New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-09
STRIKE OF THE MESSENGER BOYS.

ppm not an American District. Pm Cable Tele-
graph" said n pale-fncod lad about ten years old.
You are not among the strikers, then
"WelI. what do you think of itP
1.-THE boys are right. They ought to get more
money. Then they don't get paid for their over
time they get skinned out of it. There are too
many fines too" =,
"Do you get any better pay than they dop
Yes | get 80 a week. The work i9n't any harder
either" With these words the young messenger
stalked away, evidently much pleased that an OPP
pOrtunity had been given him Tor expressing ms
views on 50 important subject All was quiet Mt
the offices of the American District Telegraph yes
terday. The army of young strikers was evidently
resting. II they were still determined to resume
bostihtes to-day. secret conferences were probably
held and the situation discussed There was oppor-
tunity for this, only small proportion OF
the force is on duty on Sunday this Is especially
true of the Broad-st office where there are only
three or four lads 49,
There has been no sign Of any trouble at this
office to-day" said I. d. O'Keefe, the manager at
Tenth-st. and Broadway. yesterday. There are
not many boys on duty, however. have heard Oh
80 trouble at any of the uptown stations"
" DO YOU anticipate any trouble Tomorrow
Not at this Office. But still 1t is impossible to
say What they may take notion to do"
Mr.. 1uue superintendent of messengers, visited
ali the stations Yesterday. and found everything
working smoothly. He said to a TRIBUNE reporter
" | do not anticipate much trouble on Monday. 1t
is impossible to tell what may happen. Most OF the
bows returned to work on Saturday, and some of
those who did not said they would return Monday
morning ..,
lOu do NOT, then, look TOT tue general bIIiht
which the boys have threatened y
Not ut all was at all of the offices to-day, and
| did not hear murmur or see sign OF discomfort
at any of them"
Have You made any preparations for con-
tinCeucy y
Yes have a hundred boys ready to he sent TO
the Broad-s office, or TO any office where they may
he needed. They boys who III the special
force that is the traInIng-schoOl. We would meet
any emergency by changing the bows from one office
to another-pacing them for the time where they
were most needed"
Some of the BOYS who resumed their posts
Saturday assert tlra they were promised an advance
of wages any such promise made r.
" Some of our detectives may have told the boys
too much. They were not authorized to make any
such promises. myself met about forty Of the dis
affected messengers belonging to some of the up
town districts. singled out one OF them ana asked
him what he was dissatisfied about. lie replied that
he wanted to be transferred TO district farther up
town, nearer hIs home. Others gave equally tiimsy
excuses. Now, told them If they would go and
take their places and present their grievances to
the officers of the company that they wonld be
heard. Unsupported to satisfy them, and they all
returned to their posts"
at is claimed ] believe that the messengers at
the Broad-st. offices have more work to do than
those i'm the other districts"
1.-The fact is, that they do not. They are buster
during the hours in the middle of the day; but
after stock transactions are over they have
very easy time of IT. Then Sundays they
called on TO serve only once IN a great while In
the uptown Offices they are on duty every alternate
Sunday. 1t claimed, too that Il large profit Is
made the services of each boy. But
this is not the case The average earn
ngs Of each messenger amount to 10 cents
day. From this. 30 cents day and little more
have to be deducted from the boys wages. leaving
"A margin of about 20 cents day on each boy 10 pay
running expenses From the actual message bust
do not expect To make any money We look
for our income from our machines"
" 1t has been stated that meeting of the officers
would be held on Monday to take action III the mat
Is this trueT
mo, it is not No meeting has been called"