The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-01
BELT LINE MEN co OUT.
Conductors and MOtOTmel Strike
Against Increased Hours.

ana the Men AeIuBe 20 1auuAS the
superintendent Saussy Says
the New Schedule is Made Necessary
by Lack of Earnings.
The Belt line cars will not be running
as usual this morning unless Supt Saus-
sy has good luck in securing enough men
to handle them and fill the places Of the
old motormea and conductors. The con-
ductors and motormen were notified yes
terday of a change in the hours of work,
amounting practically to a reduction from
$3.50 to $l.25 per day. The men declared
at once that they would not work under
the new schedule and nearly the whole
force agreed to quit work at midnight and
not return again this morning. They
say that 81 so is too little to live on and
they might as well face starvation at
once as undertake to work for 81 25
day The pay of the men was reduced
last winter from S1.75 to $3.50 per day,
and they did not anticipate any further
reduction.
The cut was ordered by the managing
directors in Nashville, where the road is
chiefly owned. President Cooper had
gone out to the Isle of Hope last night,
where he is living with his family and
could not be seen, but Supt. Saussy
was found at the company's office on st.
Thomas street. Hesaid that 1t was true
that cut had been ordered in
the pay of the conductors
and motormen, and in the whole force in
the employ of the company from the
superintendent down. One man had been
laid off in the shop and another man from
the track force, and the salaries of all the
officers and clerks had been reduced.
WHY THE CUT WAS MADE.
Superintendent Saussy was asked the
reason for this general reduction.
''The hard times, " he said. THE road
has made no money this year, and this
summer has been the poorest we have
ever had. The travel has been less than
it was last summer, and that was less
than the summer before. The summer is
always the best season for the street rail
money this season. The travel
is very good on Sundays
but in the weekit hardly pays expenses.
The people do not ride because they have
no money. There are more people out of
employment this summer than for several
years, and those who are employed are
making less money. Consequently work
ingmen and their wives and children now
walk, whereas before they usually rode
Our Indian street car, which formerly
was the most profitable car on the line,
does not pay expenses now. A reduction
of expenses was ordered by the directors
in consequence of this state Of affairs"
Superintendent Saussy said that the
new schedule does not decrease the
IA f,Va 4 hut
creased the hours of work for the same
money. The men are expected to work
longer hours for the same pay. The in
crease in the time of work is about an
hour and a half. The men now work II
hours day. Under the old schedule
man who went on at 9 O'Clock in the
morning continued running until
utes allowed for dinner, making a
run of 10 hours and 36 minutes
the first day The next day
he went on at 6:12 o'clock and ran
until 4 :36 o'clock in the afternoon, with
48 minutes for dinner, making a run of 8
hours and 36 minutes for the day. This
made total run of % hours and 70 min
utes for the two days, for which the men
received $3.50 day.
THE NEW SCHEDULE.
"Under the new schedule" said Supt.
Saussy, "a man will go on at 6 o'clock in
the morning and make the same time as
before the first day, Is hours and 36 min
utes The next day he goes on at 1:24 in
the afternoon and runs until IL :4S, max
ing 10 hours and "A minutes, or "A hours
in the two days. For this he receives
the same pay as before, Sl.5O
$3.50 day The night men have been
making hours and "a minutes for their
days run, for which they received a
days pay. This schedule has been
abolished and the men who run to-day
will take the night run the next day.
The men who made the night runs go on
again in the morning and run hours and
for this they are paid for twO-thirds of
days work, or 81.
This is what the men kick on They
say that the new schedule does away
with the crews employed on the night
cars and compels the day and night
crews to combine to do the extra work
without extra pay. The men, they say who
work up to 1915 o'clock tonight, having
worked ten hours and twenty-four
minutes under the new schedule
would go out in the morning at 6:24. hav-
ing gotten their breakfasts and regis
tered at the Office 10 minutes before the
time for going out and, will work for 3
hours and "A minutes, with only IS min.
utes interval at dinner They will thus
have to go to work at 6 O'Clock the next
morning again. 1t is too much work for
the money, the men say, and they do not
propose to accept the schedule.
THB MEMS SIDE OF IT
The men were outspoken last night in
their denunciutions of the new arrange
ment.
I'VE work now about II hours a day for
$3.50" said one We consider ten hours
a days work but we usually work eleven.
The new schedule practically makes a re-
duction to 1917 cents an hour, or Sl.25 for
a days work of ten hours. This we do
not propose to accept and win not"
The men spoke very positively, and as
serted before Supt Saussy that they
would not go TO work this morning.
1T is all bosh, =" said one, for the COM
pany to talk about cutting down wages
because it is not making any money
We handle the passengers and we know
that the company is making money. I
handle between 500 and 600 passengers a
day with my car, for which
the company receives sos to $50 and
for which | am to be paid SIPS. Does
that look iust2 The cars are averaging
fully $40 each or S240 a day for the ~
cars. The actual expenditure of the com
pany has been figured out by the officials
to be SS7 a day, including everything
AT the lowest calculation the company is
now clearing 500 Gay. If you want to