New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-06
sURFACE ROADS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES.

AtrN APPARENTLY READY TO MODIFY THEIR
DEMANDS RATHER THAN HAVE TROUBLE
The surface railroad employees stl in suspense
in this CITY over the outcome Of the action OF olcaS
of the various lines which have as YET gwen hc
'defnte answer the demands for an increase VI
wages shortening OF hours of labor ana other runs
embodied in their new contract with the hoise-car
na,ies The men, one and all. not only aveiSe 10
striking TO enforce their demands. but LOOK upon uo
IN a. an extreme measure, only 10 De Aiop'ou i'll '
The companies refuse to arbitrate III Iac', rd'oi
Than cause trouble. there Is every plopdoiiN' az
cordinc 10 those most Interested. thai he men VIII
lie willing 10 modify several of their demands
s exnectnd that the Executive Board OF the Ds'fc'
will meet 10 morrow and act on the fefusai Vi INC
sIxth-ave. road 10 consider the agreement. c,..
Daniel f. Lewis. president OF the broohiS" O','
p.road returned a courteous answer to the denahuS
90 lis ,ncn Yesterday in which he says, among o'het
things: ~ - s,hstantia,
changes from the arrangement c0vei d snts an add
fionaI charge 70 the expense OF operating no ri
nearly 100000 per year Is 10 saw that it is
un.he n reduce the hours Of labor, or 90 awning
which would its equivalent or OF and
benei Of those who have entered us employ nS a nee
seG that when the hours nt SsIS charge over and
above what had beep previously paid OF love. over
what eject the CONFESSIONS to the men made in iS les,
had on the property Of the comps Ow Within bp bree
months after they were made, IL caused decIcdSo ~
the value OF the stock held by the STOCKHOLDERS Oh
about 100000; in addition 10 this caused reduc
ZION az once OF six per cent in the dVdehds OF me
comnany In addition to This. the STOCK OF The cont
,.nv for other reasons from which the employees nave
recei,ed no benefit has been reduced IN value over
,brcenuaifers OF a million dollars.
Notsfth standing the foregoing, which is all agalnS,
f,,rtbcr demands on the part Of employees ana all
an favor of their making concessions, the company now
otter arrangements for the year 1883 as follows:
9ibe Greenpoint Myrle-ave Gates, Putnam, iiltoh,
iIatbnsb Fort Hamilton, Hamilton-ave, and me
will
its entirety. and the Flushing ave- Ihird-ave ana
Co,,rtst lines will do the same except tlme taDes
cal Le made on % and l-3 basis Instead OF "a
and Ia. - a.. obapce in nronortion
~ lime tables from treequariers ana one 10
s-ro thirdS and one-thild is required, u is ehHeiy
for he cOmnodaiion Of the public no less lmDer
~ rims are 10 be run the contrary, mUre VIII
he mi on the time tables, and consequently he men
rs q whole will receive more money IMAM ,noS uo
under the present arrangement Jlme iaDe ,h ca, ,
he made on twothrds and one third basis wch ule
men ought 10 gladly accept If they have any coiS'uera
lion for the company and the pupnc' o,n, ,h.
ANY reasonable notifications OF arralfinPP 9Il
drties of employees at depOts or on cars Mnnn Ia
not Increase The expense of running me rod1s "s %
provided for in the proposed contrsct ior their
ffoS fIjs pnrpose the president VIII meet inc"
representatives.