The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-10-05
ELECTRIC MEN GO OUT.
THIRTEEN CONDUCTORS AND
MOTORMEN QUIT WORK.

/ OF the Conductors and Motorm ems
Union o-Night-President Collins
! Explains the Compauy's Position.
The trouble between the Electric railway
aud its employees eliminated last night in a
partial strike Of the motormen and con-
/ ductOrs. Thirteen men quit work.
The immediate cause OF the trouble, as
wGs announced several days ago in the
MORNING News, was the requirement. Of
the company that the men should take an
oath to faithfully observe the company's
rules while in its employ. This caused gen.
| eral dissatisfaction among the men and
| there was serious disinclination in taking
| the oath.
The officers OF the Union Of Electric
| Railway Motormen and Conductors, which
was recently organized, endeavored TO
bring about general strike. They have
| not succeeded in doing so as yet, aud the
prospects are that there will be no general
| strike. 1t is expected that some OF the men
who were at work last night will not return
TO work this morning, however.
THE COMPANY PREPARED.
There have been rumors of a strike for
several days and the officers of the company
we're not taken by surprise that matters
came to head last night at 6 O'Clock, when
several OF the motormen and conductors,
who had finished their days work, an
neunced that they would not take the oath
required, and that they would not return to
work so long as this requirement. existed.
They were joined by several
who were on duty and the party
proceeded to the junction at
Gwinnett and Price streets. One conductor
left his car at Duffy street without notice,
but another man was soon in his place and
the 0alRW Ua V,la oP
tho strikers were rapidly filled from the
number OF extra men at the power house
and the schedule was continued without
any appreciable delay.
There were reports around the city as
soon as it was known that the strike had
ing by the motormen and conductors all
along the line. but this was found to be not
80.
A GENERAL STRIKE UNSUCCESSFUL.
The strikers boarded the passing cars and
endeavored to persuade the conductors and
motormen to join them, but did not make
many converts. A good many said they
were willing to join in general strike, but
did not care TO go out with a small party,
The party Of strikers at Price and Gwln-
nett streets guyed the conductors and
motormen on the passing cars, and 1t was
claimed made threats. Supt. Mcfarland
was notified OF this and telephoned the
police barracks for a force Of police TO
disperse the crowd. A squad OF four
policeman was sent to the scene, but find
ing everything quiet on their arrival re-
turned to the barracks, leaving one man on
duty at the junction. The strikers made no
attempts 10 stop the cars or to force men to
join them.
President Collins and Supb. MacFarland
were found at the Office Of the Electric rail-
way at the power house on Gwinnett street
last night.
NO DELAYS OCCURRED.
Supt. Mcfarland said that thirteen men
had quit work. Whether any Of the extra
men who we're not on regular duty had
| Joined the strikers he did not
| know. The road had not lost a
| minute on account of the strike
he said, and was running with full force.
| There were nineteen cars out the usual
number, with Grew Of two men each and
several men at the office awaiting their
turn. There were forty three motormeh
and conductors regularly in the employ
OF the company, he said, but the regular
| daily force Is only twenty-seven or three
men to the car for the days run. Sundays
and special occasions more men are re-
quired. There are a number of extra men
on the company's rolls who are frequently
called into service.
Supt. Mcfarland said as many more
men might quit work as had
already done SO and they would
still have enough men left to operate the
cars by working overtime. In case Of a
general strike ne said he could secure all
the men needed in twenty-four hours or
less, as there are numbers of idle electric
car men in Augusta and other neighboring
cities.
PRESIDENT COLLINS TALKS.
President Collins said that there was no
reason for the strike. The whole trouble,
he said, was caused by three men, CarswelI,
Smith and Lee, who had taken advantage
of their positions with the company
to work up agitation and foment
discord. Carswell, who was employed as
an assistant superintendent and accountant
at the office, had devoted a large portion of
bis time in working up the organization of
the motomen and conductors, and egitating
the minds OF the men against the company.
There would have been trouble anyway ;"
said Mr. Collins, ''if the oath requirement.
had never been brought up. There was
talk OF striking before the men knew any
thing about the OATH"
The oath, Mr.. Collins said, was drawn up
on Aug. IS, and was first submitted to the
men when the rule books were issued about
six weeks ago.
The men were told when they had famil-
iarized themselves with the rules to report
to the Office and take the oath if they felt
that they could do so. They were not COM
PEELED to take the oath until they had ac-
quRinted themselves with the rules.
NOT REQUIRED TO SWEAR.
They do not take the oath before notary
public, but simply made affirmations before
the secretary and subscribed their names to
the oath. The first man took the oath on
Sept 70. Ten men took the oath yesterday,
making twenty-three in all who have
taken It 30 for. Several others have
promised to do SO as soon as they
familiarize themselves with the rules.
President Collins was asked what his idea
was in requiring the men to take an oath to
observe the rules. as this is not done by the
other companies of the city. He said there
were several reasons, two OF them promi
nent ones. "Street car conductors and mo-
tormen are invested with police
powers by law. They occasionally are
required to exercise those powers, aud they
should be impressed with the dignity and
sacredness Of the power conferred upon
them. Again, it is we'll known that the
wages paid in this business do not attract
the best class of men. AS rule they are
not highly educated or highly intelligent,
and while there are many good men among
them, they are more often rough. IL is
necessary to inspire these men with the lm-
! foNn Of y,Ie no