Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-02-27
Tho Street Railway strike.


SIR:-This is the situation, as viewed
by the laboring class OF people, whether
they are organized or not:
TO start with, foreign capitalists came
into our city and bought enough stock in
our street railroad to get control OF IT.
The road was out OF repair, the cars were
out Of order and everything going TO ruin,
and these foreign capitalists were sharp
enough 70 see a big thing in IT, they sat
down by the desk, lit their cigars, put
the pen behind the ear and SMOKED.
The next thing, the public wanted ana ask
ed for better service. They made answer
that the local small stockholders could not
pay their share OF the expenses OF the re-
pairs needed and they would not do any
thing if the smaller stockholders did not
sell to them, so the consequence was the
smaller stockholders were frozen out and
sold out their stock from 60 cents TO ~
cents on the dollar.
Now, the capitalist said we can soon
double or triple our money! We will build
new track, put on new cars, and our never
falling manager, Mr.. Jolly, will break up
the Street Car Union as be has on all OF our
other roads. Then we can hire all the nelp
we want for II cents an hour, so that our
stock will be worth 80 cents premium, in
place Of 80 cents below DIR.
Now, the first move is to tear up our
streets from one end Of our city 70 the
other, pile the old brick on our pavements.
where they lay TO the present day, knowing
well they would never use them again.
The same with the rails and ties.
Soon after this company got into opera
ton the Street Car Union began 10 see
they were likely TO be cut down, so they
formed scale and the gentleman-Jolly-
having the road all tore up and a contract
with The city 10 have IL IN good shape at
certain date, could not stand strike az
that time Therefore ne signed the scale
But to Offset that part OF the business, he
calls in the printed rules which the opera
tors and conductors had while the
old company existed, and told them
they would hereafter run by the orders
from the starter. But he failed TO say any
thing like that 10 the local papers, which
told the public that a car would stop at a
street or alley crossing. Now, his starter
is very fine gentleman-always working
for Just such men as MIR. Jolly, and
works with Jolly. 70 break up the
laboringman's hours, 30 Mr.. Joly
gives him his orders 70 bring the cars
out late, then orders them run
certain distance without s,oppsEe
regardless OF passengers, ~ make
up time, so that II some
passengers do get on the cars before start
ing they could not get OF when tney want
ed 10. and people along the Line wanting
10 ride. seeing some in the cars, would
blame the operators and conductors for the
whole business This was done 10 got the
sympathies OF the public on the side Of this
overbearing company and to get complaints
against the union, which. / dare say,
thew did, and laid them for fu-
ture use. They got their track
laid and the most OF the wire in order.
Then Mr.. jolly saws, NOW am ready
for this Union. have broken stronger
Unions than The one ia Wheeling, and viii
break il. Then comes q complaint that
the conductor and operator passed GER
tain gentleman and his wife and would not
stop for them 70 get on. and MIR. Jolly has
them discharged forthwith, while the
agreement between the Company and the
Union said they would not be discharged
without fair investigation. The Union
tried every way they could, but 70 no
avail. They then declared a strike,
and brought the matter before the OhioVal-
lev Trades and Labor Assembly, which en-
dorsed their action, and that assembly Is
composed of the different unions and trades
ia the Valley, therefore all the laboring
class Of people In the Ohio Valley are rep
resented there, and that Arbitration Com
mlltee zone al IL Coltu W hclsAc TIC jim
Guilty and every offer was spurned by the
gentleman Jolly. His only terms were:
each man come back and sign an iron-clad
agreement 70 obey all rules DOW Ia use
and those the company may
hereafter adopt. That may do
for Italians, but Americans and Germans.
Irish and Euglish cannot 90 IL. The labor
ing man has Just as nncn right 70 MS IN
ion as the capitalist has 70 his merchants
exchange, or builders exchange. The
only trouble is, The capitalist has
the money to lobby laws through
legislatures against the workingman, and
Leaves him no other show but TO strike ia
order to get his rights. Now, the unions
consider this strike as the strike Of the
whole Trades and Labor Assembly, and
NOT inst the Street Car Union, and while
we NAV not boycott any person
we can DO as we choose about
purchasing goods and groceries OF dealers
mat patronized the Street Car Company,
and no union person viii patronize It, that
is sore. A great many well learned men
saw. WHY don't they arbitratei That has
been offered by the Arbitration Commit
ZEE they pick one mao the Company an
other ana the two choose the third. and the
street Car Union 90 back 20 work pending
settlement. and Mr.. Jolly spurned Il oeing
beneath his dignity.