The New York herald., 1878-11-30
TWO CENTS A TRIP.

w ~ SLN N 4
CUTTING DOWN THE PAY OF DRIVERS AND CON-
DUcToRs on TIE EIGHTH AVENUE RAILROAD
NO REDUCTION OF THE FARES CONTEMPLATED.
The drivers and conductors on the Eighth Avenue
Railroad were stirred with emotions exactly the op
positc Of thankfulncss Thankse living morning
when the starter informed them that the follow
ing day there would be reduction in their pay OF
two cents per trip. They gave turkey
general remark among the men yesterday. The re-
duction was sucnly and quietly agreed to- "We
cannot help ourselves and must submit whether
like II or not the comment of a conductor to
HERALD reporter yesterday. "rhe road is always the
first to cut the men down. remarked a driver with
whom the reporter had conversation in regard to
the reduction.
In view Of this ton of the directors of the Eighth
Avenue linc reporter of the HERALD called
Superintendent Wilson yesterday and learned from
him that reported reduction had actually taken
place What the for this reduction 20
the reporter asked "fhe falling off in the business
has made it necessary" was the But will
it not be hardship to the men to be thus deprived
of part their 2" the reporter persisted.
II cannot that it viii be-" Mr.. Wilson said.
Everything il cheap now as it was
before the war. and AT the reduced
rates the wages higher. According to the
new schedule will pay conductors about
81 81 per DAY. This will buy more than So 25 would
buy in the times when they were paid at that rate
It is certainly much better pay than they received be-
the aivancc for in cheap times the average for
drivers only 81 a5 and for conductors 81 80.
til the reduction hardship, and it
certainly is a necessity.
The general average q days pay as 81 6l is
thing that Will surprise many readers OF the HERALD
That cent will appear odd really is. But it
must be remembered that the city railroads pay by
the trip ana not by the day. Upon this basis the
follows:--
Broadway ........... trips % cents So %
Eighth avenue trips Is cents 81
The first two roads do not discriminate against the
drivers. but the Eighth Avenue Company has always
paid them u cent per trip less than paid to tho
conductors. While the latter getting 81 rs per
day the drivers were receiving only 81 g. and now
they ret only 81 a. And it is worthy Of remark that
these cures not the lowest paid by the company
The line has double tcrmin One class OF cars runs
between fifty-ninth street and Brsia<iway ut vesey
| street. These make trips per day. The
other class has much longer route and runs all tho
Some of these make only four trips per lay, while
| others make four and half The schedule for the
two classes may be tabua.ed something like this:-
Conductors. Drirers.
Cents Cents.
vesey street. 20 20 - -
Canal street. ..... 80. % %
| Conductors. Drircrs.
| ycsey street. trips. S16 S15f
Canal street. 4is trips. u t6R
Canal street, trips. .............. ] SO las
the reporter learned that the great argument used by
| the agents OF the company to make the men submit
quietly to the reduction was the general shrinkage in
values II was urged, said of them in illustra-
ton that horses which formerly cost from $3.50 to
$500 could be bought for S75 or Sloo; while oats.
Sushe could now be had for thirty cents The argn-
ment that when everything else had fallen in
value wages ought fall also. especially the BUSH
of the road has been seriously hurt by rapid
| transit.
This led reporter inquire the effect Of tho
| elevated roads upon the Eighth avenue line. The
driver with whom he talked was very intelligent
man and gave very clear idea Of the effect of rapid
transit upon the road "Durng the day it Ia scarcely
percepbe.' he said. "byt in what were formerly ou1
busy hours the falling of very great In the morn
ing this car used carry fewer than sxty-va
passengers and often more. Now II we bring forty
| made during the cheap hours hardly gives thirty
five passengers now while II used TO give us eighty.
hoding on to the dashboard, and now We don't sea
! them at all.
The announcement OF the action Of the Eighth
avenue company caused great CONSERVATION among
the drivers and conductors the other lines. well.
we'll we'll" the comment OF broadway and
University place conductor when he first heard the
4 news But the interest in the movement did nol
stop with the drivers and conductors The directors
anxious 10 witness the effect of the experiment,
and the superintendent of the sixth avenue road
paid the superintendent OF the Eighth avenue road
/ u visit. what did Mr.. Bidgood want?' the reporter
asked of the conductor who informed him of ting
| fact oh to how the took it. OF course
/ was the
/ While the company has reduced the wages of tho
employees because horses and oats cheaper than
they were four years ago 1t has not only not reduced
! its fares but actually increased them. Hereafter
children fye years OF age occupying seats when
the ear full be charged full rates This rule
is imperative on the conductors. III the little
want their comforts after this they will have to pay
for Them, said conductor to the HERALD reporter.
What will be the effect of this action upon the
mcnr the reporter asked of number Of conductors.
"A good many of us will probably be laid of before
q fortnight the more than They
| will try and make up the difference somehow.