Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-09
MEN ON STREET CARS.
the Younger VanderbiIts Help the Con
ductOrs and Drivers.
from " PAtIadeIpAia Ne.os.

From the PhtEadslDAia Yetos.
NEW YORK, Feb. 6.-Cornelius Wander
bilt has persona lily taken hold of the man.
agement OF the Fourth Avenue horse rail-
road, so far as the employees are concerned,
and to him is due the voluntary reduction
of the hours of labor for conductors aud
drivers from IA to u hours per day. This
line is an adjunct OF the Vanderbilt steam
railroads, and the tracks are still used for
freight traffic from the Grand Central
depot TO the goods station down town I;
but the horse car service, the route being
closer than any other to the fashionable
centre OF the town, has long been domi-
nant.
In former times the horses were noto-
ri0usly unfit, aud much OF Bergh's earlier
efforts were expended In their behalf, but
one day William IL. Vanderbilt, soon after
coming into his Inheritance, was struck
by the cruelty Of the brutes, and he per-
emptorily ordered the radiance Of all the
poor and lame ones. Since then the live
stock has been first rate. But the human
beings at work were not the recipients Of
corresponding consideration. Since the
death of William ii. Vanderbilt his sons,
Cornelius and William X, have come into
active rather than merely nominal man.
agement of the railroad interests. Cor
nelius had been permitted By his father
to DO what he liked for the moral and rell-
gIous benefit Of employees, and the Railroad
Young Mems Christian Association is one
Of the consequences; but on getting sub
stantial control he began at once to plan
their physical good. The men on the
Fourth avenue line were laboring four
teen hours day regularly, and longer
whenever snow or anything else DELAYED
the trips. This week the time is reduced
10 twelve hours, with the pay left at 81,
and q proportional allowance for acct
dental overtime. That was done on the
peremptory order OF young Vanderbilt.
But in the execution the new time
tables partially defeated his purpose, be-
cause the trips we're so arranged that
though man was employed only twelve
hours he was kept waiting enough TO ex-
tend his days work 10 nearly the old
length. Therefore, when the other CON-
panies' employees struck on Thursday,
the cars OF the Fourth avenue line were
also stopped.
Chauncey NJ. Depew, President OF the
Vanderbilt roads, Is all out Of sympathy
with Cornelius Vanderbilt, and the con-
duct0rs and drivers OF the street cars be-
lieYe that to him was due the practical
notification OF the order 10 reduce the
hours to twelve. Depew declines TO de-
fine his position, but ne is outspoken
against the labor unions. This city con-
tains enough social dynamite TO blow the
whole civilization OF the world to pieces"
be declares. "The dangerous elements Of
all the nations are sent here for us 10 deal
with, and il once thoroughly organized
the police and the citizen soldiery could
not begin TO check them. We sleep in
placidity over this volcano. Men who
have been trampled upon by governments
aud individuals, and who, therefore,
owe grudge against humanity
IN general are dumped In here TO be in
corporated with our populace. Labor
organizes unions, but Is an army without
supplies or hospitals, and the benevolent
wealth gives tue only thing that stands
between US and destructiOn-bOunt TO
the extent Of 100000 a year for charita-
bic enterprises"
The strike on the Fourth avenue road
lasted longer than on tue others, because
while the perintendent was ready 20 set
the men TO work on the schedule dc.
manded, he was under orders not to give
his answertO thocOmmittee Of the Knights
OF Labor or any other trades union body.
This policy has caused much ill-feeling
against the Vanderbilt interests among
labor uniOnists