Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-03-15

To the Arbitration Resolution, Relating 70
the strike, Adopted by Council

the strike, Adopted by Council
A long communication was received
nv Clerk Thouer from the Wheeling
Railway Company, replying 70 the cou-
munication from the City OlerR Trans
hitting the resolutions tavoring aIol-
tration, lately passed by Council. 1he
papsr was volummouS one, the eS-
sential points being as follows
"To me Honorable Council Of the city Of
Whccling:
eve have had under consideration your
resolution. that 10 is the sense OF TINS
COuucil that the matters IN controversy
between the Wheeling Electrical Halfway
Company and its employees be submitted 10
practical arbitration. OWING 10 Tue ecu
eral terms, matters ia controversy, EN-
Moved In your resolution, 10 seems emil
nently proper % define with some pre-
cision what are the matters Ia controversy,
especially as there seems 10 be some mis-
APPREHENSION on the subject. This Will re-
ouire a recital of the facts connected Win
the subject matter Of your resolution.
The original complaint out OF which
the strike grew is then recited by the
paper, concluding with the statement
that
at made little practical difference either
70 rers0ns who wished 10 ride on the car
or 10 the Company whether IL was a mere
neglect of duty or wiItul Misconduct
Neither the public nor the Company neeu
the services Of men who either cannot sec,
or will not see, when they ought 70 do so.
The kaper recItes the fact that sew
eral suits are now pending against the
Company i'm which large damages are
claimed because Of the alleged negi-
gence on the part Of the employees Tor
falling 70 see aud guard against acct
dents. and that several claims based on
similar grounds have been cOmpro-
missed within the last few months, and
says 10 is no defense 20 such suits that
the employs did not see the threatened
danger.
THE position Of the Company would be
most undesirable indeed If il must incur
Inc il-willOf the community by the failure
or refusal of its employees 20 take up pass
engers when they desire 20 ride on the cars,
and also 10 be held responsible Tor damages
for their negligence, and att the same time
to be denied the power 70 control, suspend
or discharge its employees FOR neglect OF
duty or wllful misconduct"
The paper then resumes the narrative
Of the suspension OF the two offending
men and the subsequent events leading
I'D 20 the strike, quoting from the rules
relating TO discharges, and saying
1.-THE Company insists that 1t is the sole
Judge of what is a sufficient cause for the
discharge Of any of It's men. It could not
conduct its business successfully on any
other theory, and it further insists that
there was sufficient cause for the discharge
of the operator snd conductor against
whom complaint had been made.
If. in fact, the Company violated the agree
ment with these two men, the scale
itself provided plain and easy remedy Tor
sucn violation, when il declares that II any
. emplOve is suspended and afterwards found
innocent ne shall be paid IN tull Tor all lost
time Here was a peoCe0le and adequate
remedy for any possible wrong or injustice
on the part Of the Company towards any OF
its employees. This provision plainly shows
that when the scale was signed neither
side contemplated any right OF the men to
abandon their employment even II one or
their number was wrOntully discharged;
and when the men in January voluntarily
Quit work, they did so in violation OF the
provisions of the scale. Consequently, after
the men had thus left their work, the matter
of settlement Of their right TO DO so was
OF more moment than that OF the suspen-
sion OF the two persons complained OIL On
the other hand, 10 was prOhereC on the
part of the Company that the men 60 70
work ia the morning, as usual, as their &C
tion in quitting had been hasty and lll-ac-
vised, and then that an effort be made TO
try TO settle, II possible, the trouble that
had thus suddenly sprung up, but this
propOsitiOn was not accepted, nor was 10
understood that 10 would be taken into
consideration. Before separating It was
agreed between the manager Of the Com
panv and the Committee that
thew would meet together again, and some
meetings were had without any tangible
results. Ia the meantime, after the trouble
was made public, good many complaints
were made by citizens OF the failure or re-
fusal Of the men to stop the cars when they
were hailed. IL seems that IL was a fact
of no uncommon occurrence, and 10 became
imperative 20 provide against 10 In future.
The agreement submitted by Manager
Jolly 10 the committee of the Trades
Assembly is then recitcd, with the
counter Proposition from the committee,
and II is'saii the latter could have &C
compllsAed no good purpose and would
have settled nothing" and after COM
menting at length upon this effort at
settlemSnt the paper enquiries If It Is
the desike OF Council that the company
should fSubmit TO arbitration the
only twp questions tnat seem 20 De IN
diSpute:
''FirSA whether the Company shall make
rules "A regulations that are or may be
neces 10 discharge its duties TO the
publ protect its own interests and 70
pros .ainst reductions Of hours.
80 whether its employees shall
be governed by such rules and
So
per closes by believing that
dopted the resolution while
nder a misunderstanding Of
pr was read and ordered fled
from Roman DObler, for the
sembly Committee, on the
heretofore printed in the
was also read and filed.
LLANEOUS MATTERS.
1mount Of Business Transacte d
Daring the Evening.
eight o'clock when the two