The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-18

IL Is that, unless some such communication exists
Two more dark days will utterly inoapacitate tn
its con acss Mem who have Considerable KNOWN
edge OF the gas business asserted yesterday that
should the weather continue thick to-day. the com
pany would be mat on Its back' Tonight, unless
aid was had from some OF the other corporations.
4 -is5 AN OPEN QUESTION.
TIE problem as to whether the company shall
triumph 1naly and absolutely Is yet unsettled
and IL wants but very few days of dark weather
to bring crisis. Meanwhile the region in the
vicinity OF the gas works viii again become in.
vested with all It's recent Importance.
The police under Captain Edward lyman, OF the
Eighteenth precinct, may yet have an opportunity
to perform some active duty, for which they have
indeed been prepared more than two weeks Felix
Officer George Brown for assauiting q laborer who
was seeking work In the gas house, was yesterday
sentenced at Essex Market Court to six msnths in
the Penitentary This, 1t Is thought, will prevent
any repetition OF such offences Tor the present.
The strikers asclaim all connection with the riot
ers who have heretofore created lrouble.
| how THE STRIKERS TALK.
The sentiments OF the gasmen themselves are d.
yaed regarding the future prospects Of the
the hall OF the Gasmakers Union. at the corner OF
Twenty-secOnd street and First avenue. The Sec
rotary, very intelligent man, greeted him kindly,
and said that the men were still determined upon
their previous policy.
tary, 80 go into some other business than to go
back into the gas works with the certain knowledge
that within SIX months lsw Of our number will be
dead and buried None OF us can tell which may
90 next. We buried good many OF our men dur
Ing the last year. and ali OF us are so fatigued and
our constitutions are actually so shattered that
twelve hours continuous labor for us means death.
Inc puDlic, Mr.. Reporter, does not understand the
Works ns o. our wss e @ :. 1ae gas
Day or night some one must keep the hres glowing
and the retOrts fHll M
THE PUBLIC UNiNFoRMHD REGARDING THE SEVERITY
8 OF THE WORK.
The fne ladies and gentlemen who sit around
know-or, II they did know, many would not give
the fact second thought-of the terrible labor
t through which the men go who furnish them the
without arms, we stand for twelve hours before
the glowing furnaces or the mouths OF the burning
Our faces, arms and chests are steaming with the
heat, while the cold currents Of air which fill the
our backs and legs TO the very bones. Then when
the ret0rts are closed and we get the few
moments, resi-. regsrdng which the friends Of the
worse or. In q perfect torrent Of perspiraton to
sit down for few moments would try the strongest
constitutions. Away from the immediate neighbor-
hood OF the furnacedO0r the air Is coid being
stantly replaced from the currents which encircle
THE HARDsHIPs OF A GAS MANS LIFE.
You do not iully appreciate the demands which
We're re, made upon IT, u.s. Our hours ran from six A.
from six P. M. until six A. M. There were two
gangs, and we had alternate weeks Of day and
man could be spared. II man had a child or o
wife dead at home he dare not fail to
# he " did not p'i his '' situation Was s" At
the mercy OF foreman, vested with entire and
absolute power. From the f0remans decision APP
peal was useless. We had no opportunity to state
our cases before higher official, and II we had it
would have availed us nothing The sickness of
man or absence Tor any reason had the same effect.
Excuses were not tolerated.
THE MUTUAL COMPANY NOT BLAMELESS
great deal has been said about the generosity
and kind-heartednesS of the Mutual Gas Company.
case In point may illustrate the grounds upon
which take another view Oft, OF their position. One
asked and obtained our permission to go to work.
He applied at the office OF the Mutual Gas Com
pany, and was at once given work He was
well. OF this there can be no doubt, because we
have all labored by his side at the retorts across
the street. The information, however, came to
that he had struck from the New York Company,
and they discharged instantly both the employe
and the foreman who had engaged him. The FORE
man was entirely Ignorant OF the facts, and was
most cruelty thrown out Of employment at this
season of the year. We were surprised to learn
that our man had been discharged, because we be-
leyed that the Mutual Company boosted of its in
dependence 1t certainly need expect few favors
from the other companies.
NO COMPROMISE.
We do not contemplate any settlement upon
cannot agree to go back to that kind of work for
so long period daily as twelve heulS-to pass one
half or the best part OF our lives there--even Tor
$40 per day. The appeal which the interests OF our
wives and families make to us demands that we
should not SO wfuy sacrifice our health and ulti-
matey our lives. We are hard working men OF the
humblest kind, but TO us, and those dear to u.s. our
own lives are precious. There is not one man
among us who could afford to strike did not our
lives depend upon reduction of our work TO living
hours. The New York Company may put up all the
machinery In England, but they cannot do away
with manual labor We mean to be peaceful, law
abiding citizens, and If we cannot get reduction
of our hours we will all begin life anew in some
other trade"