, 1890-08-09
THOUSANDS OUT.
An Immense Strike in New
York City.
Business Paralyzed and No
Trains Moving.
Discharge Of Union Men the
Main Cause.
The Railroad Officials Ask for
Police Protection.
The Hotels 0vercrowded With
Disappointed Travellers.

NEW YORK, Aug. S.-Thc strike
among the employees on the New York
Central and Hudson River railroad be-
gun at 1880 o'clock tonight. Not a train
left the depot at Forty-second street since
that hour.
The unexpected storm among thous-
ands of employees Of the New York Cen
trail aud Vanderbilt lines, owing to the
discharge of Knights of Labor and
Brotherhood men. broke like a fash from
a clear sky tonight. All the length of
of the Central is tied NJ and trains are
left by crews where they stood when the
order came. Two passenger trains were
lett at Eighty-sixth street in the tunnel.
The latest report is that the Shore
road is tied up throughout the
its length, as well as the New
York Central and Hudson River railroad.
Great throngs Of people crowded to the
Grand Central depot, trying to buy
tickets. No one seemed to know how it
strike. Even j.. j. Holland, a Knight of
Labor, denied he knew who ordered it
or even that it was ordered. Represen-
tatives of the railroad company called
upon Acting Superintendents Brice and
Byrues for protection, d all reserves on
the East Side above Forty-second street
to Yonkers and on the West Side from
st. Johns park to Yonkers, were placed
on duty, guarding tracks and property.
The depot at Forty-second street was un-
der protection by a full force of police, as
sisted by members OF the boat patrol.
Inspector Byrne's detectives guarded the
switches and signal stations along the
road to Tonkers. After these ar
reached the police headquarters
hat some of the strikers Intended to take
possession of the switch house on Eighty
seventh street and Fourth avenue. In
spector Byrnes Immediately detailed two
detectives to watch that point. The in
spector himself decided to remain at head
quarters all night, and Vice President
Webb of the New York Central, on be-
ing interviewed by a reporter, said the
strike extended only to West Albany. All
of the men who went out from the EN-
ploy of the road tonight, Webb said,
would be promptly discharged in the
morning. Those men who remained
would be taken care OF and amply pro-
tected, as well as men who come to work
for the road. The road would take on all
good men who applied for work IN the
morning and as far as they were needed
to fill deserters' places.
With great emphasis the vice president
announced he would fight the strikers to
the bitter end. He said a new set of de-
mands he had never seen and knew
nothing about were in effect. These de-
mands are for a minimum days wages of
81. so, station agents to receive an in
crease of So a month. Men in Troy and
Green Island shall receive the sane com-
pensation at Schenectady and East Albany.
All fireman on SIX wheel connected en-
gines shall receive two and a half cents
per mile. All engineers on the same four
cents. Four wheel engine engineers three
aud a halt cents per mile, firemen two
cents per mile. For all men on over
time double pay, Webb announced that
the fast mail had pulled up to the depot
at 9 O'Clock with four mail cars, but no
passengers were attached to the train.
The vice president further announced no
attempt would be made to run any trains
tonight.
There are no means to get to Albany or
New England tonight but the opening up
of the great avenues OF trade would begin
tomorrow.
The strike was ordered on account of
the discharge of certain employees, Every
train was abandoned, no matter where it
might be. Travel was not only blocked
on the Central road. but also the New
York and New England and New York
and Harlem roads. which use tracks of
the Central as far as Melrose. There is
great excitement at the depot, where
grea. crowds gathered who expected to
! take trains out of the city. Hotels in the
pointed travellers.
AT a late hour it was stated by some
strikers that the Lake Shore road as far
as Chicago was in the same tied up con-
dition as the Central. This rumor. how
ever. could not be verified. The scene
about the depot five minutes alter it be-
came known the strike had been ordered,
was one long to be remembered. The
waiting room was crowded with passen-
gers.
For some time tho real state of affairs
did not dawn upon the passengers and
when the fact at last became known there
was a wild rush for baggage and a raid
was made on the hotels. The West
Shore line was In a shaky condition to-
night, but up to midnight the strike was
averted.
The postofice authorities received a
telephone message at 1880 O'Clock from
the Grand Central station saying no more
mails would be received over the New
York Central tonight.