New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-08
DIsSA 4ISFIED MESSENGER BOTS.

TIE STRIKE AMONG THEM INCREASING.
MANY or THOSE WHO QUIT WORK nowtylE, RI
sUME IT AGAiN--AN INCREASE OF WAGES SAD
TO BE PROMSlD-WHAT PRESIDENT ANDREWS
SAYS.
Contrary to expectation. tho strike of the Amcri-
can District Telegraph messenger boys Assumed
greater proportions yesterday. ~ the bIoau-Hi'
Office, where the movement began on ridaF thrfe
are 100 boys employed n all. Yesterday moaning
only twelve of the entire number reported Tor duty.
The others remained in the street near lie door at
the Office and refused 70 lake their places u"l'sS
their demands were accedod 90. number OF men
called "spOttcr~," who are emPoy'd by
t~o comnauv TO see that the messengers
are prompt in pc forming their cgr2uds, sought
to induce them to resume their places. Finally on
the promise that they would have IN advance OF
wages from 81 to : 80 "a week. ali except forty ol
the 1913 dISatt,Ctcd messengers went on dutN.
Owing to the lack of boy. the business Of the office
WAS materially crippled. During the earlier hours
Of the dav many Of the calls sent ga by bankers and
brokers could not be responded t., and, a. conse.
quence the number of calls Tor the day fell lar below
the usual number.
UNR reporter; "Mauy of the BOYS, ! think, re-
fused 10 work manly because they were AFRAID of
beng assaulted by tine boys outside. lhc business
of the office has of course. sun red considerably,
"a if requires bows trained 10 DO the work of ilis
office. and those who are naturally bright.
Ii an inexperienced or dull boy IS sent
10 broker he viii he sent back.
For this reason II is difficult TO supply their places
even from the other districts Yes all OF the boys
would be taken back II they should return. am
under the Impression That the matter VIII he al
in ted by paving the boys an increase of salary
Wmlo the manager was speaking an uncanny-
looking man rushed INTO the Office, then rushed ont
again. Presently he returned whh SIX or eight
boys following at his heels. they wore comical
look on their faces, and they passed the clerk
desk each held up the fingers OF one hand By thIs
pautomme they wished To convey the Tact that
they had surrendered only conditionaliy. FIVE
fingers meant 10 Il week
"Yes, / am III the ranks AGAIN" said one OF the
of Yesterday
morning. But YOU see, We expect To go OUT AGAIN
on Monday" Then he shook his ncan significantly.
Later in the afternoon there was group OF eight
or ten who yet remained in the vicinity OF the
Broad-st. Office. They bave all gone back
said one, but ere not going back II they bounce
us" This sentiment was heartily approved of hX
all the rest " But they didn't 20 back to stay"
said another, referring 10 those who returned dur,
ing the day. Just wait until Monday ana youH
see them turn out again. Give IN IOu won't see
us give in" Another messenger VINO was among
the strikers in the morning. but who had resumed
worl said the spotter" had promised him and the
Others S4 80 a week. They had gone back on the
strength of this promise. If IL not kept they
would 60 out into the street again on Monday.
A the Office ut No. IS FultOu-St the entire num-
Der of BOYS struck IN the morning. They assembled
IN tie elghb0rh0Od OF tie oiic' az ia" usual huu'
but did report Tor duty. last they were all IN
duced to resume work condition that then grey
anccs would he heard by the Ulcers OF The company.
There wero SIX OF seven strikers at the office at
No. GGG SlXth-aye.; bu they all returned to their
SIS bY ii O'Ceck. Inffc were three strikers also
al the office az No. ,OJ2 SXtL-aNc., ami iour at
the Office at No. SO SXti ave. They all resumed
work however b. II o'clock. or the twenty or
twenty five boys employed at the station at No. 5oi
Thu-ive., all except tHr,e Jailed 10 report at the
regular hour. Before noon thcY all returned except
one OrtwO. At Ihrd-aVe. AID SAtI -ilith-s'. there
about ten strikers, but they put thcII uniforms
Oh during the morning.
J. u. O'Kccfc manager Of the Office at Broadway
and TcHth-St., SAID that az O'Clock there were
eleven OF his messengers vino were with the
strikers iron the DOWNTOWN Offices. Several OF
them we're II initiated by BOYS who told them that
.ttfiy ffaF 4f4f M I'm
Superintendent Gurrell had Il talk with them, and
they ali agreed 10 90 to work There were also sew
cral disaieced messengers at the 4ihGes al No 40
Broadway ana AT broadway ana farE-p8ce. Bui
with the exception of one or two they all returned
to their posts during the forenoon.
President Andrews. whose headquarters are at No,
- South Fiithave. spent part of the day III visit
ing the different offices where the strikes occurred.
When questioned concerning the strikes he said ::
Well, ! made arrangements to-day To secure the
arrest of any boy who interfered with any mes
seDger IN the discharge OF his duty. The movement
was an entire surprise to u.s. rs no ntmatOn that an
advance in wages was wanted had ever been re-
ceiYed. The complaints OF the boys, whenever they
have had any. have always been heard. Every boy
employed in the service has the privilege OF resign
ing at any time, and that Is what those who
are not satisfied with the wages they receive
should have done Az to the charge that
j; made that 100 mm%n is iha,ESd f"T
he will tell You that the price is low: As to
the pay for overtime an especial provision has been
made for the protection Of the boys. Each boy
makes record of the number of hours he has served
durIng the day on a blank. These banks are slip
ped into lock box and collected by an inspector,
and the payroll is made up from them. IL q boy
does not credit himself with the right number Of
hours II is his own fault. Now. If the boys had any
real grievances aud had come to measures would
have been taken at once To remedy them. we
take great pains to educate them, and every
week or ST. recommend some bright boy to
a good position Only last week boy who had a
good record aud was smart obtained situation III
one of the leading baukng-hOuses in Wall-st."
"Will you receive all of the boys back If they
should appylp
Those who have been prevented from working
through intimidation we will receive ; but those
who lave nclted the trouble will he discharged"
1t has been said that the strikers have been
promised an advance"
" No overturss have been made to them, and none
will be. If any have been made at all it done
without official authority. do not anticipate that
the trouble will last more than two OF three days
longer