The New York herald., 1869-10-21
THE ERIE STRIKE.

o0OpB-NOtbtUR AGcOn.
plfsIcd by tho Observation-Disclosures Ac-
tion-The men Regrotting Their Haste
Some of Them Out III sAa CVld-FulI DesaiIs
Of tho Affair.
The strike among oae employees Of the Erie Rail.
road machine shops ternQnated yesterday, the men
sRnifying desire to return TO work. The move.
ment seems to have been an i!l.adged aud hasty
demonstration for the purpose OF exhibiting the
power oil labor union and carrying out threat
mace some time ago To strike In the event
OF certain contingency. The contingency wGs pre-
sented, but from causes wholly beyond the power
OF The company TO control ana the union quit work
IN the shops without waiting ascertain the reason
Tor the trouble OF whicn they co mpained or making
any effort TO discover II the company was endeayor
lug TO act IN good faith The strike has resulted In
no good Whatever except TO illustrate the excesses
Into which salutary reforms very apt TO dverge
ana has done much TO lessen public sympathy with
labor unions and their coerciye measures
THE STRIKERS
consisted only OF machinists, blacksmiths and help
ers, the boiler makers, f0undrymen, car build ers
carpenters and iaoorers NOT engaging in the move
ment al all The three former classes in the shops
at Jersey City, Port Jeryis Susquehanna Buffalo
anu Dunkirk formed union called the Machinsts
Protective Association, and which has been
in existence long time. Having large
and well regulated organization the society
thought Itself strong enough to acquaint tlle
company OF its existence, and in September
gave notice through committee to the directors
that unless the in che Port Jervis Susquehanna
and Buffalo shops paid or or before the 15th
OF each month they would strike. The committee
was Informed that their request would be complied
wth anu Ia tho words OF the secretary OF as50-
citation. returned TO their houses hIgny gratited
with the result oil tue interyiew. There are
many connictng statements as to the exact
manner IN wnlch the strike occurred, aud
Tor the purpose OF ascertaining the Opn-
IONS or both sides IN the matter a HERALD
reporter yesterday visited The headquarters ana
scene or action OF some OF the hostile parties. At
The railroad SHOPS In Jersey CITY everything seemed
to DC running along IN the usual manner, with
indications OF there being any dissatisfaction and
ON hnding the master mactlnlst the reporter elCllel
the following
EXPLANATION OF THE STRIKE.
REPoRTER--l nave come W ascertain the facts In
relation 10 the STRIKE.
oFFIcIAL-Ahl Very glad to see you. The affair
didn't amount TO much. and oil the men ANXIOUS
to resume work. All nave gone TO work here except
about forty, whom we VIII not take back.
KEPoRrER-HOw did the affair originate
OfFiCIAL-1here was some misunderstanding
about pay day, and the Machinlsts' Union gave
notice That II al the employees were not paid on by
the 10TH they would strike. Tue at Buffalo ana
5nsquehanna were paid oil on the 18th and i3th and
the paynaster was on his way to Port Jervs to pay
the men there but was detained by the lreshet Tue
Port Jervis men didn't wait to find out wnat was
the NATTER but quit work, and the members or the
union In all the other shops OF The road struck also
as soon as they heard OF the movement.
kEPoRrER-Dld all the men III the shops striker
OFtICIAL--No; only the macninlHS, baCkSmltiiS
and helpers. The carpenters car builders foundry
men, boiler makers aud laborers had nothing to do
with it. The Port JervS macnnsts Welt OF at half
cock, and the machnsts IN the other shops,
standing that tney had been already paid, struck
simply because the rules OF Their union REQUIRED
tached branches OF the association.
REPoRTER-Then PORT Jervis the only place
where there was cause for complaints
OFFICIAL-PreCSely; ana IL tiiOSe men haQ not
been IN such hurry 10 parade themselves and had
quarter they would have found lnat their pay was
coming all right
KEr1RTER-What is the present condition OF
afrairsS
OFFICIAL-At Susquehanna, Buffalo and Dunkirk
the men have all resumed work. Port Jervls sun
holds out. demanding guarantee that the men snan
be paid on a regularly appointed day. Here IN
Jsrsey City, nearly all tne men have gone TO work
again, and Oil OF them would 90 II We would take
them back. There were about lory or the leaders
In the aiiar whom We have paid on up TO the l5th.
anu with whom we VIII have nothing TO DO.
REPORTER--What Is the intention Of the company
in the matterS
OFFIClAL-We intend to exclude the ringleaders
In this strike from our shops, and If any other
similar attempt Is made the principals Will be
treated In like manner. The strike was
wholly without reason, ana when men dis
we shall make no concessions nor compromises
whatever. IL the Port Jervis men go TO work again
the company viii take Of them; but IL Is not 70
be intiInldated by any combinations Of workmen
nor forced by strikes to grant lavors.
UFFlCIAL-Yes. Inc Port JervIs men are the only
ones holding out, and understand large number
they to stay out they can do Their places
be easily filed By other men, aud their obstnacy
is only making trouble for themselves.
THE hACuINfsT's STORY.
From the olce OF the master machinist our
reporter proceeded to the shops ana Interrogated
one OF the leaders IN the strike, with the following
result
REpoRrEE-How are you getting along with your
striker
u,ru,xlsr ahout over now pueas Nost
all The men have gone to work.
REpoRrER--What did you strike fort
MACHISiSr-We, you see our Union notified the
directors that II all the shops were not paid Oh by
the 10th OF october we should strike. The P0rt
Jcrvs men were not paid OIL ana when hey struck
the rest OF our Union had 10 90 with them.
REPoRTER-How about the men being generally
paid ou before the l2th OF each month, as some OF
The company's officers say has been doner
MACHINisr-lts not 30. The men In the Port
Jervs shops have never got their money before the
10th OF the month. Tney didn't get their pay for
August until the 2sth OF September and In the pre-
ceding SIX months we never got our pay for one
Jersey city we were paid or on the l2tn, but the
others were not.
REroRrEn-whal 40 you think will be the result
MAcnsisr-Not much good to anybody. The
Union don't hang togeLner well enough, and now
that nearly all the men have gone back to work
there amt snow at all for those who commenced
and carried on the fight
REroRTER--Do you regret that the strike was
madef
MAcHlNIsr-Yes. As it has turned out--thc Port
Jcrvis men were little too nasty. They kicked up
a muss wnea there was really no need for 1t. and
have exasperated the company so that expect that
We VIII have TO wait awhile before we get the
evils complained OF removed. We all want q
regular payday, but the Union has been
denoralized by its failure to hold out and we mast
now taNe our chances Tor the best we can get. II
the Port Jersis men had kept cool and waited .
little expect coud nave got nrst rate arrange
ment out OF the company; but now we have showed
our hand and our game Is up, Tor the present. any
how.
AT HEADQUARTERS.
IN the Opera House, IN Twentythird street, the Oin
cas seemed To regard the aair az entirely settled.
The interview with the superintendent OF The Eric
road snort and sweet, and gave very little ad-
ditiona information a. will be seen by the following
cooquy:-
KEPoRTER--Mr. Superintendent have you any thing
new relating 70 the strike for the HERALDf
SUPERINTENDENT very sneeringYt-NO sir; Its ala
over and the men gone 10 work. f the newspapers
would let our matters alone we would have y great
deal less trouble.