The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-04-14
Our City Railroads-The Strike OF tho
Drivers.


Residents of the upper portion of the city
were disagreeably surprised yesterday morn
ing to find that the strike Of the drivers had
extended to all the lines of city railroads, and
that no cars were running The greatest con-
fusion, annoyance and discomfort ensued. The
stages were overcrowded, hacks were in un-
usual demand, and the majority, finding no
room in the omnibuses, and not being rich
enough to hire carriages, started to walk down
town. OF course many mechanics, laboring
men and women, clerks and artisans, were
late in reaching their places of labor, and COM
pletely exhausted before their days work
began. The prospect of similar tiresome
trudge home again in the evening did not act
as stimulant to their exertions. Thus we
have no doubt that the industry of this city
has been injured hundreds of thousands Of dol
lars by the failure of the railroad companies
to make their regular trips during the past
two or three days. In other Words the mis-
management Of these companies has imposed
this enormous tax upon the community in adj
dition to all the various other troubles to
which it has subjected our patient and long
suffering people. This is a pretty time to 60
before the Legislature and ask for another
city railroad, to be mismanaged in the same
manner and to place us still more in the power
of these companies. We have one principal
street free from railroad tracks. Carriages and
stages can run upon it. 1t is popular and
q splendid thoroughfare In the name of the
people we demand that the Legislature shall
leave that street as it is, and not put us under
the tyranny Of another railroad company, as
greedy, as INSCRIPTIONS and as mismanaged
as the rest
If the present Legislature desires to dabble
in city railroads, let it compel the companies
now existing to carry on their business with
some regard to the convenience Of the public.
The agents of the Citizens Association should
direct their efforts to this object, instead of
wasting time, words and money in treating of
subjects which they do not and never will I'M
derstand. The management of our city rail-
roads is disgraceful. We are told that corpora
tons have no souls; but these corporations are
equally destitute OF brains. The Legislature
gives them their charters for nothing-unless
the money expended in buying up legislators
is to be regarded Us the price Of their fran
chises. They take our streets, tear up the
pavements, lay lot of tracks, drive away all
other kinds of public conveyances, ruin the
thoroughfares Of travel, charge exorbitant
rates OF passage, do not put on enough cars to
accommodate the public, and then cease run
ming altogether upon so flimsy pre.ence as a
strike among the drivers, or among the con-
4. ho,n
other of their employees. Under no other gov
ernment on the face of the earth would such
conduct be permitted II is the duty of these
railroad companies to guard against strikes;
to anticipate and prevent them; to pay the
men what they ask or to employ other
men in their places; but, instead of this,
they make the whole city suffer in order
that they may coerce their drivers into
sub lection. Suppose this rule should be adopt
ed on the steam railroads. Suppose the captain
of European steamer should wait until the
last moment without knowing whether his crew
would sail with him or not, and then coolly
inform his passengers that he could not start
because his engineers had struck for higher
wages. But even these cases would not be so
had as that of the city railroads. Other lines
of steam cars might be patronized, other YES
sells might be procured; but against these city
companies the public is powerless, for they are
a monopoly and permit no competition. The
city government and the Legislature Of the
State seem to be equally in the pay of the
companies, and the great, patient. suffering
public Is without any protection against outrage
and annoyance.
The question between the drivers and the
railroad directors is simply one Of wages. The
drivers, who number only a few hundred men,
| demand City cents o day more than they now
receive. Whether or not this demand Is just
we shall not now inquire. We are speaking,
not in the interest of the drivers, but on behalf
of the great body of our citizens. From that
point Of view It is very clear that the people
should not be thus injured and aggrieved in
order to save few hundreds Of dollars TO the
companies. We know that these companies are
rich; they are making plenty of money; their
stock cannot be bought They could very
well afford, therefore, to pay the advanced
rates Of wages until other drivers could be
procured. Rather than do this they deliber-
ately deprive the whole city of the ordinary
means Of transit and compel poor working
men and women to walk miles before and
after their hard days labor. A shrewd cor
respondent, however, throws q still stronger
light upon the conduct of these companies.
When Congress taxed the receipts Of the rail-
roads one-eighth Of q cent per passenger the
companies raised the fare from FIVE to six cents,
thus making each passenger pay the tax
which ought TO come r. ON the treasury Of the
companics-and sever-eighths Of cent be-
sides. Our correspondent proceeds to show