The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-24

44A6 0xAOx1 0As& A~s~'
Their Side OF tho Argument About WORK
and Wages.
NEW YORK, May 2S, 1874
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
Knowing the sympathy always shown 70 sne
workingman In your paper we respectfully re-
quest you to give Us space TO enhghten the puohc
in regard to what we consider our Just rignts.
Now win just give you the life OF stage driver.
Every man that processes to be driver OF horses
is not what Is required TO become stage driver.
Not more than one out OF every nve who make an
attempt at the business succeeds, and the Iour
who fail are the lucky ones, although they may
consider themselves unfortunate; for once man
makes business OF stage driving he finds 1t DIM
cult to obtain employment at anything else. Not
that he is not competent but the small pay he re-
ceves keeps him 50 poor that he never can have .
dollar ahead to look for something else. The pro-
priet0rs OF the Fourth avenue Filth avenue, madl-
SON avenue and Twentythird street lines can count
their money BY millions, whereas there is not OUT
OF $50 stage drivers more than twenty.
dve who can safely say that they are
clear with tho world and IN . fair way OF getting
along; but on: that twenty-five there Ia not one
that has got anything ahead. About two thirds Of
those $50 have been at the business for from ten to
twenty years, and some or them economical and
saving men. Now, the proprietors OF tho above
lines started about the same time with but very
little-in fact, of them with less than nothing
for the line was mortgaged for twice what II was
worth-and you see the result With all this sue
cess Of accommodating wealth they were still not
satisfied; they had Q nankering Tor more; and to
obtain this desire they resorted to this new inven
tion which ts to be in Gil the stages, recep-
tacle for the passengers TO deposit their fares In.
so that the driver might be forced to become an
honest man. while heretofore the proprietors had
offered q premium on dishonesty. These new
boxes for the fares have been now In use about
six months, and the drivers have given them
fair trial. The old rules OF driving about six
teen hours day, exposed to all kinds of weather,
at salary OF 81 Is per day. driver was obliged
20 have at least two meals per day away from
MS iami wncn cost ABOUT Sky censs nrr isis
days per week he would have 50 ~ to take home
80 his family but 1t requires very strong and
robust man TO work more than five days per week,
which would be S. Is. Now we Will take an ordi-
nary tenement house rent cut Of TINS, we Will say
SO per month Tor three little rooms. Jour stories
high. back, rear house. We obliged TO so there
to live within our means That Is So SO per week
for rent that lett us So rs to ENJOY with our ttie
family perhaps OF six persons the uxurieS OF lie
ana save something in case OF sickness or DEATH
But still we did not complain, as the propr.etors
TO the small pay:-"Wel. we alloy them TO take
the balance OF lair days pay, according to their
Of passengers during The day we do not say any.
thing II we know he has appropriated 81 80 or -
to himself as we are maSlng money or,n suage
enough to make that amount, then we expect
him to reduce his perqulsites and give us the
benefit or what the driver calls his hard luck"
That Is what the stage proprietors would tell any
body Lefore the boxes went In; but, at the same
our men to work honest we would willingly pay
them from 50 soto 81 per day hut as we ourselves
have made them dishonest we are oonseo !"
Well, as / said, the drivers have given the boxes
Q trial at salary OF 81 so per day. Now 81 90
ness where the hours are not more than ten or
twelve and man could stand 1t for SIX days per
he may accidentally do while In discharge OF his
duty; but when, as l say. stage driver WORKS
sixteen hours per DAY and cannot w0I s more imam
sible Tor every accident that may occur to MIN, he
cannot drive q stage. and be honest on
q the IL ps scc,d dsS speak o. If you happen,
going down Broadway. TO get IN crowd OF hacks
stops, the stage behind is liable to put hole
through IT. Inc cost TO repair such an accident
SLOWED 10 WORK on any other line untll he Degs,
borrows or steals that amount. II he happens to
oaes M WI cost q h
II he makes what the proprietors eau poor
week. ne ahonsS he nave
| strict account OF al the passengers ne carried
during the day; There Is one line where, Il man
he has been found short iare, Tor which the pen
atty Is o forfeiture OF your 81 so Tor your days
work. which you receive every night; and the
driver Is supposed to report any passenger riding
on top ezra, and IL does not 60 in the box he
| turns the money thus received In az night. 10
neglect to report passenger that rides on top Is
punished by tine OF 81. Well, there are cases
where drivers forfeit this 81 without taking one
cent For instance, two gentlemen walking
along Broadway, one smoking, the other
| not, say, "Let us get in stage snd ride"
/ The one smoking gets on TOP, the other gets IN /.
! SIDE. me inside passenger deposits twenty cents
/ in the box. That pays both ares Now, the driver
has no alternative but either to pay ten cents Tor
that top passenger take chances Of f0rfetlng 81
for not turning In ten cents Tor his 1are he tries
explain the proprletors Will not listen to him.
as they Deduct 81 and are satisfied The driver, II
he finds any fault ia told to go and look Tor work
/ at some other place. The drivers have naturally
talked this matter over Tor the past three or four
| months, and came to the conclusion to ash their
respective employers for the advance OF nifty cents
| per day. For this purpose there was meeting
held on last Sunday, May II, to discuss the matter
| and devise means by which the proprletors might
| not be lnconvenenced. So we appointed CON-
| mittee OF two men Tor each line to walt IN person
| on their employers. They did so, and were re-
| celved in gente1nanly way, and were promised
| an answer at the earliest convenience They were
| all received except by one 1rm, VINO. when ap
| prlsed OF the business OF the committee, used
| some very ungentlemanly language and dismissed
| the party appointed to wait on them from their
| employ. J, ..
/ wvvr urr