Author:

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Published: 2015-08-05

Total Pages: 482

ISBN-13: 9781332225545

Excerpt from Investigation of Labor Troubles, Vol. 2 of 2: Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Texas, and Illinois The subcommittee, composed of Messrs. W. H. Grain, J. Outhwaithe, A. X. Parker, and J. Buchanan, proceeded to take testimony at the opera house, Parsons, Kans. (Mr. Buchanan not present until near the close of the afternoon session). Alpha O. Brown sworn and examined. By the Chairman: Question. How long have you resided in this city? - Answer. About thirteen years. Q. Do you hold any official position? If so, what? - A. I am mayor of the city. Q. How long have you occupied that position? - A. One year this last month. Q. Are you engaged in any business? - A. No, sir. Q. Do you give your attention exclusively to your official business? - A. Yes, sir; and attending to my own little business. Q. We have come here to ascertain, if possible, by investigation the cause of the late troubles on the Southwestern System, and I would like you to state all pertinent facts that you know in relation to this subject. - A. The first I knew of the strike the whistle blew about ten o'clock on the 6th of March. I walked down the city and found every man had quit work, and a committee appointed by the Knights of Labor took charge of the shops, and continued to hold possession for about two weeks. The first day after the strike all freight trains, and all kinds of business in the departments, except passenger trains, were stopped. Instructions had been given that no trains would be allowed except passenger trains. When we found that it was going to be a serious matter, we sent to the governor of the State to know what to do. He sent the adjutant-general here, who found that there had been no disturbance; everything had been quiet; there were no riots; and he went home for he could do nothing because there was nothing to do. The company had made one or two attempts to send out trains, but there had been no violence, only moral suasion. The engineers and firemen were requested to step down off their engines, and they would get down and off. The adjutant-general went home, and I think about two weeks after that we found that we could not do anything ourselves with it, and we called a meeting of the citizens to see if we could not use moral persuasion in order to satisfy those people that they were doing wrong in not allowing freight trains to run. very nearly two hundred of our citizens surrounded a train, about a hundred on each side, and we tried to force our way through without arms. We were satisfied if they commenced shooting among the crowd, there would be serious damage done. They were armed and ready for any emergency. We could not move them. They gathered en masse - I should judge two thousand strong - in front of the engine, and were composed of men, women, and children. Q. How long was that after the 6th of March? - A. That was, I think, about the last of March. We could not possibly move the train; they moved their women and children in front of the engine and not only that, but the women gathered rotten eggs and threw them at our citizens to drive them away. The result was we could not do anything. Afterwards we sent to the governor again for assistance. The governor sent the adjutant-general again. He came, and went into their hall and talked with them. They told him they would not molest the engines, and that they would let the trains go out. Before he came the second time they had ditched a train - I do not say they did, but somebody did - three miles south of here - ditched a passenger train, and the adjutant-general got them to let an engine go out and clear Tip that wreck, and also to let the freight trains go as they agreed to. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com