The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-04-07
"CHANGE BOYS"ON STRIKE
New Street-Railway Company Has Its
First Experience in Labor Trouble.
Kids" Demand an Advance OF Two and o
Half Cents Per Hour and Refuse
TO Compromise.

line new Objects d ~ OAtiLcus ctE0ob
railway had their first experience in meet
ing the dissatisfactions of any large num-
Der of their employees yesterday 2.
Cars were started out as usual. bus at about
8 o'clock nearly all of them which ran by
mule transit were tied up. The cause was
that the boys who are employed at the
L-ouisiana-street barns as change boys.n
or the ones who bring out the fresh teams,
concluded that they " re not getting
enough pay for their uties, and sent q
committee TO the offices TO notify the road
officers to that effect. They nave been re-
ceiving 10 cents an hour, and the ultima
tum they set forth was ~ cents or no
work. The youthful strikers were fairly
well organized and had for their leader one
whom they called "StiffyD EIkins. He is
o tall. angular youth and was found to be
imbued with . large amount of %tenacity of
purpose. Both President Mason and Sup
erintendens Boyd hurried down to the
stable as soon as they heard of the trouble
and tried to induce the boys to go to work.
This they refused to do and then an effort
was made to compromise the matter. It
was determined to otter the strikers IL
cents a hour and lt was done. but they re-
fused to bite at the bait. superintendent
Boyd vented all the persuasiveDess in him
on the obstreperous change boys" but 1t
was of no avail. Later IN the day the
Iesders ot the strike received word that the
boys at the other barns we're ready
and willing to come to the assistance
of their compatriots on Louisiana street
and c%ouriers were sent out to see them and
TO induce them to 'go out" They were
successful in that part of the boys at the
West Washington-street stables flung
do wn their Telns and refused to continue
with their work. No one left work at any
OF the other stables; This condition of
affairs lasted until about I O'Clock in the
afternoon. At that time Superintendent
Boyd succeeded in getting nearly all of the
malcontents into the stable at Louisiana
street, where he had a secret conference
with them. A few moments later the
doors were flung wide open. fresh mules
were logged out. and the Citizens Street.
railroad Com pany resumed business. The
truce that was patched up was to last only
until the close of the days work. at which
time there was TO be O meeting between
the boys and officers for a permanent
settlement.
The evening conference resulted In q
failure to agree. The boys declined to
bulge an inch from their demands. Pres
ident Mason suggested arbitration. but, in
the minds of the youngsters, this meant de-
lay and possible failure. and this offer also
was refused. After the conference the off,
Gers of the company issued the following
To the Citizens Of indianapolis:
Your street railway begs leave to submit q
Statement of facts concerning q difference with
its Q nployes. The company has for a long time
been hiring boys to turn switches and change
teams. A few days since a boy from the shelby
street stables complained or inequality in
wages and amount OF work. An investigation
was promised, and Immediately begun. This
disclosed the fact that certain inequalities did
exist, both as 10 the duties and pay, some boys
getting : and 8 cents an hour for the same work
for which others received 10 cents per hour.
The company determined to equallze the duties
and wages OF the boys at the highest rate paid,
10 cents per hour. Pending this decision the
boys at Shelby street continued at their work.
No other grievance than the one mentioned had
been brought TO the attention or the company.
To-day, at $50 A. NJ, the boys working at the
virginia-avenue viaduct, the illinois-street tun-
mel, Kentucky avenue. Morris street, the West
Washington-street stables and the louisiana
street stables quit work without notice, demand
ing l2l2 cents per hour. 1t was explained to
the boys that the new officers OF the company
were carefully Investigating the whole question.
and q request was made for a few days time TO
post themselves thoroughly on the subject by
personal inspection and investigation. The ut
most concession or the boys was an agree
ment to work until 8 o'clock. Before this agree
ment was reached seventeen cars were stopped
on West Washington street and five on Ken
lucky avenue At the Cookbook meeting the
company offered 70 correct the existing Unequal
titles of duties and pay 10 cents per hour to boys
working at stables. and to Investigate the condi-
tiol OF hill, tunnel and switch boys, by whom
no previous complaint had been made. This
offer was refused The strikers demanded II
cents per hour. and refused to work for less.
The company then offered TO submit to an ar
bitration, one arbitrator TO be selected by the
boys. ono By the company. and the third by
these TWO. The strikers refused to arbftrate.
and resolved to quit work unless their deman
was met.
The hours of work range from nine to twelve.
from sixteen to eighteen years old range from
30 cents 10 Si.2O per day. This rate Is believed
to be inst and ample, but It was felt that an ar
bitration would be just to all concerned.
The company will make the utmost exertion
TO meet the Temporary Inconvenience, II any
should arise, and asks the indulgence of the pub
lie until q settlement can be reached.
AUGUSTUS l. Mason. President
L. A. BOYD, superintendent.
The truce lasted only until the confer.
anse T wss CVsr; When ,sa 5hs cSmp.Py
news was at once circulated and the
trouble was renewed. The boys refused
Co handle the teams and the stocky ards and
kentucky-avenue lines. as well as the West
WashIngton-street line were tied up dur
ing the rest of the night. At the College
avenue junction the drivers of Clifford and
Columbia avenues made the sham es them
selves. and the same policy was pursued at
the OTHER barns
While one cannot help laughing at the
idea of twenty or thirty BOYS tying MP the
street.railroad system. yet it is possible
that the strike may cause not u little trOu-
bic before IL is over. The four boys
at the West Washington-street stable
yesterday tied up seventeen cars for
an hour or more. The drivers made
rather feeble efforts to hook up traces. but
the kids unlocked them again and ran
the mules back into the barn. lnforma-
tion was given at the police station last
night that there was trouble with the bows
at the Brightwood barn. but as there are
but two boys there the police force was
not ordered out.
Road officers of the company last night
hired a sufficient force of Boys TO handle
the work to-day. and from the spirit shown
by the boy yesterday. some interference is
anticipated. A policeman or two was de-
tailed for duty at each barn this. morning
by superintendent Colbert last night.
The Brotherhood of Drivers, Motormen
and Conductors held Its regular weekly
meeting last night. IL had been rumored
during the afternoon that it would present
certain grievances. coming over from the
old regime for settlement, but the meet-
Ing ssas brief. and no action on
grievances was taken. The men are stand
ing aloof from the difficulty with the boys,
though some of the drivers yesterday de-