The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-13

sTRIKE-A SAD PICTURE OF THE CONDITION
OF THE LADoRING MEs--How THEIR coMBI-
NATIONS FOR MUTUAL BENEFIT ARE BROKEN
From tho Weekly Union
LUDLOW STREET JAN.
New YORK, August q, 1871
To THE EpIroR WEEKLY UsoS:-
DEAR SIR feel II my imperative duty at the
present to present. through your paper to the
workingmen Of The United States brief statement OF
my peculiar position as chairman Of the joint
committees OF lremon, brakemen, switchmcn,
trackmon, and other employees Of the Eric
Railway, which position has entailed upon
me prosecution and Imprisonment. On or auout
the Goth OF June order received
by Receiver Jewett-and posted throughout tho
various dopartments--that ten per reduction
would be enforced upon all employees OF the road who
we're not so reduced or included in previous or
former order, which took in saared officers ana some
others made previous This reduction which was to
go into effect July l. 1871 included engineers lremen
brakemcn, clerks, machiHsts, trackmcn, and sundry
other laborers. Tho order appeared TO this
large body OF men to be SO uncaed for and unjust,
in view OF the present cost Of tho various com
modities that go TO constitute thor living that
meetings of the different bodios were called, IN
order TO see II IL was not possible In some
way have this order modified equalized that 1t
would not bear SO bard upon them as class. Com
mttees appointed and ordered to proceed to New
York to consult with Receiver Jewetl. whilc in Jcr
sey City other committees from different parts OF the
road met and conferred with US. there appointed
chairman OF the Joint Committee of rakemen,
switchmen, trackmen and others; NJ. J. Leach was
chairman OF the 1remen the locomotive engineers
were represented by Mr. Brown.
INTERVIEW WITH MR. JEwETr.
We In q BODY calico upon MT. Jewett, who said nj
that interview that ho was surprised and PANIED to
think that such intelligent body of men should call
him for any such purpose. He further said the
''order 1nRl, and tho men must abide by itl'
Finding that all gotations had failed the men went
10 their several divisions and reported accordingly
and by UNANIMOUS vote the men concluded to Keep
at work, and trust that no further reduction would be
the country would revive, when tho company
would then be able 10 pay better wages. In tho
meantime the militia OF the State were ordered to be
In readiness to repress any violence or disorder in
the men did quit work. Tho committee Of brakemen
from Buffalo division were then discharged, three
number then the committee from Delaware division,
four number; then the Eastern DIVISION men,
IN number After that Mr. Leach, chairman of the
locomotive iremen at Port Jervis, and after all my
SELF ''the notorious b. j. Donahue" This wholesale
discharge OF men occasioned much surprise and
regret among the other employees. Aud as
the have national reputation
cass that feel an honest and just pride
IN their avocatlons, it was bard blow for them to
bear. J. as their chairman, exhausted eveiy honora
Bile means in my power to have these men restored;
no attention was paid TO letters or protestations-
IL seemed 10 tnnt the officers OF the TOau were
bound to break all the spirit OF the men and any and
all organizations that they belonged to- rhe com
pany had fixed policy to pursue in common with
other trunk lines, and they were making the expert
ment there aud then-all Of their movements were
and we'll understood. After | had gwen up
all hopes OF having the reinstated
and being discharged myscf-after a service
Of almost twenty I've years III their EMPLOY thought
would engage in some other line OF business and had
gone 10 the depot for the purpose OF gong to Emra
for that purpose While waiting Tor the train numbers
OF The faithful fellows-my brother employ6s-gath-
cred about me, iGquirng anxiousy where | WIS
going told them That was going away TO get other
employment mot by any means; want you, !"
men were willing to stand by their promise and sup
port me In tho position they had placed mo- II was
determined TO quit work, and ! WINS made
to any business that might be Tor the best
interests of the men,. What followed you all
know, full accounts were published IN all the pa
pers. One thing say OF the OF the Erie, that
they were sober; that no railroad men were arrested
Tor disturbing tho peace nor violating any law. The
men soemny agreed TO destroy property, imperil
no lives and have no conflicts with either civil or
military authority; II arrests were made 10 submit to
the law law-abidng citizens such, my friends, IS
the honorable record OF the tried and true men OF the
Erie road.
WHY THE MEN STRUCK.
Now, why did the men quit work? you would
naturally ask. They quit work because they found
that no confidence could DO placed in the officers OF
The road, acting under orders from Mr.. Jewett
They found that Mr. Jewett proposed 10 and did re-
duce them ten per cent, when the Of living and
paying rents and all the incidentns that 10 to main
tam family just high thcy were during
tho war, and they firmly believed, from authority
that could not be disputed that further reductions
intended. They also knew, by bitter ex-
perience, that all organizations among them
seves Tor their mutual Improvement were
broken Upland would DC broken up as last as thoy
were formed, as thousands of men railroads in The
United states testify 10. They 70 DO squeezed
out OF ali Other organizations they belonged 10. Many
OF the belong to Masonic and Odd Fellowship
clecs, ulso to various societies belonging to the Cath
Ollie Church, SO u the had not the money to pay
their Dues OF course they would have to withdraw
from all of associations, from all ellowsh Tor
mutual aid with fellow men, leaving them a hctcro-
geneous mass without civil or Social aid Most
OF the married and paying from
as homes Tor tho loved ones they have to
were expended to beauty and give some little
home to. THIS money aud property Will have 10 be
and labor and scrapings OF years thrown away Is not
this hardY Is IL any wonder the men become dts
hcartened, with no bright future before them,
sideration no chance no lenty, no mercy from task
masters? All they ask is n fair compensation Tor
the work they do, and this they Denied They are
deceived trifed with, Knocked. There Is no security
nor dependence TO be placed upon any promis es
that any oil these corporations make to their
men. This late demonstration was tho result Of long
became toe heavy too bear-and God only knows why
the humane thinking business men vi the country
act cull0us AS II they did not realize nor pity
AFFECT condition Of helplessncss and wrong.
APPEAL TO THE BALLor-Box.
Heaven send that they may rouse from their sleep
aud help assist In framing such laws next fall as viii
give this vast body OF men some right OF appeal, in
stead Of the wild lrcnzied resort to violence Politics
should laid aside IN this momentous struggle apd
all should unite in the cndeavor 10 settle It on
lair basis OF wages for tho labor performed TAX
ing INTO consideration the cost OF living, In different
parts OF the country. am glad to That Pros lent
Hayes and his CaDuet officers having this matter
under consideration that they intend favor tho
passage of law providing Tor the organization OF
commission which shall have due regard for the IN
forests OF all neutrality-suspicious. merchants railroad
employees and captastssot that on any question fair
compromise may be effected. Ii they in earnest
and this stop be truly carried out, from such
mssion 1t 10 me, great and lasting good would
result. This report from Washington was published
In the New YoRK HERALD Of the 6tn inst. and hope
IL may be made good. might add much moro bot
being prisoner cannot fully explain myself at pres
ent but Will at somo future day. remain, your num-
bic servant in the cause of humanity,
BARNEY j. DONAHUE