The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-10-23
THE OFFICIALS VERSION,
WHAT Is SAID OF THE CAR MEMS
GRIEVANCES.


--
One Of the Managers Declares That the
Men are Net Badly Treated, and That
Thev Recei e Their just and Fun
Dues.
A report of meeting Of the street-Car
Brotherhood was published In Yesterdays
TIMES, with list Of the grievances OF the
drivers, conductors, and motormen.
A reporter of The TIMES sought the
managers Of the roads in the city yesterday
In order TO hear their side of the affair
and 10 ascertain whether or not the grew
ances cited by the men were just in the
eyes of the company.
AN OFFICIAL SEEN.
One Of the principal managers OF the
MAR .stl Get line was found in his Office, and
when asked about the complaints made by
his employees he said: III have read very
carefully the list Of the complaints when l
see is published in your paper. nave
always told my men that II they had any
inst grounds for grievances against the
company TO make them known to me, ana
/ would see that they were adjusted.
BENEFICIAL ORDER.
81 was informed several days ago that a
movement was on foot among the conduc-
tors and motor men Of both lines TO elect an
organization for their protection against
the company. ! have since learned that
the men on my line was induced
10 20 into il on the pretense that
il was beneficial order. In nearly every
instance where these troubles have been
har hQpn nrOm0tl6
same persons. have talked with several
of nv men since read the report in your
paper, and they dsclaim any participation
in the meeting in which the alleged wrongs
were preferred.
"Certainly ] will explain to you why
these charges are grOundless. and VIII TAKE
them up separately" and the Official picked
up cory of The TIMES, which was lying
in front of him on his desk, and began:
ONE BY ONE.
sin the first one they complain that they
work too long for the pay they receive. Inc
regular driver is not required 10 make
twelve hours per day, and each car has a
relief man. They make from sl.5O TO $l.oo
per day. Many Of these men were not
making over 81 per day when they came on
| the road.
ain the second section they complain that
of double shifts. ! can say that 1t is very
seldom that man is required to make a
double shift" While this was being dis
cussed, Mr.. Collier, one of the conductors
and a brother of :. +. Collier. the first vice.
president of the Brotherhood, came IN the
office. and the official asked him about the
meeting. and he replied that he had nothing
| to do with il. lie was asked how often ne
had been called upon to make double sillIt,
TO which he replied, mot once Ill three
months"
MONEY FOR CHANGE.
| In the next section the men complained
of being required TO have ten dollars IN
change with which to run the cars. III Is
customary" said the official after reading
the section aloud, with nearly every streeI
car company all over the country
TO require their conductors to have
TWENTY-FIVE dollars on deposit in order 10
insure them against loss, and IT is better
| in many ways, for the money when tney
spend while on duty is of this fund, and
saves the trouble OF deducting 1t from thelr
salary, for we like to see an employe get his
whole weeks earnings. We only require
him TO have less than one-half OF this
amount, and Of course the money belongs &c
them. don't know of man being dls
charged for shortage in their account.
| The next item says I'VE regard IL az
bumiliating that man should be searched
| for that which is own The official read
this and replied THAT is absurd, and
will pass over it,
| RESTORING WAGES.
| In the item where the company wa'
asked to put tbe mems wages back TO wha
they were previous to the last change, the
official said that this referred to the Unior
| line, and the change was made for the
benefit Of the employees.
| Conductor Collier, who still remained,
| spoke up at this juncture, and said thai
| under the new rule the men made more
money.
Regarding the eighth section the railway
official said: "We can'tpay relief man a.
much as regular man, some OF whom
have been with the company for years. "
The reason why the regular men on tht
horse cars are getting less Is that the reliel
drivers salary has been increased thirty
cents per day, for they do the same WORK
that the regular drivers are required 10 40
WARM THEMSELVES.
Referring to the eleventh section, he said
1T has not been cold enough yet to justify
| a fire tor the men TO warm themselves.
| have already made arrangements at one
end of the Main-street line for an excellent
| place where they can warm themselves II
cold wearher. The assertion In the mex
item that the men are discharged if report
ed on any pretense by passenger Il
absurd. You can judge for yourself
that owing to the daily complaints thai
naturally come to us in city of this size
if we were TO discharge a man every time
we could not employ men fast enough to fill
the vacai cies. When passenger makes q
lust CONF laint we call the man complained
OF, and e ( his statement before action. We
always :, V 10 the employees, if they have
any grievances against the;cOmpany TO lay
them before us individually, and they will
be Satisfactorily adjusted.
| NEVER OVERwORKED.
"The men are never overworked except in
cases of emergency, when they receive
double pay. In the closing section, where
the money they claim is taken from them
amounts to $4,000 per year, is not taken at
all. but belongs to them, as | have ex.
planned, and is customary rule adopted
TO protect both the company and the men,
SECOND DISTRICT.