The sun., 1890-04-23
KNIGHTS TALKING STRIKE.
PREsIDENT DEPEW OF CENTRAL SAYS
THEY HAVE NOT COME TO HIM

The Grand Central Station Local Assembly
DrAws UP n List of GsrIeVAncea-Tho Al
IoEatIons Made Are Disputed by OHlcialS
-Rupors OF strike At FOrty-nrth st.
Local assemblies OF the Knights OF Labor
along the line OF tho New York Central Rail-
road have been talking for moro than week
OF striking because OF grievances against
Theodore Voorhees,, the general ,superintend-
ent The officials OF the road have uniformly
denied that there was any cause FOR strike
or any expectation OF 1t, but the leaders OF the
local assom blies keep on talking strike all tho
same. Tho employees who nre enrolled IN
these assem- bies ON this part OF the line are
mostly switchmen and train hands. WITH 1t is
eaid. few lremen.
The latest OF these assemblies to move in the
matter is Local Assembly 6,925, whose men,
bers are employed in the Grand Central station
here According to Its officers the Assembly
met on Sunday afternoon at Murray Hill Hall
on Third avenue. and eighty members voted
substantially to demand the dismissal OF Su-
perintendent Voorhees,. and declared their in
tention and that OF other employees to begin q
general strike unless their demand was COM
piled with. By vote Of the meeting a statement
OF grievances was drawn up.
This statement asserts that Superintendent
Voorhees, has systematically reduced the work.
lnR lOTC6 Ol tuo TOuu lEOu NoN 1OEh " Duhoio'
and has thereby crippled its efficiency and done
great injustice in many individual cases. They
deny the statement by the officers Of the road
that the dismissals nre In pursuance OF tho
usual spring policy. They say that many OF
the men discharged have been many years In
the companys employ.
This instance is cited: Early in April Mr..
Voorhees, on a tour OF the road ordered the
discharge OF a aagman named CosGrove. who
for long time has been stationed In rock
cut mile from Garrison's Point. AT o'clock
the next morning u rock weighing twenty-five
tons fell into the cut upon the tracks. Co.'S
grove reused his wife and sent her in her night
clothes to Garrson's to warn the express train
which was due in fifteen minutes. Cosgrove
himself started in the opposite direction with
red handkerchief over his lantern to stop a
freight train which was due. He did not get
there in time and fifteen cars were piled in q
great wreck in the cut His wife reached Gar
rison's in time to stop the express with its 120
passengers. General Manager Toucey sent
Mrs. Cosgrove check for 500 and reinstated
her husband for life.
The men explain the official statement that
there are 700 more names on the pay roll now
than a year ago by saying that these men are
italian laborers employed in building q third
track between SpCyten Duyvt and Scarboro
They declare that Mr.. Voorhees, has reduced
than 400 The number of fagmen, they say.
on the Eastern Division has been reduced one
third.
President Depew said to SUN reporter last
SThose 700 mon are not all Italians. The
running force OF tho New York Central has
been reduced by only fifty men in tho past
year. while there has been an increase OF sew
eral hundred names on the pay rolls OF the
shops. At this season Of the year there is al
ways q reduction Of the general force. occa-
employed only for the winter. We have recent:
ly reorganized the operative department and
put . responsible head to 1t in the shape
OF o third Vice President. Mr.. Webb was
appointed to that place. and under him Mr.
Toucey was promoted from general superin-
tendent to general manager. Mr. voorhees,,
who was assistant general superin tendent. was
simply promoted to Mr.. Toucey's place. What
ever be docs is By order OF his SUPERIOR OIL
policy of the road toward the employees. and
the statement that We are ischarging men
right and left Is false. The mon have not como
ONE with any grievances in the last few days.
Usually they come to me whenever they have
ANYTHING to complain OF. as they know that my
office is always open to them"
1t was rumored last evening that there would
be a strike at midnight OF the employees OF the
Central road In the Forty-ilfth street yard.
Some OF the mon at the yard at midnight said
that about $50 employees In the lhirty-third
day afternoon on account OF the discharge OF q
few switchmen. The yard was idle for about
hall an hour. and then 1t was said the dis
charged men were renstated and work was
resumed. There was no trouble last night at
the Sixty-flfth street yard.