Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-03-10
A GREAT VICTORY.
New York and Brooklyn Street Car EN-
pIoyes Strike-They Cause AN Entire
Suspension of Traffic by Obstructing
the Tracks-A Righteous Cause in
righteously Defended-The Strikers
Successful.

A New York dispatch of the Sd says:
The strike of the employees of the Dry
Dock Street Railway lines continues
and travellers by the Grand Street fer
ries are put to much inconvenience
thereby. The hearing before the state
railroad commissioner was continued
this morning at the company's Office.
Vice-President Richardson made q re-
ply to the demands Of the men, taking
up each one separately. The company
is willing to allow twelve hours to con-
stitute days work including one
hour for meals. All employees who
work more than twelve hours are to
receive extra pay. Mr.. Richardson
asserted that no outside organization
should have the right to dictate to the
company whom it should Or should not
employ. There was long debate in re
gard to the discarge of certain men
who had remained faithful to the COM
pany during the present difficulty.
The uperintendent replied that the
company would prefer to go to pieces
rather than discharge these men. The
conference ended without any agree
ment being reached. An attempt was
made to run cars during the afternoon
but the strikers put such obstacles In
the way that the trial was abandoned.
During the attempted progress of the
test car huge load of barrels crossed
the track In front Of it. The strikers
cut the ropes that bound the barrels
on the truck and they rolled to the
street and caused delay. A coal wagon
containing two tons of coal was
dumped and it's contents spread before
the car. A car of the Grand Houston
and Forty-second Street line
was stopped by the strikers, the
harness was cut and the car placed
square across the track. Each car
that arrived was thus derailed until
sixteen cars were standing across the
track. Passengers were turned out
and travel stopped. Fifty or sixty
cars finally were blocked and thou
sands o. persons were part Of the
scene. Finally 100 policemen arrived
and sought to protect the trial trip
car. The driver held his reins steadily
and maintained composure amidst
the jeers and intimidation of the mob.
The conductor was surrounded and
dragged off the car. He disappeared
and sought refuge in the company's
Office. Finally word came from the
company to take the car back to the
stable. The strikers construed this as
a step toward victory, and there we're
tumultuous shouts, and the course of
travel was permitted again to be re-
Sumed.
The tactics of the street car strikers
in New York, begun on the Sd, were
kept up during the following day, and
on the 9Th traffic was at standstiH.
No such suspension of business was
ever experienced in that city even
during the great epizootic epidemic
of 1872. On that morning the city
had the appearance of being deserted.
Not a horse car could be seen from The
Harlem River to the Battery, the
drivers and conductors of all lines
having struck at 4 o'clock in the
in accordance with the order
sent out by the executive board of the
Empire Association. Every man able
to put on a uniform and carry g. club,
was ordered on duty, and 1900 men
were held in reserve. Police head
quarters looks like an enormous
bivouac of uniformed men. Squads
of fifteen or twenty policemen were
early to guard all rail
road depots and stables. Mounted
men patroled Grand Street and the
route OF the Dry Dock Railroad from
end to end, to keep the route clear
in the event of any attempt being
made to run q car over the road, as
was done on the previous day, in
order to save the company it's
charter. Added to the existing trouble,
the rumor that the elevated. roads
would be stopped at noon increased
the feeling of uneasiness, but this
proved unfounded.
Commissioner O'Donnell, after con-
sultation with the executive commit
tee of the strikers, met President
and the directors of the
Atlantic Avenue Line, in Brooklyn,
the result of which was he carried back
to New York with him the following
from the railroad COM
pany, which was at once accepted by
the executive committee, still in SEES
sion at Central Labor Union Hall:
Resolved, That the Atlantic Avenue Rail-
road. Of Brooklyn, will agree to pay the
men at the rate of So per day for twelve
hours as O. days work for conductors and
1rivers, including half an hour allowed for
dinner; and after our cars are running. to
submit all the questions OF difference be-
tween the employees to Commissioner
O'Donnell. It is agreed that the Dry-D ock,
East Broadway and Battery lines be in
Guided in the same agreement as the At
antic roads in Brooklyn.
w. J. RICHARDSON, President.
The delegates from the different
roads were started at once to notify
the men to be ready to start the cars
at 2 P. M. Down stairs in the large
hall the strikers were in session. :. Mr..
Graham announced the terms of the
agreement amid the breathless hush
IN the room. When he had finished
there was a deep, long breath of relief.
A man threw his hat up and a. yell
broke out which shook the building.
The meeting broke up and the men
started for work. Joseph O'Donnell
said to a reporter: "All the surface
roads will start at P. NJ. The prop