New-York tribune., 1873-04-09
THE GASM EMS STRIKE.

extrayagant rumors OF rioting and loss Of lie were
aost The malcontents did not. however. add D. their
numbers from the other companies. did they
psh anything in the way OF intimidation. athOugh'n
the early evening feeble attempt attack th.
Manhattan Works on Eighteenth-st made. Tho
stories previously circulation that yesterday would be
marked by the triumph the strikers and that tho
event Of the failure Of general strike desperate demon
sraons would be made gained color in the course Of
the day only 10 vanish into thin air
1t had been expected that the day gangs going 70
work at might be interered with II they tho
lie boasts Of the strikers Monday and appeared
at their posts. There trouble however and at
the Manhattan, the Metropolitan, and Mutual works.
tho ordinary amount Of labor accomplished with
full force. At the office Of the NewYork Company tbs
directors all presented bold 'front.' and confidently ss-
serted that their troubles Their cODhdenoo
was not unreseryedly shared by the general public
in several buildings below Grands the pipes OF another
company we're introduced while director OF the Com
pany expressed his fears that the future not 80
bright as the managers would have it thought.
About noon the report was circulated down town that
roting was In progress at the works OF the NewYork
Company at Twenty -frst-st and Avenue A. AIHBUSH
reporter on reaching the Of action found sergeant
with policemen in peaceful possession' ana no tSpec'
Of war in the vicinity. No disturbance had aKeh
place nor seemed impending. The superintendent and
Vice President Of the Company questioned and the
following information gained:
The New-York Company has now over 200 men IN ."
works including freshmen. Germans Swiss, and talans
As the prejudces Of nationality ia strong. the workmsn
are divided into separate gangs, special pains being
taken to keep the Irishmen and Germans apart Tbs
new men are growing in usefulness with promising
rapdity though they still much in one snOthers
way The present force is nearly double that OF skilled
laborers usually employed and the process OF weelDz
out the inefficient is strenuousy pursued New men arc
added every day. More gas was manufactured Yester
day than on Monday, and a further increase ~
| cted fears OF the necessity OF a
compromise with the strikers arc entertained by tho
officials They will be obliged for day or two longer
TO cut of the supply from dawn I'll dusk that the arS'
amount drawn by glass manufactures aOd other WORK
shops may got preclude suffcency OF gas Tor se a.
night Little disturbance looked for from the strikers
although they hang about tho works in small groups
evidently expecting the company TO come TO terms Tho
new men will be paid the wages received by tho
strikers before their departure TIL they nave
proved their equal efficiency Nearly oil OF these aro
fed lodged the works. and the food and lodging
90 far toward rendering equivalent for such cluDy
service as they can give outset No men hau bean
detailed regular force OF other WORKS 10 ASSIST
the New York Company, although applicants for post
ons have been sent TO the works OF tho latter Tho
tapping Of the of the Manhattan COMPANY, IL 90
sppy Of gas could not be kept 10 the district sup
piled by the NewYork Company Is out OF the aloSlon
| as the Manhattan has no surplus
The state OF affairs at the Manhattan Works at Four
teenth-st., E. r., and at Eghteenth-st N. X, "a'ih
vestigated with these results: superintendent Conn OF
tho Fourteenth-s office and superintendent smith OF
the Sixteenthst works agreed In asserting that their
men we're TO all appearance we'll content and had gwen
no hint OF intending TO join in the strike. Whenever ths
Manhattan men had grievance, they presented peu
ton TO the Board of Directors and awaited reply No
petition is in circulation far ss known Both supern
tendents had received personal assurances from very
many Of their that they could not be induced1 70
| DIN the strikers They had no reason to DIS
| tha W had always proved
| themseiyes open aud straightforward In tbs
| opinion of the Manhattan officials the oack ef
/ the mutiny was broken Still, circumstances misi|
occur to nfame general sympathy OF action among t'
gastuen II a strike should occur there could be no
| question that the Manhattan Company would snli bs
able TO supply its district The story of the NeW-fk
| Company's tapping tho main, Of the Manhattan pf'o
ably originated with some OF che strikers NO such pau
was contemplated. 5nperintendent Comb no"o'er'
stated that the Manhattan Company would not neoeS-
sarily debsrred from giving assistance oy acN TO
sources for the Company has large number OF eku'
r.torts already heated which could Os used With ut"
| delay
The strikers after idling away the day gas
ing at the blank walls OF the New-iork Gas Company
Works toward evening gathered for consultation
a crowd Of 100 persons had assembled One OF the
proposed that they should again march the city ans
endeavor to persuade the gasmen OF the Man
haitian Company TO join them The proposal agreed
East Twentyrsst in their march westward across the
| city to the works of the Manhattan Company,
! Eighteenthst and the North River. Capt Tynas
| of the Eighteenth Precinct Police, who had beer
watching the strikers all day. and also guarding the
New York Gas-Works from attack, at teegraphec
the news to Police Headquarters. SuDt. Kelso immedt
ately teegraphed 10 Capt. Sanders Of the Sixteenth
| Precinct Police, ordering him TO place strons
! guard around the works Of the Manhattan Company
The strikers arrived In front Of the Manhattan Gn
| Works at 6:45 p. m, and assembled on Tenth-sse "a
front of the main building The presence OF the PoIc'
was soon discovered. however. and apparently all Ia
tention Of attack at abandoned. The asseps
bage dissolved and its members gradually foaed into
| a liquOr-stOre kept by man named Campbell.
In the OF Campbel liquor saloon there ls smat
hail. frequently used by dancing parties in the Wntec
Into this hail the strikers wen by aud begas
| talking about the method TO be adopted TO O.
| cree the Manhattan gssmen into joining N
/ strike. After an hours consultation, duSins
| which large quantity OF liquor wa
drank the strikers left the hall and
bled on the sidewalk and formed into ranks. Then
marching Tenthave the strikers turned into Sev
enteenthst and run toward the North River. 10 wa
leaders purpose it is supposed to force an en-
trance into in the gasOmeter yard wherein is thu
machinery which controls the feeding OF to the
tire disrrct supplied by the Manhattan Company Tn
| turning Of single crank in this room would have sbp
| OFF the gas from the district.
The police, on seeing that the strikers abOu a
| charge formed In strong line Seyenteenr
| The strikers cheered as they down the street,
appeared TO be determined 10 break the line OF ~
| The head men Of the strikers column against
| line OF policemen, Dut were unable to force their
through, and the OF the strikers, seeing their
rades' failure, shrank back II AFRAID that the p
would make counter charge. The police