TELEGRAPHERS STRIKE

All union telegraphers on the Northern Pacific and Great Northern railways went out on a strike Tuesday evening, since which time the two roads have been operating under great difficulties.

The strike has been threatened for several weeks, representatives of the telegraphers having been at St. Paul for over a month holding conferences with the officials of the two roads in an effort to get satisfactory wages arranged. The strike was brought on by the two railroad companies attempting to force their operators to sign a wage scale, threatening that if they did not do so within a few days to close the office.

While the railroad companies have been able to move the passenger trains and a few of the freights, still the business of the two roads is in a terribly demoralized condition, for the reason that out of over 2,000 operators between St. Paul and the coast along the lines of the two roads, fully 1600 are out.

The trains are being run by flag system, assisted by orders from such stations as there are operators located at.

Between Missoula and Spokane all operators walked out, excepting one man at Trout Creek and one at Rathdrum. These two men have assisted the railroad in moving the trains by sending orders to freight crews by the passenger trains.

Both the railroad company and the strikers claim they will win, and both sides are preparing for a long drawn out contest.