The New York herald., 1870-01-06
NEW YORK HERALD THURSDAY JANUARY s7o-TRIPLE SHEET

the tring Is done Ia not right. They do not them
selves know what Is the matter In Cailforna. but.
right or wrong, are carrying out tho commands on
their officers. lhej gave us no ollcIal comnunica'
tlon for an hour alter they had lett work.
THE OPERATORS.
We next sought Mr.. Lewis room, on Sycamore
street. where we found some twenty-five well dressed
ana rather good looking fellows. taxing II easy, IN
'open meeting" We we're introduced 70 The pre-
hEp0RrER-Mr. Lewis. want TO get at the pitn
OF TINS matter. What IL the real question Ut issue,
e. =. oPs!a'or.s @. POM 9 v.ew rn,.1 orders
from superior officers OF society that mas been
forming Tor nearly year and hair
kEPORTER-Was mis- done over the wire5H
use their wires under the law compelling them TO
receive anything paid for. We have been organized
raised. II Is thls:-1he comDany-wc have means
Of kuowing-have determined 10 make up the
the e Ssy q one G N
instances by hiring cheap men wherever a vacancy
occurred. For Instance man would leave getting
500 here, ana 60 70 Cleveland. where he would
take place at 500 his place being filled at go.
ms however, did not SUIT the company. IL
did not work last enough: lhey tnen undertook to
reduce salaries twenty ive per cent III California,
where they imagined we were weakest as Ieeler.
Tue result you know. TWO or three men dcmurrcd
the next station, who followed SUIT SO the ball
rolled on Till 1t reached Chicago, where they lett.
without hardly taxing tune To notify us properly. la
iact, u IL partially the haste manifested Join the
movement That has prevented us receiving more
delDtte news from California, partially the bad
working order oil the Western circuits. Columbus,
Louisville and ST. Louis Join Us to-nigAt. New YORK
ana the East tomorrow.
REp0RrER-Can The company afrord 10 pay exist
ing salaries at the reduced tarinS
MI. LEwIs-They made dividend OF six and one
hair per cent on $40 600 600, whereas only about
xl900ooOo has ever been paid IN. Besides, taxes
years tO make first class OPERATOR ann the life Is
severe one, cntalling much consumption and other
pulmonary complaints from overcrowdlng IN the
operating rooms III large cities.
operators.
MI. Lewiston the contrary, the lady workers arc
with us. twenty VI the ninety i've who struck IN
Chicago to-day were ladies.
REPoRTER-Do you think they can hold outf
Mr. LEwis-Not when the movement becomes
general " takes two men to work every wire pro-
perry, though mere tyrOs can .receVen and the
business they lose goes into the hands OF the opposi-
tlon.
REPoRTER-If they yield, even on your terms OF
amnesty TO all, tue rihgeaders VIII DC marked ouL
for future dismlssalf
Mr.. .LEWis-Cnd0ubtedly, II the association does
REpoRrER-What Ia the title OF your ASSOCIATION
MIR. Lewis could not give it To you without be-
trayinx lodge secrets, though 1t may leak out ~
time. 1t Is peculiar 10 the business, as are the titles
OF the officers, &c. We are entirely secret organ
ization, and these meetings. that have been open
were merely informal gatherings. Many are with III
who are not members OF the society.
REroRTER-has the company been making muct
money!
Mr.. LEwIs-The net earnings have been between
$500, 900 ana s3Oooo0 yer month. but tney d.
recent deduction out Of We have rea
no local complaint that would have been considered
by us as society. We have submitted. ana wou,
readily nave continued to submit to extra nOur
that have been lutte severe were II not this cal
from the Western coast.
REPORTER you think you have adopted tn
proper pansf II Is complained you left them wltlou
any warning
Mr. LEwIs-we were compelled 10 withdraw from
the office TO nave meeting. Nothing had been dc
termlned on previously. IL was the sense or lh,
meeting that we should not return. Mr. Williams
spoke today against the whole system OF laoo
unions forgetting that the company Tor whicl NJ
works Is the strongest 'unionh III the country.
From other gentlemen present We learned tnat al
hands felt confident ot success. There were aDou
1900 operators III the country, aud Of these the
controlled 5000, including most of the experts
They wegc In general, getting IRON forty dollars L
$40 per month, and were OF class who could
afford 10 nght the tning To the otter cod.
Such was the very pretty quarrcin as It stoo
last night.