The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-22

Tho Strike Continues-Taki king ON New
Hands-What the Railroad MonoPo-
1fsfs 0o

Tho Strike COMMUNICATING ON New
Hands-What the Railroad MonOpo-
lists Say.
Yesterday afternoon HERALD reporter had an
interview with Mr.. A. A. Gaddis, the General
Freight Agent OF the Erie Railroad. The following
additional facts concerning tue strike OF the COM
pany's dock hands were ehcited:-
Mr. Gaddis states that on Friday night an effort
was made by the company to arrive at a SETTLE
ment with the men. He claims that the company
offered 10 pay
AT THE RATE OF FIFTY DOLLARS PER MONTH
for ten hours work, and twenty cents per hour
for all extra labor done outside OF that time and
that when the men were called out any part OF q
day the whole day was TO be counted for them,
even II they were not employed during all The
working hours OF 1t. These terms says the agent,
were offered to the workmen. and kept open Tor
their acceptance from nine O'Clock on Friday
night until haEpast eight yesterday morning. after
which hour the company commenced to take ON
new hands.
On Friday night the laborers held meeting in
Jersey City. at which the Rev. Father Conciio the
Catholic priest OF st. Mchae's parish, was present
and urged the men to go to work. telling them
how difficult 1t is in these hard times to OBTAIN EN-.
ployment
Yesterday meeting was held BY the freight
agents OF the Erie, Pennsylvania and New York
Central railroads at winch 1t was agreed TO fix the
NNNN
and q hall cents per hour Tor actual time
at WORK, anu twenty-five cents for every
worked. The men with whom the reporter con-
versed 1atiy deny this, and say that Mr.. Gaddis
wanted
TO GET ELEVEN HOURS DAILY LABOR
out OF them for $50 month. and they would have
accepted the proposition given above as his
Some OF the laborers volunteered to 20 before the
freight agent ana CONTRADICT his statement.
The agent Tor the Erie ROAD employed new hanos
yesterday. lie says that over 800 persons offered
aarVicRl a ha NOR
hour, the rate agreed upon by The combined COM
panies.
q scuRle ensued between them and the strikers.
The lDtrudIng newcomers were driven OF the
ground before Tue arrival OF the ponce when the
Metropoltans marcued up the tables were turned
and tue new hands went to work. The Erie
pioyes are OF opinion that but Tor the presence OF
the police force the aborers would prevent new
hands II ON going TO work.
The coalition formed yesterday between the
Pennsylvania, New York Central and Erie rail-
roads establishes as o rule that no more than
seventeen and hall cents an hour shall be pad TO
the dock hands and twenty cents an hour Tor time
work over ten hours day.
The news OF this innovation in the rate of wages
caused a strike among the hands belonging to The
Pennsylvania company's docks employ ed at piers
80 ana IT, North River. ms strike was enecred
at one O'Clock in the afternoon. The men formed
in procession and marched along West street III
front OF the Erie and other railroad Offices, but
they made no hostile Demonstration whatever.
Some OF the Pennsylvania Companys hands say
that their wages were reduced twelve and half
per cent on the lsG OF November last, and that on
the LIST OF January further reduction OF ten per
cent was ordered. Alter the second reduction
they were put on three-Quarter time until The
first OF the present month.
The Erie freight agent saws that his company first
c;,mmenced paying twenty cents per hour III 1864 ;
since then Is has continued up to last November.
the only reason given by the company for this
wholesome
QUITTING DOWN OF THE p0oR MANS LOAF
appears to be that the labor market is over.
stocKed-gptted, ildeed-and, seeing how anxious
outsiders were to be employed at any price, the
railroad mOQOpOllStS determined the
present reduction OF wages.
While the agent was conversing with the re.
porter, gentleman entered the office who said
that one OF the new HANDS had been cnucked over
board, but was fshed out again. This was looked
upon as proof OF the mems earnestness TO press
their claims: This amusing episode took place at
pier 80 North River.
The number OF men out of work from the Erie
Company Is AS; being $50 on the Long Dock and
1875 on pier 81. There are about l75 men out Of
those employed by the Pennsylvania Company.
ners, looked upon the reduction OF their wages as
OUTRAGE UPON RECOGNIZED RIGHTS
OF wOrkingmen. they say that house rent, coal,
clothing, indeed oil the nccessar.es OF life are as
expensive now as during the years when they re-
celved the old rate OF wages Even then, with
much economy and se-denial, 1t was often a diff
cult task Tor them to make both ends meet.
Tney say that the company Is committing
mere wantOn outrage in this unlooked-ior attempt
to grind the poor workingman to the last cent.
moe the s rate s
growing more and more mserably poor, and to
depend upon smaller wages than those heretofore
earned by them Will be TO reduce the strikers as
well as their families to beggary. Many OF the
men now on strike nave been tor long years past
in the employ OF the companies. They have uni
fOrmly
PERFORMED THEIR TOILsOME TASK
with cheeriulness and aiacrity; they are regretful
to resist what Is looked upon by them an at
tempt to crush the semblance OF American man.
hood out OF their bodies.
The reporter ascertained that the new hands,
who had been driven of In the morning, were
some twenty Italians contracted for by the scav-
want OF the unfortunate OF Italy that are cast
pennless and riendless upon our shores. AS they
do not understand our language or manners they
are as helpless as 30 many coolies on the coast OF
Cuba. The men protest against these poor for
eigners being taken from soup houses and police
stations, as the companies are dong, and putting
them in the place OF help who have always dis
charged their duties faithfully and we'll.
The men talk OF holding a meeting in order to
organize themselves into mutual protective as
ISOLATION.