Left Stranded: Discharged Railroad Workers Occupy Train

As was stated in the last Colfax, the railroad company and Oregon Improvement Company discontinued work in this vicinity, and discharged all their men. The track layers, bridge builders and other men in the employ of the railroad company were furnished with transportation to Portland, but the O. I. Company's men were left to shift for themselves. As fast as the latter were discharged, they came to this town to get their wages, and as a result about 200 of these men were within our corporate limits Saturday night, expecting the railroad company to pass them to Portland. This the company refused to do, and the men held a meeting in City Hall, which had been furnished to them gratuitously as a lodging apartment, and decided to take the train when it came on Monday night. Soon after the arrival of the train, they boarded it, and refused either to vacate or pay their fare. The officers remonstrated with them, but to no avail, until Tuesday afternoon, when they were persuaded to leave the cars upon the Mayor promising to use his influence to secure them passes to Portland. As soon as the men had abandoned the train it pulled out for Palouse Junction, and they returned to the City Hall. They were provided with supper Tuesday evening and breakfast Wednesday morning at the expense of the city.