
 the other hand. This is a war in which we court the fullest investiga- 
 tion of our acts. Do you dare to do the same ? This war means no 
 further strike, no shedding of blood; it is a war in which every busi- 
 ness man, every commercial man, every professional man, every work- 
 ingman will be invited to enlist. It will not be a war upon the inno- 
 cent, and the battle-field upon which it will be fought out will be before 
 the two courts — of law and that which makes law, public opinion. 
 There will be no mobs in this supreme hour to silence any man's 
 opinion. No converts will be made by physical force. 'That flag that 
 floats over press or mansion at the bidding of a mob, disgraces both victor 
 and victim,' and under such a flag as that we will not wage the battle ; 
 but this battle of the pedple against monopoly may as well be fought 
 out now as ten years from now, and what field so eminently proper in 
 which to fight it out as before the courts? Let us know whether laws 
 were made to be obeyed or not ; and if they were not so framed, then
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 95 
 
 the people must make laws that will be obeyed. No man, whether lie 
 be rich or whether he be the poorest of the poor, shall in future shirk 
 the responsibility of his acts and shield himself behind the courts. It 
 was to see that the laws were obeyed that the Order of the Knights of 
 Labor was founded, and if the day lias come to make the trial, so let 
 it be. 
 
 "I do not write this letter to you either in the spirit of anger or re- 
 venge. For you personally I have no dislike. I believe if allowed to 
 follow your own impulses in this matter you would have had the strike 
 ended ere this. Those who advise you do not mingle with the people, 
 they do not care for the people. You have been warned that your life 
 is in danger. Pay no attention to such talk ; no man who has the in- 
 terest of his country at heart would harm a hair of your head. But the 
 system which reaches out on all sides, gathering in the millions of dol- 
 lars of treasure and keeping them out of the legitimate channels of 
 trade and commerce, must die, and the men whose money is invested in 
 the enterprises which stock-gambling has throttled, must make common 
 cause with those who have been denied the right to earn enough to 
 provide the merest necessaries of life for home and family. When I 
 say to you that we will meet you in the courts, I do not speak rashly or 
 ill-advisedly. I have taken counsel from the best legal minds of the 
 United States. We are prepared to face you before the courts and 
 now await your action in the matter. This is no threat. I play no 
 game of bluff or chance. I speak for 500,000 organized men who are 
 ready to pay out the last farthing in order that justice may prevail. 
 You have it in your power to make friends of these men by acting the 
 part of the man, by taking this matter in your own hands. Will you 
 do so, and end this strife in the interest of humanity and our common 
 country? It is your duty to brush aside every obstacle, assert your 
 authority and take this matter in your hands, settle every grievance, 
 restore every man to his place, except those who have been engaged 
 in the destruction of property or who have broken the laws. Will you 
 do this ? You can then make rules and agreements with your men 
 which will forever preclude the possibility of another such disastrous 
 ■conflict as this one has proved itself to be. 
 " I remain yours very truly, 
 
 "T. V. POWDEKLY, G. M. W., K. of L."
 
 90 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 Mr. Gould replied to this letter as follows : 
 
 " New York, April 14, 1886. . 
 " T. V. Powderly, Esq., G. M. W., K. of L. : 
 
 Dear Sir — At 12 o'clock to-day I received from Mr. William O. 
 McDowell, whom you brought with you to our recent conferences, a 
 letter in which he says : 
 
 " ' By yesterday's mail I received a letter written by Mr. Powderly 
 addressed to you, inclosed in a letter addressed to me. With this, I 
 hand you the letter addressed to you by Mr. Powderly, and a copy of 
 Mr. Powderly's letter to me enclosing the same.' 
 
 " The following is a copj r of the letter Mr. McDowell sent me as 
 coming from you : 
 
 " ' General Assembly, Order of K. of L. of America, 
 Office of General Master Workman, 
 
 Scranton, Pa., April 13, 1886. 
 
 '"My Dear Mr. McDowell : I inclose you a letter which you 
 are to read and deliver to the man for whom it is intended. I do not 
 care whether you deliver it in person or through the medium of another,, 
 only ask that it be placed in his hands. If you have succeeded in effect- 
 ing a settlement with him do not give it to him. If you think there is a 
 prospect of an immediate settlement do not give it to him ; but if such 
 is not the case, then I want it placed in his hands. Allow him to either 
 consent or to make a reply. If he consents to an honorable settle- 
 ment, then the letter will never see the light of day, but if he does not 
 so act, then it will be published to the world, and from the time he 
 opens up the ball in a legal way we will continue to wage the battle 
 with him. His wealth cannot save him if this fight is begun. Let no 
 one know of the existence of this letter until after five o'clock of the 
 day you deliver it ; then if he makes no reply let it go to the world. 
 Let him know the limit of time allowed. I sincerely hope that there 
 will be no necessity for its publication. Hoping for the best, I remain, 
 
 " ' Very truly yours, 
 
 " ' T. V. POWDEBLY.' 
 
 "I have received your letter to me dated 'Scranton, Pa., April 11, 
 1886,' at the same time and by the same agency that I received your 
 foregoing letter of instructions to Mr. McDowell. The animus and 
 purpose of your letter to me cannot be fully understood without know- 
 ing the contents of that one. I was peremptorily notified at the same 
 time that I must answer your letter by 5 o'clock to-day and I was graci-
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 97 
 
 ously given until that hour to respond. Your letter to me embraces 
 two subjects, one relating- to me personally and the other to the rela- 
 tion of the Knights of Labor to a railroad company of which I am the 
 president, and in some degree the representative of its public and 
 private duties. I shall refer to the first subject very briefly. The cir- 
 cumstances above given, under which your letter was delivered, as 
 well as its tenor and spirit, place the purpose in writing it beyond any 
 fair doubt. It would seem to be an official declaration that the Knights 
 of Labor had determined to pursue me personally unless the Missouri 
 Pacific Company should yield to its demands in what you call the strike 
 on that road. 
 
 " In answer to these personal threats, I beg to say that I am yet a 
 free American citizen. I am past forty-nine years of age, was born at 
 Pox bury, Delaware county, in this State. I began life in a lowly way, and 
 by industry, temperance and attention to my own business have been 
 successful, perhaps beyond the measure of my deserts. If, as you say, 
 I am now to be destroyed by the Knights of Labor unless I will sink my 
 manhood, so be it. Fortunately, I have retained my early habits of in- 
 dustry. My friends, neighbors and business associates know me well, 
 and I am quite content to leave my personal record in their hands. If 
 any of them have aught to complain of, I will be only too glad to sub- 
 mit to any arbitration. If such parties or any of them wish to appoint 
 the Knights of Labor or you as their attorney, such appointment is quite 
 agreeable to me, but until such an election is made it will naturally 
 occur to you that any interference on your part in my personal affairs 
 is, to say the least, quite gratuitous. Since I was nineteen years of age 
 I have been in the habit of employing in my various enterprises large 
 numbers of persons, probably at times as high as 50,000, distributing 
 three or four million dollars per month to different pay-rolls. It would 
 seem a little strange that during all these years the difficulty with the 
 Knights of Labor should be my first. Any attempt to connect me per- 
 sonally with the late strike on the southwestern roads, or any respon- 
 sibility therefor, is equally gratuitous, as you well know. It is true I 
 am the President of the Missouri Pacific, but when this strike occurred 
 I was far away on the ocean and beyond the reach of telegrams. I 
 went away relying on your promise made to me last August that there 
 should be no strike on that road, and that if any difficulties should 
 arise you would come frankly to me with them. Mr. Hopkins, the 
 Vice-President of this company, who was present aird cognizant of this 
 
 l s- — 7
 
 98 BUKEAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 arrangement with you, in my absence sent you promptly, when the- 
 present strike broke out, the following telegrams: 
 
 " ' New Yoek, March 6, 1886. 
 
 " ' T. V. PowDEELT, Scranton, Pa. : 
 
 " 'Mr. Hoxie telegraphs that Knights of Labor on our road have* 
 struck and refuse to allow any freight trains to run, saying they have 
 no grievances, but are only striking because ordered to do so. If there- 
 is any grievance we would like to talk it over with you. We under- 
 stood you to promise that no strike would be ordered without consul- 
 tation. 
 
 "'A. L. HOPKINS.' 
 
 " ' Philadelphia, Pa., March 8, 1886. 
 
 " 'A. L. Hopkins, Secretary Missouri Pacific Railroad, New York: 
 
 " ' Have telegraphed west for particulars. Papers say strike caused 
 by discharge of man named Hall. Can he be reinstated pending inves- 
 tigation ? 
 
 " ' t. v. po wdbkly; 
 
 " ' New York, March 8, 1886. 
 
 " ' T. Y. POWDERLT : 
 
 "'Thanks for your message and suggestion. Hall was employed 
 by the Texas & Pacific, and not by us. That property is in the hands 
 of the United States court, and we have no control whatever over the 
 receivers or over employes. We have carried out the agreements 
 made last spring in every respect, and the present strike is unjust to us 
 and unwise for you. It is reported here that this movement is the re- 
 sult of Wall street influence on the part of those short of the securi- 
 ties likely to be affected. 
 
 "'A. L. HOPKINS.' 
 
 "This dispatch you never answered. This correspondence places 
 the continuance of this strike on your shoulders. You sat still and 
 were silent after Mr. Hopkins' appeal, and allowed the strike to go on — 
 allowed the company's property to be forcibly seized and the citizens 
 of four States and one territory to be deprived of their rightful railway 
 facilities. Thus forced the Board of Directors, prior to my return, 
 placed the matter in Mr. Hoxie's hands by a formal resolution, and that 
 disposition of it has never been changed. You knew this well, because 
 you had a correspondence with him on this subject. Hence it was-
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 99 
 
 that when Mr. Turner, Secretary of your order, wrote to me on the sub- 
 ject, I fully advised him in my letter of March 27, that the matter had 
 been placed by the Board in the hands of Mr. Hoxie, and that I must re- 
 fer you to him as its continuing representative. At the same time I 
 reminded you that a standing advertisement of this company was at 
 that moment inviting its former employes to return to their accustomed 
 posts, and that regardless of their being or not being members of your 
 order, and regardless also of their individual participation in the strike 
 which your order has recently inaugurated. When, inspite of all this, 
 you desired to see me personally, I cordially met you, and having put 
 myself in communication with Mr. Hoxie, arranged with him for you 
 the following, which was widely published by you at the time : 
 
 " ' Xew York, March 30, 1886. 
 
 " ' Martin Irons, St. Louis : 
 
 " ' Have been in conference all day with the result that Vice-Presi- 
 dent Hoxie agrees to the following: Willing to meet a committee of 
 our employes without discrimination, who arc actually at work in the 
 service of the company at the time such committee is appointed, to adju- 
 dicate with them any grievances that they may have. Have your Execu- 
 tive Committee order the men to return to work, and also select a 
 special committee from the employes of the Missouri Pacific to wait on 
 Mr. Hoxie to adjust any difference. Do this as quickly as possible. 
 Board will leave for St. Louis to-morrow. 
 
 " ' FREDERICK TURNER, 
 
 " ' Secretary.' 
 
 "Ever since then Mr. Hoxie has stood ready to receive any and all 
 persons in the actual employ of this company as a committee or other- 
 wise, and confer upon or arbitrate any matter of difference or complaint, 
 either between the company and themselves or between the company 
 and its late employes, and, for that matter, between the company and 
 anybody else. No such committee or individual employe has, so far as 
 known to me, ever made any such application. In this connection it 
 will be remembered that they left not because of any complaint what- 
 ever of this company's treatment of themselves, but only because of 
 this company's refusal to comply with their demand that this company 
 refuse to do what the law requires in the way of interchange of busi- 
 ness with another company, with which some of your order had a 
 quarrel. 
 
 " In the meantime this company has of necessity gone on to extend
 
 100 BUREAU OF LABOll STATISTICS. 
 
 employment to such of those persons who recently, and without even 
 alleged provocation, left its service, as saw tit to return. These return- 
 ing- employes have been very many, and in this way its rolls are already 
 nearly if not quite as full as its shops and equipment, crippled by acts 
 of violence attendant upon recent action of your order can employ 
 Mr. Hoxie advises that every such person applying to be received back, 
 has been employed, unless believed to have taken part in recent acts 
 of violence. This company still stands ready to make good in the 
 fullest sense its agreement as expressly set forth. 
 
 " In the face of all this you notify me that unless by 5 o'clock I per- 
 sonally consent to something, precisely what, I do not see, then personal 
 consequences of a sort vaguely expressed, but not hard to understand, 
 will at the hand of your order be visited upon me. Let me again re- 
 mind you that it is an 'American citizen whom you and your order thus 
 propose to destroy. The contest is, not between your order and me, 
 but between your order and the laws of the land. Your order has 
 already defied those laws in preventing, by violence, this company from 
 operating its road. You held then that this company should not oper- 
 ate its road under conditions prescribed by law, but only under condi- 
 tions prescribed by you. You now declare in effect that I hold my in- 
 dividual property and rights, not as other men hold theirs, but only at 
 the peril of your letting loose irrevocably after 5 o'clock your order 
 upon me. If this is true of this company and of me, it is true of all 
 other men and companies. If so, you and your secret order are the 
 law, and an American citizen is such only in name. 
 
 "Already for weeks your order, in your attack upon this company, 
 has not hesitated to disable it by violence from rendering its duty to 
 the public, and from giving work and paying wages to men at least three 
 times your own number, who, working as they were by your side, were 
 at least deserving of your sympathy. Having pushed this violence be- 
 yond even the greatest forbearance of the public, and found in this di- 
 rection cause to hesitate, you now turn upon me and propose that the 
 wrongs you have hitherto inflicted on the public shall now culminate 
 in an attack upon an individual. 
 
 " In tbis, as I have said, the real issue is between you and the law 
 of the land. It may be, before you are through, those laws will effi- 
 ciently advise you that even I, as an individual citizen, am not beyond 
 their care. 
 
 • " Very respectfully, 
 
 "JAY GOULD."
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 101 
 
 After the publication of the foregoing correspondence the follow- 
 ing communication by the General Master Workman appeared in the 
 
 newspapers : 
 
 • 
 
 " Scranton, Pa., April 14, 1886. 
 " Frederick Turner, Secretary Executive Board, Knights of Labor: 
 
 "A spirited circular should go out at once to the order, asking the 
 members to turn every dollar they can raise into the hands of the men 
 in support of their fight against the Gould System. No matter whether 
 they acted wisely or not, they should now have the sympathy of the 
 order, and that which is more substantial than sympathy — dollars. If 
 you think as I do, telegraph the members of the board at St. Louis, 
 and have them select the proper party to take charge of the funds. 
 Then let me know, and I will draw up a circular. There is no use in 
 ordering any more men out on a strike along these roads. Let us back 
 up the men now out with the money they so much need to provide 
 themselves and families with necessary supplies. This seems to me to 
 be the need of the hour. 
 
 " [Signed] " T. V. PO WDERLY." 
 
 It does not appear that the lurid exhortation of Messrs. Irons, 
 Caughlan and McKeon, had any effect upon the strike, unless it may 
 have been in the death of a few unfortunate people in East St. Louis a 
 few days later. 
 
 In East St. Louis, on the 7th of April, large bodies of rioters, com- 
 posed not only of strikers, but also of the hoodlum element which had 
 never been in the employment of the railroads, to the number of about 
 300 persons, formed in procession and marched to the various yards 
 and freight-houses, demanding that the laborers cease their work and 
 attempted to take forcible possession, but they were generally con- 
 fronted by. deputy sheriffs, armed with rifles and revolvers, and turned 
 back. The sheriff the next day increased his force of deputies by 130, 
 the men being from Belleville and vicinity. These men and others had 
 volunteered — many of them — in response to the following notice 
 posted in the adjacent towns : 
 
 "Wanted. — Good men to act as deputy marshals, and to protect 
 the property of this (the Louisville and Nashville Railroad) at East St. 
 Louis. Five dollars a day paid and board furnished. None but men 
 of grit need apply." 
 
 We now approach the terrible tragedy of April 9th, at East St. 
 Louis, the bloody culmination of riots and the strike.
 
 102 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 Tlie Broadway crossing and the Dike avenue bridge in East St. 
 Louis was and had been a favorite resort for the strikers, and here they 
 were on this fatal day assembled in large numbers. At the east end of 
 the bridge spanning Cahokia creek, Broadway is crossed by the Louis- 
 ville & Nashville, the Indianapolis & St. Louis and the Cairo Short Line 
 railroads. The crossing is about fifty yards wide. About twenty yards 
 south of the crossing the two former roads turn to the west and cross 
 the creek on a high trestle, which is about eighty feet only from tbe 
 Bike avenue bridge, and from it is obtained a full view of the bridge, 
 the crossing and the intervening ground. Here every movement in 
 the yards could be noted and all arriving and departing trains ob- 
 served. It is impossible to arrive at the exact facts of the tragedy, be- 
 cause no two narratives agree in essential particulars, whether these 
 detailed reports come from newspaper reporters and eye witnesses or 
 from the fighting deputies. A close comparison of contemporaneous 
 reports and a prudent elimination of much apparent exaggeration in the . 
 statements, public and private, of those who were present, and which 
 were evidently colored by their respective sympathies and heated im- 
 magmations, gives about this result : The Louisville & Nashville road 
 had determined to run its trains at all hazards, and for that purpose 
 had at its service a considerable force of deputy sheriffs and marshals. 
 At 10 o'clock A. M. the first effort was made by a coal train. When the 
 train reached the crossing where the alert strikers and the usual num- 
 ber of idlers and sightseers had congregated, the engineer and fireman 
 were stoned, the train stopped and forced back to its starting point. 
 A second effort resulted in no better success. In the afternoon the 
 Company resolved to send a posse of deputies to clear the crossing. 
 ^FbTthis purpose nine men, armed with rifles and revolvers, were se- 
 lected; their names were: J. G. Hewlett, the leader, a special detec- 
 tive of the road ; William Lester, a switchman ; John Hague, an En- 
 glishman ; Charles Kinsler, a fireman ; W. P. Laird, a bill poster ; 
 George Burnett, a switchman; John T. Williams, a farmer; Samuel 
 Jones, a school teacher, and Stewart Martin, a liveryman. 
 
 When the posse approached the trestle over the creek it was 
 greeted by jeers, yells, hooting and profane and approbrious epithets. 
 Hewlett commanded the mob to disperse and attempted to arrest a 
 man who was in the act of throwing a stone. The squad of deputies 
 were then furiously assailed with stones from both sides of the cross- 
 ing, several of them being struck. One of the men, it cannot be ascer- 
 tained certainly which one, raised his rifle and fired, and a man was 
 seen to fall. Tbe showers of stone and pistol shots from all directions
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 103 
 
 began to rain upon the officers, who simultaneously returned the fire, 
 with deadly effect, into the promiscuous crowd. The firing was kept 
 up until the crossing- was cleared, the people fleeing, panic stricken, and 
 rushing into houses for safety. The deputies retreated westward on 
 the track of the Louisville & Nashville road to the freight house, and 
 after a brief parley started on their retreat to St. Louis. Proceeding 
 up the bridge approach, they were met by Mayor Joyce, City Clerk 
 Canty and two policemen, who attempted to place them under arrest. 
 They protested and continued their flight over the bridge, being fol- 
 lowed by the officers and a constantly increasing crowd of excited men. 
 The mayor and other parties grabbed several of the deputies and at- 
 tempted to drag them back by force, and then the firing again began and 
 one man in the ranks of the pursuing party fell. This checked the 
 ■crowd and the deputies were enabled to make their escape to St. Louis, 
 where they surrendered themselves to the authorities. 
 
 The scene at East St. Louis after the fight was harrowing. Th*e 
 victims of the affray who were killed were Oscar Washington, John 
 Boner, Patrick Driscoll, Eichard Eyckman, Mrs. L. Pfeuffer, and on 
 the bridge C. E. Thompson. A man named Jones was seriously, and 
 others, whose names were not reported, more or less wounded. But 
 the end had not come yet. Bloodshed was succeeded by incendiarism. 
 At an early hour in the night of this memorable day a car loaded with 
 baled hay on the Louisville & Nashville road was discovered to be on 
 fire. An alarm was sent to the fire department of St. Louis, which 
 quickly responded and soon subdued the fire, but another fire was at 
 once discovered on the Cairo Short Line, where four cars were burned. 
 Next on the same road a passenger coach, five box cars and an oil and 
 machine house were consumed, as was also a scale house. At 1:30 
 o'clock A. M. two loaded cars and one empty one on the Pittsburg track, 
 and two cars on the Vicksburg track of the same road, were consumed. 
 Still a sixth fire occurred among a long string of box cars on one of 
 the sidings of the main track of the Cairo Short Line, and fifteen cars 
 were destroyed. 
 
 While these conflagrations were going on the populace of East 
 St. Louis, excepting the police force, was not only passive but in vari- 
 ous ways, as by cutting hose, etc., prevented the St. Louis fire depart- 
 ment from rendering efficient aid in preventing the destruction of prop- 
 erty. The six fires resulted in the loss of property amounting in all to 
 about £75,000. 
 
 Upon the request of Sheriff Robiequet and other officials Gov- 
 ernor Oglesby immediately ordered the State militia to East St. Louis.
 
 104 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 They arrived on the night of April 9, and relieving- many of the depu- 
 ties, assumed control of affairs. At tirst eight companies arrived, 
 which were soon reinforced by several more companies, including a 
 Gattling gun company, and order was soon restored. 
 
 The subsequent history of this tragic affair is briefly told. The 
 coroner's inquest developed no new facts outside of those heretofore 
 summarized. The deputies were held in durance for a few weeks, then 
 sent to East St. Louis in obedience to a requisition, and were finally 
 released and disappeared from sight. 
 
 It is not the province of this chronicle to say who was at fault. 
 Perhaps if inflammatory appeals had not been made to the more vio- 
 lent passions, the guilty would have not been prone to violence and 
 the innocent would not have suffered. 
 
 In Missouri matters were progressing more peaceably, and to a 
 message concerning the East St. Louis affair from J. L. Blair, Yice- 
 President of the St. Lotus police board, Gov. Marmaduke responded 
 the same night : 
 
 "James L. Blair, Vice-President Board of Police: 
 
 " I have just learned of excitement in St. Louis growing out of 
 troubles in East St. Louis. I have labored to settle these differences 
 in our State through civil authorities, instead of military force, and am 
 steadily achieving success in that way, fullj justifying my proclamation, 
 which says : The courage, good sense and law-abiding spirit of the 
 people can be firmly relied upon to carry out such peaceful settlement. 
 I still hope to reach a prompt solution of this question without resort 
 to the bullet and bayonet, and think, if serious trouble is anticipated in 
 your city, it would be wise for Mayor Francis to issue at once a procla- 
 mation saying such are his views also and calling upon the people to 
 crush out all lawlessness, and I believe that the great mass of the 
 people, rich and poor, will rally to the support of this sentiment and 
 purpose. 
 
 "JOHX S. MARMADUKE." 
 
 '•Jefferson City, April 9, 1886." 
 
 The succeeding days were passed without particular incident. The 
 Illinois militia, TOO strong, held East St. Louis, protected property and 
 re-opened suspended commerce. In St. Louis, as well as over the 
 whole Southwest System, commerce had already been fully resumed; 
 yet some of the citizens of St. Louis, appealed to by the Knights of 
 Labor, in view of the constant recurrence of crime, outlawry and an- 
 archy and the depression of business affecting all alike, after a series*
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 105 
 
 meetings and the appointment of committees, determined to intercede 
 between the contending factions. The result of their deliberations is 
 best told in the following correspondence : 
 
 " St. Louis, April 14, 1886. 
 " H. M. Hoxie, Esq., First Vice-President of the Missouri Pacific Rail- 
 road and Leased Lines: 
 
 " Sir— At a mass meeting of the citizens of St. Louis, on the 13th 
 instant, the enclosed preamble and resolution were adopted, and we 
 respectfully request you, in conformity therewith, to appoint, or cause 
 the proper authority to appoint, a committee of three resident directors 
 of the Southwestern Railroad System, and cause the names of the same 
 to be immediately reported to Dr. Thos. O'Reilly, president of said 
 meeting. 
 
 "Very respectfully, 
 
 " DR. THOS. O'REILLY, 
 "Thomas Marvin, " President. 
 
 " Secretary." 
 
 "The Missouri Pacific Railway Company, 
 Executive Department, 
 
 St. Louis, April 16, 1886. 
 
 "Dr. Thomas O'Reilly, Chairman, etc., St. Louis: 
 
 " Dear Sir — I am in receipt of your letter of the 15th instant, en- 
 closing copy of preamble and resolution adopted at a citizens' meeting 
 held at the court house in this city on the 13th instant, and requesting 
 me 'to appoint, or cause the proper authority to appoint, a committee 
 of three of the resident directors of the Southwestern Railroad System, 
 in conformity with said resolution, and cause the names of the same to 
 be immediately reported to Dr. Thomas O'Reilly, president of said 
 meeting.' 
 
 "The substance of this resolution seems to be the appointment of 
 'a committee of nine citizens of St. Louis, three from the resident di- 
 rectors of the railways in interest, three from the resident labor inter- 
 ests, present or recent employes of the railways, to be selected by the 
 unemployed, and three discreet and recognized representatives of the 
 mercantile, manufacturing and professional elements of the city, in no 
 wise connected or interested with the railway or labor organizations,, 
 who shall be authorized by their respective interests to meet, confer 
 and arrange with binding effect the existing troubles.' 
 
 "The premise upon which the proposition for the appointment of 
 such a committee rests is the statement in the preamble to the resolu-
 
 106 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 tion, that, 'The trade and commerce of the city of St. Louis, and the 
 inter-State commerce through St. Louis to and from all of the trade points 
 of the Missouri Pacific and of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern 
 Railways, has been for over a month, and still is, obstructed, with no im- 
 mediate sign of said roads complying with, or being able to comply 
 with, their duty to the public as common carriers.' 
 
 "I must respectfully call your attention, and through you the at- 
 tention of the citizens participating in the meeting of the 13th instant, 
 of which you were chairman, to the fact that the railways constituting 
 the Southwestern System are now in full operation, and were, in fact, 
 at the time the resolution was presented by the managers of that meet- 
 ing for the approval of the citizens there present. This fact can be at- 
 tested by any one desiring to travel or forward freight, express matter 
 or mail over these railways. So far, then, as either the public or this 
 company are concerned, the need of resumption of traffic can not be 
 urged as a reason for the appointment of the committee suggested. The 
 action of such a committee would necessarily relate entirely to the 
 methods by which the ex-employes might be restored to the places 
 they have voluntarily abandoned. 
 
 " After the serious interruption which the business of St. Louis has 
 already suffered, and at a time when, through the protection of the 
 civil authorities and through extraordinary exertions in procuring suit- 
 able labor, this company has re-opened its lines and fully established 
 its traffic, it is to me a matter of sincere regret that any portion of its 
 citizens should send broadcast over the land, to the detriment of the 
 city, a statement in regard to the obstruction of traffic over two of its 
 principal roads, which I am satisfied the great body of the businessmen 
 of this city would decline to indorse. Whatever may have been the 
 difficulties for solution last month in relation to the resumption of 
 traffic, they do not exist to-day. The railway companies, as one party, 
 are expending their time, energies and money to keep open the avenues 
 of commerce for the public benefit, are succeeding in so doing, and are 
 solvent citizens, amenable as such through the courts to the State and 
 to individuals. Another party to be affected by the proposed confer- 
 ence is avowedly expending its time, energy and money for the purpose 
 of blockading the avenues of commerce, and is not a legally constituted 
 solvent citizen and can not be so reached. 
 
 "In conclusion, I desire to call your attention to the reply of the 
 president of this company to the communication of Mr. Powderly, pub- 
 lished since the date of your meeting, which fully sets forth the position
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 107 
 
 of this company, and which no words of mine could render more 
 explicit. 
 
 " Very respectfully, 
 [Signed] " H. M. IIOXIE, 
 
 " Vice-President." 
 
 The subjoined correspondence in reference to the same matter ex- 
 plains itself: 
 
 " St. Louis, Mo., April 28, 1886. 
 M Mr. John W. Hayes, Executive Board Noble Order of the Knights 
 
 of Labor: 
 
 " Sir — The Committee of Arrangements upon the part of the citi- 
 zens of St. Louis, and in behalf of the local and inter-State commerce, 
 have continued the effort to secure an amicable understanding and 
 ending of the disturbance and wide-spread suffering resulting from the 
 inability of the railways of The Missouri Pacific and St. Louis, Iron 
 Mountain & Southern Companies for several weeks past, and now, to 
 fully meet the demands of the public, and to execute their duty to the 
 public as common carriers, we have taken the matter up where the 
 citizens' committee left off, after failing to secure from the railways 
 the appointment of their share of the proper arbitration committee. 
 We find in the files of the correspondence this letter : 
 
 " ' Noble Order of the Knights of Labor of 
 America, Office of the Executive Board. 
 St. Louis, Mo., April 15, 1886. 
 
 "'Thomas Morris, Esq., Secretary of Citizens' Meeting: 
 
 " ' Dear Sir — Yours with preamble and resolutions received. In 
 reply will say we will comply with the sentiment therein expressed, ap- 
 point a committee of three and agree to abide by any decision that may 
 be reached. 
 
 " ' Very truly yours, 
 
 '"JOHN W.HAYES, 
 " ' General Executive Board, Knights of Labor. > " 
 
 " We must say that this letter gave our committee much encour- 
 agement. It showed no fear of the full and complete presentation of 
 the facts, and of the merits and demerits of the whole question at 
 issue, were they many, few, or but one. The letter was, too, in accord 
 with the spirit manifested in the interview of Grand Master Workman 
 Powderly with President Gould, and also in accord with the same
 
 108 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 spirit of conciliation and purpose to do right of the Grand Master 
 Workman's order directing' the strike off. 
 
 " With the continued purpose of the origin and the intent of the 
 citizens' organization and meeting, we shall continue our efforts in be- 
 half of the public interests and push our work to the end that an ami- 
 cable adjustment may be secured, and to the further end that further 
 troubles may be avoided. We seek no surrender of any principle or 
 right hitherto or now maintained. We do, however, seek, as mediators 
 in behalf of the long-suffering public from those who have heretofore 
 responded to our call, the Knights of Labor as above shown, that they 
 in the spirit hitherto manifested to this committee of the citizens' mass 
 meeting, go one step further — and this in view of the arrival to-mor- 
 row of the Curtin Committee, which can secure, through the power of 
 Congress and its official investigation, for which latter the Curtin 
 Committee visit St. Louis, the full and complete statement of facts, 
 that both Congress and the public can judge of and act intelligently 
 upon the same. Therefore, with no purpose to abate our work, and 
 that the public may have the continued evidence and proof of the fair- 
 ness and disposition of the Knights of Labor to relieve the public in- 
 convenience and to rely upon the facts and future work and legislation,. 
 we do submit to you, and at the same time respectfully ask you to 
 consider the propriety of an immediate executive order to declare the 
 strike at an end, and direct or request that Knights do return to their 
 work as though no strike had occurred, and this for the public interest 
 and to relieve as well the individual embarrassment resulting there- 
 from to innocent sufferers of all classes. 
 
 " Very respectfully, 
 
 " THOMAS O'REILLY, 
 
 " Chairman. 
 
 " Thomas Morris, 
 
 " Secretary." 
 
 On April 13, what is known as the Curtin Congressional Resolution, 
 was adopted by the lower house of Congress : 
 
 " Whereas, A disturbed condition in the relations between labor 
 and certain railroad corporations carrying on inter-State commerce, is 
 reported to exist in several of the States,menacing and obstructing inter- 
 State transportation of freight and passengers ; involving to a greater 
 or less extent the commerce and business of the country and the gen- 
 eral welfare of the people, and hence, becoming a matter of national 
 concern ; therefore, be it
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 109 
 
 "Resolved, That a select committee, to consist of seven members, 
 be appointed by the Speaker to investigate the cause and extent of 
 the disturbed conditions now existing between railroad corporations 
 engaged in carrying on inter-State commerce, and their employes, in the 
 States of Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and Texas. Such com- 
 mittee shall have power to send for persons and papers, to examine 
 witnesses under oath, to sit during the session of the house, and may 
 visit or send sub-committees to such points, in such States as may be 
 necessary, in order to facilitate such investigation. It shall report to 
 the House during the pending session, with such recommendations as 
 it shall deem proper to make ; and the expense incurred, not to exceed 
 the sum of $3,000, shall be paid "out of the contingent fund of the 
 House upon vouchers certified by the chairman and one member of the 
 committee." 
 
 Under this resolution the following committee was appointed : 
 Hons. A. G. Curtin, Pennsylvania ; W. H. Crain, Texas ; J. H. Outh- 
 waite, Ohio ; James Buchanan, New Jersey ; J. W. Stewart, Vermont ; 
 A. X. Parker, New York ; and James N. Burnes, Missouri. 
 
 On the 30th of April, this committee visited St. Louis and pro- 
 ceeded to the discharge of its duties. Its appearance appeared to 
 have a most favorable effect upon all classes, and this gained strength 
 when on May 1, the following correspondence was begun : 
 
 " St. Louis, Mo., May 1, 1886. 
 " To the Central Executive Board of the Knights of Labor of America: 
 " The testimony taken to-day by the Congressional Investigating 
 Committee shows conclusively that very serious losses to the commer- 
 cial, agricultural and other interests of the entire country have resulted 
 from the labor trouble upon the lines of railroads belonging to the 
 Southwestern System and other railroads in the States of Illinois, 
 Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and Texas, and that by reason of said 
 troubles a large number of persons not directly connected therewith 
 have been thrown out of employment: Unwilling at this time to ex- 
 press any opinion in regard to the cause which produced this lamenta- 
 ble condition of affairs, or to indicate where the blame lies for its con- 
 tinuance, and animated solely by a desire to render all the assistance in 
 our power in the endeavor to restore peace, individual happiness and 
 commercial prosperity to the citizens of the country, and particularly 
 of the five States above named, we do hereby respectfully but earn- 
 estly request you, as American citizens having the welfare of our 
 common country at heart, to advise, through the proper official chan-
 
 110 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISSICS. 
 
 nels, a discontinuance of the strike upon the railways hereinbefore 
 mentioned, and to leave the question whether the employes or the 
 officers of the corporation were justifiable, to the decision that public- 
 opinion may form when the Congressional Committee, which has the 
 matter under investigation, shall have completed its work. Feeling- 
 assured that a compliance with the request will merit for your boards 
 and for those who may act in conformity with your counsel the appro- 
 bation of the people of the United States, we remain, 
 
 Your obedient servants, 
 [Signed] . " A. G. CURTIN, 
 
 " W. H. CRAIN, 
 • "JAS. H. OUTHWAITE, 
 " A. X. PARKER, 
 " JAMES BUCHANAN, 
 "J. W.STEWART." 
 
 Hurst's Hotel, St. Louis, May 3, 1886. 
 To Hon. A. G. Curtin, W. H. Crane, James H. Outliwaite, A. X. Par- 
 ker, James Buchanan and J. W. Stewart: 
 
 Gentleman — Your communicntion of May 1st was placed before 
 the joint executive boards, and the following resolution adopted: 
 
 Resolved, That the request embodied in the communication from 
 the Congressional Committee be granted — the time for calling the strike 
 off to be left to the General Executive Board. In view of the fact that 
 the business interests of the country are suffering, and the Knights of 
 Labor having the interests of the whole people at heart, we willingly 
 comply with the request of the Nation's representatives, and that of 
 the citizens' committee of St. Louis, and declare this strike at an end ; 
 to take effect Tuesday morning, May 4. 
 
 Trusting this action will meet with the approval of the public, and 
 assist in bringing capital and labor in closer relationship, we remain, 
 Truly yours, 
 The General Executive Board of the Knights of Labor. 
 [Signed] JOHN W. HAYES. 
 
 St. Louis, May 3, 1886. 
 
 "Thos. O'Reilly, Chairman, Thos. Morris, Secretary, Citizens' 
 Meeting: 
 
 " Gentlemen : Your communication of April 28 was placed before 
 the Joint Executive Boards with the following result :
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. Ill 
 
 "That we accept your proposition and leave the matter in the hands 
 of the General Executive Board to fix the date for compliance with the 
 same. 
 
 " The citizens whom you have the honor to represent deserve the 
 appreciation of the whole community for the efforts made to amicably 
 adjust and settle the difficulty existing upon the Southwest system of 
 railroads in behalf of local and inter-State commerce, and for the restora- 
 tion of peace and harmony between labor and capital. We have 
 selected Tuesday morning, May 4, 1886, as the time when this strike 
 shall be declared at an end. 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 JOHN W. HAYES, 
 " General Executive Board, Knights of Labor." 
 
 " Office of the Executive Board, 
 St. Louis, Mo., May 3, 1886. 
 
 " To the members of D. A. 17, 93 and 101 and of the General Assembly 
 and non-members, or persons affected by the present strike upon the 
 Gould Southwest System of Railways — Greeting: 
 
 "On April 28th the citizens of St. Louis requested of this board 
 that in the interest of the business community of St. Louis and that of 
 the United States in general, the strike upon the Gould Southwest 
 system of railways be declared at an end. While this request was 
 under consideration (May 1st) by the joint boards of D. A. 17, 93 and 
 101, the committee appointed by Congress to investigate the cause of 
 the trouble between the railroad company and its employes made a 
 similar request, in which they say : 
 
 " The testimony taken by the Congressional Investigating Commit- 
 tee shows conclusively that very serious losses to the commercial inter- 
 ests of the entire country have resulted from these troubles, and that a 
 large number of persons not connected therewith have been thrown 
 out of employment. Therefore we do respectfully but earnestly ask 
 you to discontinue this strike and leave the justice of your cause to the 
 decision that public opinion may foim when we make our report." 
 
 " The documents were fully considered and the following conclusion 
 arrived at: That the matter be left in the hands of the General Execu- 
 tive Board, they to set a time and declare the strike at an end. We 
 have therefore selected Tuesday Morning, May 4, 1886, as the time 
 when this strike shall end. You will make application to your former
 
 112 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 employers for re-employinent on the above date (Tuesday morning, May 
 4th). 
 
 " By order of the General Executive Board, 
 
 "JOHN W. HAYES/' 
 
 The following letter of instructions was thereupon issued by the 
 First Yice-President-of the Missouri Pacific Railway Company: 
 
 St. Louis, Mo., May 4, 1886. 
 
 "Wm. Kerrigan, Esq., General Superintendent: 
 
 " Dear Sir — The morning papers of to-day contain an order from 
 the General Executive Board of the Knights of Labor, unconditionally 
 terminating the strike which has existed on the part of certain of our 
 former employes since March 6 last, to take effect this date. In engag- 
 ing the men we need in the service of the company you will be governed 
 by the following conditions contained in our offers of employment 
 which have heretofore been made and repeated from time to time: 
 
 " From the advertisement of March 10, 1886 : 
 
 ' Good and competent men will be employed without reference to 
 their past or present relations to the company, or their connection with 
 any society or organization, open, secret, secular or otherwise. Such 
 as are accepted will be paid the rate of wages recommended by the 
 Governors and other State officials of Missouri and Kansas, when the 
 labor troubles of March, 1885, were adjusted, the same as have been 
 paid by the company since that date.' 
 
 "Also the following, contained in the letter to the Governors of 
 Missouri and Kansas, in reply to their communication of March 20, in 
 which the above advertisement was repeated with the following addi- 
 tions : 
 
 ' This company is further willing to pay to its employes a rate of 
 wages equal to that now being paid by other railroad companies in the 
 same section of country. 
 
 ' The men who have been engaged under the advertisement of 
 March 10, 1886, will be continued in our empoly ; we can not re-engage 
 or continue in our employ any persons who have actually engaged in 
 the destruction or injury of the company's property, or who have ad- 
 vised such destruction or injury.' 
 
 "In the interview with Messrs. Turner and Bailey on April 1, 1886, 
 I stated that this company desired to re-engage in its service such of 
 its late employes as it needed who might apply individually for employ- 
 ment and were not objectionable to the management by reason of their
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 113 
 
 acts during the late strike. While this offer was not accepted, but, on 
 the contrary, an order for the further continuance of the strike was 
 afterwards issued, the position of the company in this matter remains 
 unchanged, although its requirements for additional men have since 
 been greatly diminished. 
 
 "I learn from your reports that about 600 of the employes who 
 struck (tii March 0th have resumed their places .since the hrst order to 
 resume work was issued by the General Master Workman of the 
 Knights of Labor on March 28, 1886, and that many new men have been 
 employed under the advertisement for help above referred to, so that 
 the present force is nearly adequate for the needs of the company, and 
 entirely sufficient for the present requirements in the shops at Atchison, 
 Kansas City, Parsons, Sedalia and Palestine. I also note your recom- 
 mendation that the shops at DeSoto remain closed for the present. 
 
 "In complying with the above instructions you will see that the 
 applications for re-employment of those of our former employes who 
 have families and own homes upon the line of the road are first con- 
 sidered. " Yours truly, 
 
 "11. M. HOXIE, 
 
 " First Vice-President." 
 
 As tragedy begets tragedy, so in the expiring throes of this great 
 strike more blood was yet destined to flow. Win. E. Withers, a non- 
 union switchman and private watchman in the employ of the Bridge and 
 Tunnel Company in St. Louis, being assailed by three strikers on April 
 28th, shot and killed, in self-defense, one of them, John Gibbons, j 
 Withers was arrested, but soon afterwards discharged. 
 
 But the most outrageous of all the misdoings of these two months 
 was the dastardly wrecking of a freight train on the Missouri Pacific 
 near Wyandotte, Kansas, on the night of the 26th, on the bluffs of the 
 Kaw river. Spikes were pulled, and the engine and part of the train 
 plunged down the declivity and into the river. The engineer jumped 
 and saved his life, but the fireman, William Carlisle, and a brakeman, 
 John Horton, were buried beneath the wreck in the water and mud of 
 the Kaw river. 
 
 The Knights of Labor disclaimed all complicity in this outrage, but 
 subsequently three of their number were arrested on strong circum- 
 stantial evidence of guilt, and they are at this writing held for trial. 
 
 This closes a volume of horrors. Record of scores of lesser crimes 
 is necessarily omitted. The military had been withdrawn from turbulent 
 
 l s — 8
 
 114 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 points everywhere, except only those of Illinois were held at East St. 
 Louis, when on the 4th day of May, 1886, the great strike was officially 
 declared "off." 
 
 As to the cause of the strike, if cause there was, from a patient 
 reading of this chronicle, it cannot be definitely ascertained. Reasons 
 were absent before its inauguration, and, as circumstances demanded, 
 were multiplied afterwards. It was apparently useless, and* will go 
 down in history as the most expensive and prolonged strike of its size on 
 record. It can scarcely be attributed to a conflict between labor and 
 capital, because such a conflict can never exist. It cannot be attributed 
 to the oppression of a great corporation, for it is of record that it paid its 
 employes more liberally than employes of any other class of business 
 was paid. It cannot be attributed alone to the obstinacy of employers, 
 for the record shows they were always willing to treat with the em- 
 ployes in their actual service. It may possibly be attributed to the 
 ambition and bad advice of smart and unscrupulous men, who for 
 selfish purposes procured for themselves the leadership of the more 
 easily duped masses of workingmen. 
 
 However it may be, the public, the producing classes, the mercan- 
 tile population, everybody, was caused to suffer even more than the 
 strikers or the railroads, though their losses were beyond computation. 
 The loss to the strikers alone — about 9,000 — for fifty days' loss of 
 wages, at the low average of two dollars per day, would amount to the 
 enormous sum of £900.000. The loss to other non-striking employes, 
 necessarily deprived of employment pending the strike, is roughly esti- 
 mated at £500.000. The loss of property, destruction of engines, cars, 
 bridges, machinery, etc., cannot be estimated with anything like close 
 proximity even by the railway companies themselves. The loss to the 
 general public certainly amounted to millions of dollars. To an agent 
 of this Bureau Mr. Wm. Kerrigan, General Superintendent of the Mis- 
 souri Pacific Railway Company, in reply to a written request, has courte- 
 ously furnished the following summary : 
 
 "Dear Sir — Replying to your favor of November 20, requesting 
 certain information regarding the extent of the late labor troubles, 
 have to say that I give you below the information desired, as far as I 
 am enabled to, from the records in this office :
 
 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 115 
 
 "NUMBER OF MEN EMPLOYED MARCH 6, 1886. 
 
 "Transportation department 
 
 ' 'Machinery department 
 
 "Engineers and firemen 
 
 ' ' Car department 
 
 ' 'Road department 
 
 "Bridge and building- department 
 
 ' 'Terminal facilities 
 
 "Total 
 
 15,527 
 
 1,996 
 
 1,455 
 
 1,067 
 
 4,057 
 
 777 
 
 514 
 
 13,393 
 
 " Of this number the figures below given will show you the num- 
 ber of men who voluntarily left the service of the company and those 
 who were suspended from duty temporarily by reason of the strike : 
 
 
 Strikers. 
 
 Suspended. 
 
 ' ' Mo. Pac. Division 
 
 1.295 
 188 
 856 
 614 
 764 
 
 1 776 
 
 "C. B., U. Pac. Division 
 
 343 
 
 ' 'M., K. & T. Division 
 
 1,754 
 
 662 
 
 ' 'I. & G. N. Division 
 
 " I. M. & S. Division 
 
 1 560 
 
 
 
 "Totals 
 
 3,717 
 
 6 095 
 
 
 
 ' ' Grand total 
 
 9,812 
 
 
 
 
 "The majority of the men who struck were employed in the 
 machinery and car departments, a few being road, bridge and build- 
 ing department men, with a sprinkling of transportation department 
 men. 
 
 " Replying to that part of your letter relative to the extent of dam- 
 age to properties of this company at various points, have to say that 
 such damage is incalculable. However, I give you below :
 
 116 BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 "STATEMENT showing cost of guarding company property since the inaugura- 
 tion of the strike, March 6, 1886 : 
 
 ' 'Mo. Pac. Division, March 6 to April 20 
 
 ' 'Mo., Kan. & Texas Division, March 6 to April 18 
 
 "Mo., Kan. & Texas, N. Division, March to April 19. 
 "Central Branch, U. P. Division, March 6 to April 20 . 
 
 "St. L., I. M. & S. Division, March 6 to April 26 
 
 "Int. & Gt. Northern Division, March 6 to April 18 . . . 
 "Total 
 
 527,185 04 
 6,503 52 
 4,885 12 
 
 4,128 :{.-> 
 
 12,300 19 
 6,503 52 
 
 $58,727 i)7 
 
 " From these figures you will see that for a period from March 
 to April 20, this company paid out, simply on account of wages for 
 guarding property alone, the sum of $58,727.97, and that on the 20th 
 day of April the average daily amount paid out for guarding property 
 was $1,055. This does not include large amount of money paid out for 
 boarding guards, for arms and other miscellaneous expenses. The loss 
 of revenue to this company, taking the earnings of 1885 as a compari- 
 son, was about $2,500,000. The actual damage to buildings, bridges, 
 engines, etc., at all points, and expenses rendered necessary by reason 
 of the strike other than the above, have not been ascertained, but it 
 will be fair to say that $300,000 would hardly cover it. 
 
 " Yours truly, 
 
 "WM. KERRIGAN, 
 
 " General Superintendent." 
 
 It will be observed that Mr. Kerrigan's estimate of losses from 
 official records is only for the Missouri Pacific road and leased and 
 operated lines, and does not include the strikers and damage done and 
 loss of business on the Texas & Pacific Railway, nor the strikers on 
 the Bridge & Tunnel Company in St. Louis, nor the number of strikers 
 and loss of property in East St. Louis. Therefore the estimate of this 
 Bureau is doubtless less in every respect than it should be. 
 
 When the strike was officially declared off there were but few who 
 were affected by the proclamation, for a large majority of the strikers 
 had returned to work, while the leaders and a few of the more violent 
 were all that were left of the magnificent armyof two months before. In 
 a few days these disappeared from sight, scattered all over the land, 
 some seeking other employment, some re-entering railroal service
 
 BUREVU OP LVBOR STVTISTICS. 117 
 
 under assumed names, and a few continuing the more profitable busi- 
 ness of lecturers and organizers for the Knights of Labor. 
 
 . There was in the struggle something that attracted the attention 
 of all the world. There was the grim, unswerving fixedness of pur- 
 pose of H. M. Hoxie. The time had come, he said, when the question 
 had to be decided whether he should run his own railroad or have the 
 Knights of Labor run it. He never forgot the issue and never relaxed 
 his determination to " fight it out on that line." 
 
 On the other hand, there was an army of desperate and deter- 
 mined men struggling for a something they themselves scarcely knew 
 what, or at least could not agree upon. They had been made to feel that 
 they were oppressed. The precise acts of oppression could not well 
 be defined, yet they must have believed that they were the victims of 
 the greed of corporations, otherwise their desperate efforts to win a 
 something that was intangible and visionary could not have lasted so 
 long and cost so much of wealth, comfort and human life. 
 
 It is fashionable to condemn everything that has proven unsuc- 
 cessful, but in the great strike it is more than probable that th$ strike y»3 
 would have had much of public sympathy and moral support, even if 
 they had no sufficient cause, had not the vicious element become dom- 
 inant and deeds been enacted that shocked and alarmed the people. The 
 disregard for the conveniences and necessities of the public and the 
 losses they were forced to sustain, were potent influences in eliminat- 
 ing a moral support, without which no cause can succeed. 
 
 Every right-thinking man necessarily desires the elevation of labor 
 and the betterment of the condition of the laborer, but this must not 
 warrant an encroachment on the vested rights of others. 
 
 The strike, as senseless as it appears to have been, will not have 
 been without its good effects if it speedily brings about the enactment 
 of laws that will give greater protection to labor and greater security 
 to property against vandalism.
 
 \o 
 
 V