The Daily Sentinel

Associated Press.
New York, Feb. 18.--The eastern railroads today agreed to arbitrate the demands of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen & Enginemen under the Erdman act, thus breaking the deadlock that had existed for several days. This decision was announced in an official statement issued by Elisha Lee, chairman of the railroad managers' committee, in which he said: "The managers feel that the public will not tolerate a strike."
The managers warn the public of another and similar demand for increased wages made by the conductors and trainmen, and call attention to the serious public danger of these recurring demands backed up by repeated demands that the railroads arbitrate under the law.
The managers characterize the law as "defective and inadequate."
The firemen selected their representative on the board of arbitrators as soon as the decision of the railroad managers was made known. He is Albert Phillips of Sacramento, Cal.
The railroads have selected W. W. Atterbury, general manager of the Pennsylvania lines east. Within a day or two these men will select the third arbitrator.