The New York herald., 1878-12-05
THIRD AVENUE RAILROAD.

rumor has been prevalent among the drivers
and conductors of the Third Avenue line for the past
week that further reduction in their pay was
contemplated by the directors Of the road,
and great strength given to ID few
days ago, when it was discovered that
three Of the drivers who had received
notice OF discharge and had called upon
the president in regard TO the notice told
that they could go 10 work provided they would sub
scribe their and be sworn before notary pub
lie to an affidavit or oath embodying the following
points that they would not engage in any fu
ture strike; second, that they would come forward
and drive whenever called upon, and. third that
they would not resign without giving the
company thirty days notice. This is the substance
OF the oath required to bc taken detailed to a
porter yesterday by Of the drivers. There is
great deal of bitter feeling among nearly all the
drivers the road account OF this late action of
the company, and many. OF them state
openly that oath oath, II there is any
further reduction there will be another strike.
One UT tho drivers who seemed to be pretty well in
formed sad the plan OF the president was to give
majority the drivers gradually notices of their dis
charge for trivial cause and then to take them
back their taking this oath They will all take Il
when called upon, of course, he said. 1t was only
a matter Of form. 1t has legal value
and ought not to tie any more binding
on the conscenccs OF the than tho contract the
company went into to pay the men. Two dollars
day had been on the consciences of the directors.
''As far that is concerned, however,, said the
driver there s not Of the poorest OF the drivers
but has moro conscience and honesty in his heart
than all the directors put together have
.Arc thqse none of the directors that are favorable
to the meiR
"Not now There were two--Mr. webb and Mr..
Hall--in the last Board They in favor Of Civ
ing the fair lay's pay but they were too decent
the rest OF the and they were put out ut the Inst
election.
THE DIRECTORS COUNCIL.
meeting OF the officers and directors OF tho road
was held at the depot i'll Third avenue yesterday af-
ternoop and they were in earnest discussion from
four clock to a quarter to six. II was held with
closed DOORS and sentinel placed at the foot VI
the stairs leading to the Presidents and Directors
rooms to allow no but those concerned
considered that the subject reducing the pay OF the
men was part OF the business OF the meeting and the
occasion of it's being prolonged 30 much beyond the
usual time. When the meeting was concluded the
directors and officers came out in a body
and. by their appearance, showed that
the discussion had been somewhat ox.
citing.
President Phillips positively refused to say any
thing. III fact he full of his own importance
that he did not think the public had any right to
know whether there was going to be any reduction
not
Mr. Fields superintendent of the road, stated
that he had heard of something about some
drivers being obliged to take OATH but
nothing about the proposed reduction. Notwith-
standing the recence OF the officers and directors in
regard to the reduction, the impression il general
among all the employees that such thing Is In con-
temptation that IL viii require explicit denial from
the officers before the impression is dspelle az" he
general discomfort abated.