The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-07
THE COAL MEN AT BAYoNNE.
The Remarkable story that h Told By the
shopkeeperr Of the Place.

The Fourth Ward OF Bayonne City,
which derives its chief support from the Lshlgh
and wilkesbarre Coal Company's business, has
Of late been the scene OF some excitement. On
the cath ult. the now principal store In the city
was set on nre by some one who, 1t 10 supposed,
was hostile to William 8. Devian, the chief Of
the firm of Devlan & Teal. Mr.. Devlan Is the
Superintendent Of the Lebigh and Wilkesbarre
Coal Company's wharves at Bergen Point, and
has entire control OF the men who unload the
oompany's coal at that point. He has full
power to employ or discharge any number Of
men that he may desire, the company requiring
only that the work Of receiving and distributing
their coal shall not be delayed. In February,
1870 he opened supply store, looking for his
custom TO the men employed Oy the Lehien ana
New Jersey Central Railroad Company, and
since he opened the store feeling OF dissatis-
faction has grown up In the ward.
Some months AGO a petition, signed by the
principal storekeepers In tho neiehborhood,
setting forth tho facts above recited, was sent
to President Johnston Of the New Jersey Cen
tral Railroad, and In that petition II was charged
that Devlan was not only using his position to
the injury OF the old settlers and shopkeepers
OF Bayonne, but that he was holding hts em-
ployees In kind Of subsection. II was charged
purchase horse, sleigh, and blankets FOR bis
own use, and that subsequently they were re-
Qulred to take chances In a ranle for the same
horse, sleigh and blankets, with the understand
Ing that the winner 81 puld give them to Devlan.
Mr.. z. W Connolly, who owns urge feed and
livery stable In DayOnne, says that the horse
that was given to Devlan was put up In his
stable, and that he knows the facts stated in
says, when 1t came for General Sale Agent VIII
son to act on H. he simply crushed It,"
the S WITH .ss gSsn
and through that partnership for time III onopo-
llzed the butcher trade; The coal company's
unless they bought meat daily, were told that
they could not work. This nrm was eventually
dissolved.
The Bayonne shopkeepers say that while the
actual work Of the coal wharves can be carried
on on by ao men Dsylan keeps on his rolls go men.
he employs, ss the employees are paid by the
hour without reference to the number OF men
men are consequently Idle one-half their time.
The company pays the men twice n month. The
paymastor Is nm officer Of the LehiRh 4 Wilkes
barre Coal Company, but when accounts are
held by Deylan Teal the envelope Of the work =
man goes into their bands, and he receives from
them whatever there may be over what be owe es
them.
Mr.. Dsvian Is Alderman OF Bayonne City
from the Fourth Ward and his felow-mer-
chants say that on election day one OF his sub
ordinate overseers, John Sptlane, stood at the
polls and urged every employee to receive nis
ballots only from him, and that such as refused
were discharged from work. One Dayonne
shopkeeper states the case thus: The suffer
ing families OF the poor men who work for Dew
Ian are his aoJect slaves. They must have bread
for their little ones, and to get 1t they must sub-
init to his terms There Is no alternative"
Mr.. Devlan says that bis acts are open at any
tms to the lnspection OF the com pany he rep
resents. He denies that he has done anything
| to warrant the assertions that are made by his
| fellow sh o PIX pers.
Mr.. John L. Wilson, tho general sales agent 81
| the Lehigh and wilkesbarro Coal Company, says
that he has had occasion to investigate the
charges against Mr.. Devlan, and that he believes
them to have originated chiefly In the tealo ousies
OF the other storeksepers, whose trade had been
more or less monopclzed by Devlan S Zeal.
Devlan. Mr. Wilson says, started the store with
the consent OF the company, and be does not
believe that he has used hts position to control
| the custom OF the men. He ackno Wedges the
| receipt, through President Johnston OF the Cen
trail Railroad OF petition signed by mum Der Of
merchants setting forth the complaints y above
| stated against Devian. This petition, he sAys, he
returned with the endorsement that the harges
could not be sustained. He adds that IL may be
true that Deyian used his influence among the
men to gain votes for tho position of Alderman
which ne holds In fact" sid Mi. Wilson,
" /, myself, went to the wharves at the time Of
the election and requested Two Of the bosses TO
urge the men TO vote for Deylap." Mr. Wilson
admits that twice as many men as are necessary
are employed to do the work but this Ia be-
cause times are dun and II Ia tho desire Of the
| company to keep ths pen on half time rather
| than discharge them. The psyInaster acknowl-
| edges that the pay has been stopped by Devlau
| In number OF instances, but only where the
| men had unsettled accounts Of long standing
| The paym strr says that since this trouble has
| become public, Deylan has offered to give up his
| store, but that he ttbe pAymaster) has insisted
/ ~ s..r fff.atN tN.rt