The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-10
NEW STREETCARLAW
Divergent Views on Regulation
Of Hours.
The EMPLOYEES CONDEMN IT.
Some Carmen say IL Il Not Applicable
20 This City. but Others Consider
II a Boon to Them.

There IN q good DEAL OF discussion
among street car employees relative 10
the bin passed by tfs last legislature
making IL q rnisGemeanor for street car
owners to require their men 70 work more
than ten hours day. and some Of the
employees OF the Consolidated lines have
sent petition 20 General Manager {. :.
Clark, asking him 20 make no change Ia
the present schedule q working hours
The street car companies say that the
bill In a noaseDsical one. for the men are
paid by the hour, and that II they desire
d short run Instead Of long one IL has
always been accorded them The HnsnaG-
ers say that the day run Is generally
from twelve 10 fourteen hours long. AMI
the night run much shorter The men
VINO have been orr the road the longest
have always been given the choice or
positions. and they have invariably taken
the longest run. because II was Day work
and would net them greater pay. while
the rev msn have taken the night run
on shorter hours ard smaller pay. The
bsll which IL the subject OF the discus
sion. reads as follows:
section l. No person. agent officer.
manager or superintendent or receiver OF
ans corporation. or owner OF street cars.
shall require his or its gTipmeu. motor
men, drivers or conductors 20 work more
than ten hours In any twenty -four hours.
sec. 2 Any person, agent. officer. man
ager, Euperlntsndent or receiver OF any
CORPORATION, or owner OF street car or
carr. violating any of the provisions or
section Of this act shall be deemed guilty
Of misdemeanors and upon conviction
thereof shall be fined in any sum not less
than ~ nor more than 500 Tor each CAV
IN which such grfpuan. rnotOrman. dfiF-
ar or conductor in the employ OF such
person. agent, officer, manager. superin-
tenhsnt or receiver of such corporation
or owner is required 20 Work more IMAM
ten hours I'm each tweuty-four hours. as
provided I'm section Of this act Ana ~
n hereby made the duty OF the prosecui-
tng attorney of each county OF this state
20 institute the necessary proceedings 10
enforc. the provisions of this act"
The bill was introduced by Representa-
tive Mcdonnell, Of Seattle, at the request
cf t4e street car employees OF this city
on February ~. and was fsvorahiy re-
ported by the committee on labor ana
labor statistics. In the senate, on mo
tyon of Senator Frink of Seattle. the bill
was taken I'D out of its regular order on
the calendar and passed through the SEN
ate without opposition. and subsequently,
approved by the governor. There being
no emergency clause to this bill. II VIII
not go into effect until ninety days after
the date OF It's approval by the governor
which will bring IL to about the Hiiaaie
OF June.
The president of the Street Car Union
II. q. Wright. was active I'm the prepare
ttou of this and other bills relative 10
street car work, and was In constant com
YnunIcat,on with the legislators endeav-
oriug to secure their passage. Mr.. Wright
a. a deputy at present In the once OF
County Clerk Gordan. and has been Tor
wears connected with street car work In
this city. previous 10 his entering the
eoun,y clerks Office. The bill viii work
no hardship on any street car company
nor upon It's employees These employees
are always paid by the hour. put IL IL
claimed that some managers or street car
,,nanies have been devoid OF mercy
toward their men by requiring long, uh-
necessary hours. preventing them from
,a,,,ng III. rest 30 essential to proper
Condition TO protect the lives or patrons
OF the various roads
some OF the employees are opposed TO
,he new law. and 20 the shortening or
their hours, and say that the hil was
so,ten an In the East. where the men
~.re heina paid by the day. and was
,herefora beneficial: that copies were
.c.t,.reA about over the country with the
recommendation that all unions secure
,ts massage In the legislatures OF the sew
eral states of the Union In oregon "here
tha men are paid BY the hour, the union
ssn, a delegation from Portland 10 salen
and the bin was by It's ehottS uciea,eV
y,asmnch as the bill simply SAYS that
~ ,cass shall not require men TO
,,,o~, more than ten hours, II seems Z"
y. ,he opinion that the men can Work
,ocg.r ~ they choose. and that the com
,antew can go along I'm the old way Win
a., changing the hours. ard SUN not ne
n,un,a t,ie 10 the new law.