New-York tribune., 1886-01-07

THE ELEVATED RAILROAD ENGINEERS.
1t now seems probable that the trouble be-
tween the elevated railroad companies and
their engineers will be settled by concessions
on both sides. Every consideration of public
and private interest makes 1t desirable that
compromise should be reached. The serious
obstruction to travel produced by the hasty and
njudicious closing of the Second and NiDth
Avenue lines fer part of yesterday gave only
a faint idea of the inconvenience and emDar-
rassment to the people ann the injury to the
city that would result from bitter and pro-
tracted contest between the companies and the
powerful and well-euuipped organization of
which the engineers are members. New-YO
above any other great city in the world needs
the swftest and surest local transportation,
because its financial centre is at the lower end
of a long, narrow island, miles away from its
principal residence quarters. All our elevated
lines and all our elevated trains are needed on
six DAYS of the week, and even at their best they
are insufficient to transport quickly and COM
fortaby the hundreds of thousands of people
who make use of them. Extensive Interruptions
to elevated railway travel would mean grievous
interference with the comfort and convenience
If great part of our population, and would
involve great damage to the general business
interests of the city.
The companies put themselves plainly in the
wrong in attempting to shut two of their lines
before single engineer had deserted their ser
vice. 1t would be hard to find any one not an
elevated railroad director or officer who would
attempt to defend or excuse this course. The
companies have thrown away at the outset
every chance of enlisting public sentiment III
their support Moreover, some of the demands
of the engineers do not seem extravaglnt III
the main. They want the cight-hOur System
of 1850 put in force again and adhered to. The
railroad directors assert that the engineers are
working only about nine hours on the average
now. An adjustment of so slight difference
should not be difficult. OF course the COM
panes have right to consider whether the
present scale of wages would be excessive OH an
eight hour schedule. But as they have been
for long time paying handsome profits OH
literally watered stock, they can afford to be
generous. They have an exceptionally intelll-
gent, cautious, faithful class of engineers.
Running trains as closely as they are run in
commission hours is not work TO be intrustcd
to cheap men.
One demand of the engineers, however, seems
uniustifable-that no one shall be dismissed
without full trial. Employers must be left
free to judge of the fitness of their employees for
their work. When employees try to dictate to
employers und ,r what circumstances man shall
he engaged or dismissed, they go too far. But
it is likely that the engineers will recede from
this demand, if concessions as to hours and
trains are made. They have shown themselves
peaceable, orderly and well disposed. Evil
dently they are anxious to avoid a strike. Both
sides should be patient and conciliatory.
Thorough discussion in a friendly spirit of all
the questions at issue should be had, and if no
agreement is reached, arbitration should be
resorted to- strike would cause deplorable
results to both sides and to the city,
The officers AMI directors of the elevated
lines should remember that they are the fOrtu-
nate possessors of immensely valuable priv
ileges for which they hay paid the city nothing,
and they will be held to a strict accountability
for their use of these privileges. The pnblic is
patient, but such performances as the closing
without warrant or reason of the Second and
Ninth Avenue lines try its patience severely.
And the Legislature is sitting at Albany.