The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-25
WILL THE GAS MEN STRIKER

Interviews with the Presidents of the
Gas COmpanies--No Trouble Appre-
hcndcd i'm the Upper Districts-Propa-
bility OF a Strike i'm the District Below
Grand street.
Will the gas men strike Will the city be
wrapped in darkness These were questions
which gave rise to o good deal OF discussion yes
terday. HERALD reporter called on the leading
representatives OF the different gas companies to
ascertain if they apprehended any serious trouble
with their men. The reporter first called at the
Manhattan Gaslight Company, No. Irving place,
which employs about one thousand men and sup
plies the immense district between Grand and
Thirty Fourth streets. The President was not in,
but Mr. Carpenter, the Assistant Vice President,
said the company was
PREPARED FOR ANY CONTINGENCY
that could possibly arise. they had reduced the
wages Of their men from 81 and 50 sc to So SO and
So day. The men were working from this day at
the new rates. he said. The reporter saw General
Charles Roome, the President, late in the after
noon. General RoOme, who received the reporter
with much courtesy, said Sour men have mani
tested unanimous desire to work at the reduced
rates, and we do not apprehend the slightest difi
Guilty. may as well correct some mistakes which
several journals have made. 1t Is true the men
work twelve hours, but they do not work inces-
sanity. They charge their retorts only once IN five
hours; 1t takes them twenty five thirty minutes.
During the rest OF the time they have to throw In
the coke occasionally to keep up the fires. 1t is
paper Of last saturday that these men
could not live over three years while
they were at this work The fact Is we have
years. You see last year we raised their wages
from So to 81 rather than give them eight hours,
UNSETTLED ALL OUR BUSINESS ARRANGEMENTS.
This was an additional expense OF 100000 year.
Meanwhile our other business expenses have vastly
god VIZ w N Enn n nj ~ n
81 ten. now costs us So % o ton. We gave them
q weeks notice that we should have to reduce
EVEN At e new rates the Waves Of the
will be 1,277 year (S3 SO day. and those Of the
helpers who just bring the coal, sl,oo5. This is
more than the majority OF clerks receive and this
il no skilled labor at all. SO all our men are
perfectly satisfied with the new rates, and, as lar
as ae tSe - mot the
Mr.. G. Vandervo0rt Smith, the Engineer. gave
the reporter similar statement, SO that the resi-
The reporter left to call at the ONCE OF the New
York Gasght Company, corner Elizabeth and
Hester streets, which supplies the district below
said that the company were determined
NOT TO GRANT EIGHT HOURS.
Their men had held meeting last week. and
wsuld hold another meeting on the 3lst, but he
could neS tell whether they would strike. The
company were prepared Tor any contingency. and
tainly not be ' shrouded in darkness. they
could get new men Immediately, without the
esyne soT g to es nss
are a few men who live ON strikes Mr.. Evcritt
added land these few make all the trouble. They
are officers Of these societies, and do not work
themselves, and when there are no strikes
their occupation is gone We have erected sleeping
hunks and procured cooking utensils for over one
hundred men, so that our new men-if we should
have any-should not be exposed to any molesta-
items IN going t. and returning from their work
business Is not an unhealthy one The neighbor-
hood OF gas works is generally freer from disease
than most Others There need be no alarm on the
part Of the public II our men should strike.
WE CAN GET PLENTY OF NEW MEN,
more than we want, and without the slightest in
terrupti0n."
The Metropolitan Gaslight Company, which
supplies the district between Thirty fourth and
Seventy ninth streets, also intend to reduce the
wages Of their men fifty cents, and anticipate no
dificulty. The only district in which there Is at
present any probability OF strike is the one below
Grand street. the HERALD reporter conversed
with some of the men, but they said no decisive
action would be- taken until the next meeting,
which In to be held on the 31sE