New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-23
A FREIGHT LABORERY STRIKE.


THE ERIE RAILWAY AND PENNsYLvANIA CENTRAL
RAILROAD FREIGHT MEN STILL IDLE-sUBsrI-
TurEs HIRED BY THE Observation-Disclosures
ANTICIPATED.
The strike among the laborers employed in
the handling OF freight ON the railroads
Two companies have already become involved In the
trouble The Erie Railway Company has enieavored To
couneract the effect Of the Thursdays strike by hiring
large number OF hands at Castle Garden but the old
employees having obtained knowledge Of this move
ment, assembled force very early on Saturday morn
Ing and when the foreman appeared at Pier NO 81,
North River with newly acquired help, the strikers
attacked the new hands, and after few
blows caused them to retreat In disorder.
Tnrough some misunderstanding, the police were
not In attendance at the time o. the disturbance anu
the newly immigrants not being prepared Tor
any such reception refused through fear to continue at
work. Very after. large body of police arrived a5
tho pier from tho Third Precinct Police Station and
order thereupon restored aud the srihors driven
away BY O'Clock IN, largo force OF German real
DENTS 200 in number arrived from the east side OF
the city, and went to work BY p IN both the eastern
and western bound freight had been cleared away and
the largo gates Pier No 81 were thrown open for The
usual reception OF through freight AT the close OF the
days labor the workmen escorted from the pier
nv large force of police who prevented any disturb
aDce.
Al the Long Dock at jersey City the laborers re-
NAMED all day on strike The Company. late on Friday
evening, made favorable propositions 10 them'
namely $50 per month for l0:hours daily LABOR anu
cents per for overtme but. on Saturday mornR'
the declared that they would not accept any oner
30 per hour for 10 hours and 20 cents
per hour overtime Tho General Agent on learning
this answer gave the until $50 to decide on
the proposition, at the same TING telling thsla t9st II
they still continued obstinate, all propositions Would ne
withdrawn, aud tho Company would then pay notnihg
beyond the 17t per hour. At the appointeu e
the committee Of the returned an answer that the
proposition refused and ut the same time stated
their determination that no other men should be
set to work IN their places Notice therefore gven
by the Company that all propositions were Withdrawn
and the men we're ordered to the dock This they
do and serious disturbance was feared Dut
s the Company prevented any Of their newly hired en-
ploy6s from going over the Long Dock no violent
demonstration took place. aud at $3.50 p ~ the strikers
left the dock. The clerks and others engaged on tue
Long Dock then proceeded to remove portion of tue
freight the lighters and barges, and by these means
some OF the freight, with that shipped at Pier No 81,
was by water up the North River TO Now
burgh and Piedmont where with the assistance OF
large force OF men, it was placed tho and sent
on ward its destination Before o'clock the Com.
pany had succeeded IN hiring over 700 men at the ola
rate of ia cents per hour and these with Others
poyed az later hour will DO sent over " Long DOCK
to-day
meeting of the railroad agents was held during the
forenoon Saturday at the Erie C0upanys office, ana
mutual agreement made not TO hire any laborers
in the WORK OF handling freight at any higher of
than III cents per hour. and, known, not to
give empioyment to any OF the strikers VINO auisea
pany notice OF their Intention 10 has not been
ascertained whether this agreement became known
70 any OF the men employed in this particular
labor but when the freightmen OF tho Pennsyl-
yanl Central Railroad. at pier No. 80 North River,
returned dinner at M they said that unless
they were paid 20 cents per nour for 10 hours daiy
work per hour overtime they should refuse 70
work any longer Several hand from Jersey Cywere sent
for TO clerks and other employees In shipping
what freight might be on tue deck ont T1en tne men
also refused work. aud tue clerks, &C. mad 70 ship the
freight heuselyes This tho latter succeeded III DOING
hut the gates OF the pier had TO be closed and new
freight re- fused Tue they have been working
ali Winter 10 cents per hour, aud now Wish " obtain
20 cents per hour. .. ,
IL was agreed on Saturday by the officers o! the Erie
Railway Company that work should be carried on
either III this city Long Dock yesterday; conse
1uertly temptation offered for other unemployed
iaborers Join any Disturbance 1t was however eN
pected that demonstrations would be made to-
day every prccaution has been made 10 check any
outbreak at the very earliest moment.