according to commons" "history of labor in the united states," "in the 
mindsof the men the pent-up resentment against this injustice became directed 
not only against the dilatory government officials and railway managers but 
also against their own union officials who apparently bore this situation with 
a patience unbecoming..." 
in this charged situation, a railroad worker named john grunau, a leader of 
an insurgent chicago yardmen's association, was demoted in the chicago yards on 
april 2nd. 
the 700 switchmen on his line immediately walked out in protest. 
the strike crystallized the general discontent of the railroad workers, 
and within two days every railroad in the chicago area was involved in the 
strike, with 9,000 switchmen out. 
by april 9th, the strike had spread spontaneously across the country, 
reaching new york, san[francisco, los[angeles, pittsburgh, memphis, st.[louis, 
kansas city, omaha and detroit. 
engineers, conductors and firemen joined the striking switchmen. 
