New-York tribune., 1886-01-07
MR O'DONNELL TAKES A HAND
THE IMPENDING STRIKE IN ABEYANCE.
TRAINS PUT BACK ON SECOND AND NINTH AvEs'-
A COMPROMISE EXPECTED TO-DAY.

COMPROMISE EXPECTED TO-DAY.
The threatened strike on the elevated rail-
roads has not yet taken place. The positive manner n
which Colonel Hahn Tuesday afternoon said NO con-
cesson whatever will be made to the engineers, maue
strike look inevitable He had named yesterday AT
a M as the hour for a conference with Grand ChieI
Peter NJ Arthur and the grievance committee Oh 'ne
Newton City Division OF the Brotherhood Oh Loeomo
tive Engineers At the conference positive answer 10
the demands be- gwen and this was the answer
which he said the visitors were to receive Coonei Ham
thought that such would precpitate srike
and 80 did the directors On this account IL was an
nonnced that no trains would yesterday on the
Second and Ninth Avenue lines aud an order was issued
that the shuttle trains between Chatham Square and the
CITY Hall should stop at midnight on Tuesday Peope
who did not know OF this order thought the strRe had
begun when they found the City Hall shuttle trains not
running When the directors made the order they sup
posed that they had hit plan by which they could,
nary at least crcumvent the beligerent engineers.
Ths action, however, put unexpected phase on the
matter John ODOnnell one OF the Board OF Railroad
Commissioners came the city on Tuesday night on
business not connected with the elevated rail ways While
reading morning papers he was eating his break
fast at the Fiji Avenue Hotel he noticed the card to the
nnblc stating that the Second Ninth Avenue divisions
would he closed. On inquiry he found that the order
had already taken effect AS soon as he hnlshed MS
meal he started stevens House and called on Mr.
Arthur. He asked II strike had taken place ana was
told No that the stopping Ol lne HucS IA tio
nature OF lockout He then went to Colonel Hams
Office which he reached about 930 He was referred to
Robert NJ Galloway, vice. president OF the Manhattan
Railway Company, who told sim that the order closing
the roads authoritative and that 1t was male IN an
ticipaon of strike Mr.. ODonnell said that that was
not sufficient excuse that in his opinion such pro-
ceedng would vitiae the companys cnarter and that
the Railroad Commission would be compelled TO take
steps the matter if the roads we're not put
IN operation. The vice president said that If such was
the case they would rescind tho order at once
TIE dropping in Of the Railroad Commissioner brought
change the spirit of those In authority aud when
the grievance committee and Grand Chief Arthur went
10 the general managers Office they received with
great urbanty. The committee of ten were headed by
the giants amoLg tnem j. ID. Outwater and A. McFar-
lane while Mr.. Arthur and the chairman, W. W. Thop'
son. brought up the Colonel Hahn took ther1 into
the directors Vice President Gaaway and Colo
mel Hahn represented the railway company They did
moi tell the committee that concessions whatever
would be made but listened patiently throughout the
statement OF the grievances. The discussion OF the
matter occupied hOur and fifteen minutes. Grand
Chief said that there desire on the part OF
the engineers to strike but that they wanted justice
done them What they asked for was not unreason-
able bu. only accordance with contract mado with
General WinslOw, the former general manager OF the
road on February J. 1880 The hours had been length
eDed the request OF the company at time when che
company said 1t making no money, and IL had prom
brisk The company could not now say that there
was auy financial reason for not returning TO that
schedule, and that about all the engineers asked
Mr. Gallaway and Colonel Hahn pleaded for time
asking that the committee wait until to-day at 3 D. in,
for an answer; in the meantime they would prepare
schedules and what they could do for the engDeers
They thought that satisfactory agreement could be ar
rived at Both Colonel Hahn ami Mr.. Gallaway
promised that intervening time would not be used in
fortiiying themselves against possible strike Mr.
Gal.away the hearts OF the committee By saying:
They cay what they please. but we want to keep
old and hard feeling whatever Is elt against
the brotherhood men,"
Before the committee went to Colonel Hams Office the
corridors the Stevens House had been crOwded with
engineers and hremen who there TO find ont how
things going and TO encourage the committee The
crowd had sweed by about 1G0 engineers and fire
men the Second and Ninth Avenne 70 ads who. when
they reported for duty in the morning. lad been told
that engines would ut run during the day They
had intended TO stay in tue hotel until the committee
came back from the conference they were not there
when the committee returned, however for III The mean
time they received order to report for duty There
was n great hurrah they started for their posts
speca trains were run By company from the Battery
so that no should be lost in getting the Second and
Ninth Avenue lines nOperaton according the promise
given TO Mr.. ODonnell The nrst train was run on the
Second Avenue line and on the Ninth Avenue and
to the City Hall trains began about half hour
m but had been stared In the face by this notice
Go home No engines out to. day."
The committee had heard OF the order reopenlng the
lines before they left Colonel Hahn Office having been
reported to them while there Grand Chief Arthur |
would not talk about the conference, but there was
satisfied expression his face ami his smile
more benevolent than usual He said: All action on |
the part OF the Brotherhood is postponed until after
get an answer tomorrow; in the time the whole
In Tle nDera Of t.
tee also refused talk about it, but said that everything
looked Us II would be satisfactory adjustment OF
the difficulties. One Of the committee when asked II the
engineers would have left their engines wherever they
might have the road strike had been ordered
said: II driven 10 extreme measures, and COM
psed TO strike you may rest assured that will do the
best we can for ourselves aud take advantage Of
point in favor We mean business and are going to
win in this matter We under no Obligations to the
company; they have used the tno that they asked for
aeberaton in this matter to II they crcumI cnt
Every engineer and fireman employed by the com
pany was told this morning that If he did not by noon
sign paper expressing featy to the road he could
consider himself discharged. The paper received no
signatures but that makes difference that Is.
until after Colonel Hahn gives us decided answer. II
the Is favorable, OF conrse that nulles the de-
mand to sign it, and 1t isn't then would all go OFT
together anyway. The public have had very small ex
peence to-day OF what the managers doing they
compel strike. The trains that wore running this
morning run as usual by Brotherhood engineers.
They did put hostler train on the Sixth Avenue
line by way OF experiment He got stuck on the up trip
between Fifty third and Fifty ninth sts., aud had to
wait for his follower to push him the HILL 1t was
about o'clock in the morning and caused twenty
minutes delay"
Those patrons of the Second and Ninth Avenue roads
who don't the papers, aud those who read the papers
as President Cleveland does, unbeeyngly found them
selves IN anything Dut Christian frame Of mind when
the NJ dn0f IA
stations pacard announcing that the trains not
rubning, and a gatemau who confirmed the statement
made in tho pacard and added that trains were running
on the Third aud Sixth Avenue Elevated roads Many
the irate people who In hurry to get down town
vented their spleen these uckess gatemen as the sole