The New York herald., 1879-03-29
THE 81" ROAD ACCIDENT.
PREsESrMENT OF THE GRAND JURY DE-
NoUNcING THE MANAGEMENT OF THE COM

n
NouNcINa THE MANAGEMENT OF THE COM
pANY AS NEGLIGENT AND INEFFICIENT.
Before being discharged for the March term yes
terday the Grand Jury handed in presentment to
the Court of General Sessions setting forth that the
recent collision the New YORK Elevated Railroad
showed 'gross negligence and netiiciency in the
management and operation of the read in not having
provided proper and sufficient safeguards signals
and attendance for the prevention Of collisions"
There should and must be. the presentment went on
to state such precautionary measures taken to pre-
vent the possibility of collision at point where
the main road intersecs its branches the branch
lines must be discontinued. The people desire rapid
transit but not at the constant and imminent
risk of life and limb. The Grand Jury feel confident
that the evils complained of are unnecessary and
may and ought to be remedied They therefore CEN
sure the New York Elevated Railroad Company for
its ineifciency, mismanagement and gross negli-
gence. and call upon the managers and require them
Immediately to take such measures to prevent the
possibility of like collision in the future. The
Grand Jury also feel 1t to be their duty to call upon
and require the company and all other railroad CON-
panies similarly situated, as matter OF public well
fare to take such measures as will render 1t impos-
sblc for collisions to at points where tracks
may intersect those OF other roads.
LONG HOURS, HARD WORK AND LITTLE PAY
COMPLAINED OF BY EMPLOYEES.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
few words from tho many employees of the New.
York Elevated Railroad at this time may not be out
of place. find the company of course shifts the
responsibility of the late accident heads and
discharges several good men, among them one
more who have been with the company since the
east side road opened However. we as a body
say that if they are to blame by all means
discharge them, but give them fair Ind i'm
partial hearing and do not let the innocent
suffer for the guilty. And let
who the guilty. not among the employees. but
the officers of the road. But as cannot try them
wish the public would do so for us and decide
where the fault lies. To give tho public little in
sight into the workings of this road we will COM
mence with the one to whom the public and the
company look for the safety of lives-namely. the
engineer. On him everything devolves and we will
say that the company has the best lot
of engineers that can be found, both as to
capability and character, being all old surface
railroad men and from the best railroads in the
United States. But let us ask how the officers
them. In the first place they are required to report
for duty at six A. M. and remain until relieved by
their night relief at halfpast six seven p. NJ In
that time they make from six to seven round trips to
Harlem. making twenty-five stops each way, or $50
in u days work, and handling three levers-the
brake throttle and reverse-twice to each stop, or,
during the day, 700 times and often than that
by stopping between stations and ut functions For
this receive $3-a very few OF us So 5O-per day
When the company hires an engineer 1t informs him
and at the end of that time, IL he suits.
they will give him So so per day. But his three
men have been running twenty and twenty-five
weeks aud no sign OF their promised pay or reduc-
ton OF hours When anything is said to the officers
about it they dumb and know nothing about it.
The hours of labor the company demand of the
too long. and no men can stand 1t for any
length of time Three-quarters of the engineers
and fremen are troubled with their kidneys from
riding and the their nervous systems is fast
telling on all of them by the constant care and
a{ol,fu fhovO OrIc ma w oYl n
When they leave their engines at night they
completely tired out and seek their rest as fast
as possible. About three weeks ago the engineers
held meeting for the purpose OF hearing the views
of ali in reference to the way in which the company
was using the men, and it decided to present to
the officers in writing the resolutions that had been
passed by both day and night reliefs. They asked
the company for reduction of hours q uniform
rate of pay, and also TO impose no more fines such
they had imposed on some of the men, by making
them work and not paying them for their services
for such time; also for necessary accommodations.
These few favors were all they wished. 1t was de-
cided by ballot to have o committee OF five wait on
the officers of the road and receive their answer.
This they did. but the officers have not thought the
matter worth their notice. and as yet we have heard
nothing from them, and doubt if will. far
ask what is tho result OF this indifference Of the Of
fcers to the engineers and other employees. Why,
there is not man except some son Hnoerssrappes M Q.
elsewhere. and is only keeping his present position
to put food IN his mouth and save his family from
want. All dissatisfied and working from COM
pulsion. Now, what can the company expect If it
keeps using men as slaves and not trying to have
their employees take interest in their work and
remain with them? This they can never do by
working them long hours for small wages. We do
not ask for high wages-only fair pay and reason
able hours for the of tho thousands OF
lives daily have in our hands. Now, how
does company expect no accidents when. it
of its employees and try in all ways to work in har
mony and not against each other as they now do.
The engineers and fremen are to have one more
meeting, at which they will decide what course to
pursue-whether to continue to work, as they are
now doing, long hours, over time with no extra
allowance and different rates Of pay, all to leave
on certain date. BY this do not mean to strike,
but. IL we one man, to leave the company's 3
employ and look for better positions.
In reference to the late accident at Forty y-second
street. in what every employe has been looking for
ward to past Not exactly in the way this
safety switches. They may be all right for horse
car but whom you place them on q steam road they
liable when the fange of the engine strikes them to
break. Should they do there is nothing to save
train from going in the street. The point an en-
gine wheel strikes is not threesixtcenths of inch
thick OF course this is STEEL but it is liable at any
time be broken of by passing train. Should one
them do il would be impossible for the eng
necr of the next train to know it, Who would be
to blame in this case? OF course the engineer and
fireman. and without hearing Mr.. Cyrus w Field
would order their discharge. He would state to the
public that'he had given sli concerned hearing. and
concluded to dismiss them from the company's
vice. So the engineer and fireman woulu go for not
seeing this piece broken from the switch. But
who would be responsible for the loss Of litc
the engineer or the company that made nsc OF such
frail switches? We hope for own safety and that
of the travelling public, that such an accident as
this may never happcn but it Is liable to occur at
any time AL wish to see Is employers
and employed working in harmony and with
the feeling that services are appreciated. But
this will never be until the company reduces tho
hours of labor and allows fair compensation for
such. We tell better what we will do at our
next meeting. We will ask for three shifts to
ongine eight Lours.each, and uniform rate of pay
IL this not granted in all probability we will decide
to leave the service OF the company and as all the
summer roads will engage their men very soon We
will not neod to remain idle very long.
MANY OF THE ENGINEERS.