The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-27
THE DRIVERS STRIKE.

THE DRIVERS STRIKE.
Broadway Without Stages-Determina.
tfon on Both Sides to Hold Out-Amas
teur Drivers and Wild Work-Ims
patience OF Would-Be Passengers.
With perhaps dozen exceptions Broadway was
yesterday again deprived OF Its time-honored and
picturesque omnibuses owing to the strike Of
the drivers for 50 day. Broadway without Its
tearing dashing and uncouth looking stages ia
like Venice without gondolas on its watery thor
oughfares. 1t is true that II not one stage coach.
was in existence our main street would be prob
ably as crowded as ever; butstaktng or the STAGES
certainly gives Broadway nat look and any one
who stood yesterday at the different street cor
ners and listened to the EXPLANATIONS and mutter-
ings Of Impotence and annoyance that dropped
from the lips Of Old ana feeble men and delicate
ladies VINO were waiting for the stages that woud
not come could not fail to observe the hold that
the old vehicles have upon the conservative and
old fashioned citizens, who never by any means
ride in car when going up or down town.
AMATEUR DRIVERS
Some few of the companies yesterday made an
attempt to act independently Of the strikers and
got washers hostlers and even clerks in their en-
poyment TO mount the boxes and drive. Bur il
seems that it is hard for new hand to navigate
stage in Broadway and dodge passing vehicles
safely and without taking any lives as 1t is for q
strange sailor to get into New York harbor after
dark. stage driver must be as skilful and have
as much patience and judgment as q harbor pilot,
or II not he IS OF 1t Is said that rwo stagee
were injured yesterday belonging to the companies
who made the attempts with amateur drivers, and
the wild career OF some OF the vehicles up and
down Broadway was very poor guarantee for
the lives OF the passengers who sat shivering and
shaking inside It Is requisite Tor drivers
TO keep up certain rate OF speed, also 60
eyes on his horses Should he not observe the
latter rule accidents and loss Of hfe would be an
Sne mem declare has ey w
hold out until the proprietors shall have to SELF
their horses and stages and give up business II
clare that even the car drivers have time TO get
their meals and have partial rooI over them in
shelter from storm, snow or heat, ana that the
lie OF . dog IS lar preferable TO theirs
INTO account They also Complain Bitterly Of at the
fact, that no matter how cheapy man may live
who drives stage, he must nave good, hearty
his family he is consequently forced to spend from
sixty TO seventy.ive cents . day which should go
to MS wife and children and help the marketing.
Tho proprletors, on the other hand, who are all
wealthy men. declare that they have at last put
their foot down and win not be bossed by their
own employees whom they declare are capable Of
taking yard II they were given an inch. Daily
Mr.. Marshall one OF the proprietors OF the Madi-
son and Fourth avenue lines, says he expects the
arrival OF 100 able.bodied men rom Boston, who
have agreed to drive for the wages paid the men
any number Of men ior s. 50 . day, but viii not
accept many OF the applicants. Those coming
from Boston are picked men.
MEETING OF THE DRIVERS
Yesterday afternoon, at Two O'Clock. large and
very enthusiastic mass meeting OF the stage
drivers WAS held at COncOrdia Hail. in East Forty.
There are about 500 professional stage drivers
IN this city, 200 OF which number are
greatest unanimitY was manifested. and q leading
stage driver asserted that the men were pre- pared
TO hold out Tor month and that the bosses would
be compelled to yield or else dispose OF property
which would BY disuse become useless to them.
Inherent lines were foolish enough to hold out for
thirty days that BY that time the public would
have adopted another mode OF conveyance than
the old stage coach. One driver said to Q
HERALD reporter-T tell you, sir, that II the
propretors hold out for thirty days their business
York learns to do without anybody who thinks he
has show TO bounce his luck.n
ing and Joseph Stephen Hyland acted as secretary.
The reports were then heard from the Committee
Of safety which 66 !. naa Deen TO gather
the proprietors who should choose to accee TO the
demands OF the drivers. The committee reported
street line had asked two or three Old drivers TO
go to work for 81 so. They told him that no stage
OF the proprtetors OF the Fourteenth street line
proposed to some OF the drivers that he would ask
the men only to make eight trips instead
Of nine, as they do now, and to
have me men do it at the old rates.
The men refused to go to work. Marshall b VIII
kins, of the Fourth avenue line through their
receiver, refused to pay So q day to the men. The
Fifth avenue line, Samuel Andrews, proprietor,
which mas not one stage running, said that II the
rest paid s. a day he would also. There was not
any report from the Madison avenue line, OF which
Marshall Is wilkins are proprletors. Alter the re.
ports had been read some speeches were made, in
which firm determination was manifested to re-
sst all attempts to have the drivers 60 back at The
old rate OF wages. The COR drivers had offered to
assist the stagB drivers with money, which was
thankfully declined as they would not need any for
some time,