Sep 30, 2010 - Sale 2223

Sale 2223 - Lot 272

Unsold
Estimate: $ 150 - $ 250
(RAIL WORKERS.) Brotherhood of Railroad Brakemen. Printed circular letter to railway managers, apologizing for a sympathetic strike. One page, 11 x 8 1/2 inches; two punched holes, minor soiling, early folds. Galesburg, IL, 25 May 1886
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Additional Details

In the Southwest Railroad Strike of 1886, the union brakemen of two major railroads struck in sympathy with the Knights of Labor. The violent conflict ended in defeat for the strikers. In the wake of this debacle, the Grand Lodge of the Brotherhood of Railroad Brakemen sent this letter to railroad managers and superintendents, announcing the expulsion of 26 of their members who had helped launch the sympathy strike, and describing the strike as "entirely uncalled for, and contrary to our teachings and principles."