The Portland daily press., 1870-01-07

| NEW YORK, Jan. 6.-The Evening Post this
evening contains the following statement Of
the Western Union Telegraph Co. in relation
to the strike among some of its employees:
E1ecutioe Office Of Western linton Telegraph
Co., 145 B1oada0ay:
To THE PUBLIC:-Since the publication this
morning of the Gard signed by the officers Of
the Company, explaining the circumstances
out OF which the strike of operators arose, a
full and detailed statement OF what occurred
in California has been received from the Com.
pany's Agent, Mr. Mumford. They ARE as fol-
lows:
About the middle of December Superintend-
emit Gamble, designing to readiust the compensa-
ton OF the employees at San Francisco 40
cording to the value of their services, gave
notice to two operators that after ia nuary LIST
their salaries would be reduced from 1920 to
$115 mouth, and to third that his salary
would be increased from 800 to $120 month,
making an increase in the aggregate compen-
sation of $40 month. Acting on these noti-
ces, as is supposed the operators at San Fran
cisco united in presenting a schedule of salaries
which they asked to have adopted. In this
schedule the two salaries which Mr.. SAMPLE
had proposed to reduce remained as before,
and an increase of four others was asked for.
Mr. Mumford so far assented to the schedule
as to make no reductions of salaries, and al
lowed a portion of the proposed increase. He
at the same time informed the operators that
the force in the office was larger than has been
Justified by the diminished business, the num-
Der of messages being less than usual and the
receipts lighter. The operators themselves ad-
mitted that more men were employed than was
strictly necessary. To bring the force thus
into harmony with the wants of the business
two men were dismissed, but they were not
the men whose salaries Mr.. Gamble had in
hrst instance proposed to reduce The salaries
OF those men remarked unchanged, although
one of them was dismissed after the reduction
OF the price above mentioned.
A fOurth rein sod tO xvor1r OF fha had
ule price, althou n it was $40 month higher
than he had ever received. Out of this state
OF things the strike arose. The facts thus ex-
planned fully support Mr.. Mumford's original
statement that he had reduced no salaries and
no intention of doing so. He had, in fact, in
creased them upon the petition of the opera
tors themselves and the only man who ap-
pears to have left because he was dissatisfied
with his compensation refused to work at an
advance in his salary of $40 a month. The
alleged and supposed, q strike in resistance of
reduction of wages, general or special but in
support of the claim of an individual whose
salary has been raised, but not to so high
figure as he desired. 1t cannot be claimed in
view of all the circumstances that the whole
body of strikers throughout the Union have
left their work with a view to the purpose of
subjecting the business of the entire country
to delay and arrangement because some John
Smith in California demanded an increase of
500 in his salary and can get only $40. This is
the real issue, unless it is further claimed that
this company shall Dot be permitted to deter
mine how large force is necessary to do its
business and to increase or diminish from time
to time accordingly.
(Signed)
o. III. PALMER, Treasurer.