Evening journal., 1895-12-17
STREET CARS DON'T GO
General Tie UP Of the Trolley
Lines In Philadelphia.
CONDUCTORS AND MoToRMEN QUIT.

Tho Strike OF tho Union Traction Company
Employees, Numbering Seven Thousand
Reinstatement Of Their Grievances
Strike Commlttee's Action Ratified.
PHILADELPHIA. Doo l7--At O'Clock
this morning the street car lines Of this
city were tied up IN a general strike. That
step was decided upon lato last night
The conductors and motormen are wag-
Ing war for an increase Of wages shorter
hours and the priv sge of belonging TO
the Amalgamntcd Association OF Street
Railway Employee Dissatisfaction has
been growing for a long timo, but reach
ed high pitch Immediately after tho 10.
pant consolidation Of al tho local lines in.
to one Company-tho Union Traction
Thon action was precipitatcd by the nu
merous discharges from tho compnny's
service Of mon belonging 20 the Amalga-
mated association. Many conferences have
been sought by the various committees
representing the railway mon, but all
have been rejected by President Welsh
and the oompany's board Of directors.
A few days ago W. ID Mahon Of Do
troit, president of the national organiza-
tion, appeared in this city and took charge
Of the affairs OF the mnlcontents A crisis
was reached last night AT a meeting Of
the employees committee of one was ap.
pointed TO convey an ultimatum TO Presi-
dent Welsh. lie did 80, and returned with
information given by the president him
self that there would be no answer and
that no person connected with any labor
organization would he recognized Mean
xuh lar tF rInr rftf 3 foo hr
had been polling the street chr limos, made
their reports According to these the sen
timent Of the motormen and conductors
was almost unanimous In favor Of
strike.
After long and earnest discussion, it
was finally declared that general strike
on all the lines OF the company, which
controls every car In the city, would be
inaugurated either at a very late hour
last night or tho first thing in tho morn
| ing, when the first day cars start out.
President Mahon said no was confident
| that nearly all the men employed would
90 out. irrespective OF whether they are
members OF the AmalRamated association
/ or not He said that the association num-
bers close to 4, 500 men, and, with others,
over 5000 men would stop work at the
appointed hour.
An All Night Mass Meeting.
II has been decided to hold monster
| mass meeting TO last all night at Har
i monte hall, Eleventh and Spring Garden
/ streets. Immediately after the strike had
/ been declared the men repaired to that
/ place. AS the big meeting was about to
| be called TO order a citizens committee,
headed by ex- Governor Pattison and
| Thomas Martindale, appeared and asked
| for private conference
The general impression was that they
| meant Go induce the men not 20 strike
The request was granted, and the leaders
retired, and a long and earnest conference
was held. While this was going on the
hall gradually filled, and crowds Of uni
formed conductors and motormen stood in
i groupsBdiscussing the situation. IL was a
noticeable fact that their demeanOr was
one Of enthusiasm
During the evening President Mahon
/ addressed the men In an informal man
| nor He cautioned them, in the event OF q
tie mp, TO act like gentlemen throughout
| and begged them TO keep away from tho
rumshops, adding, IF we win, IN drink
enough for the whole crowd after it's all
over.
Tho following appeal has been issued
by tho railway men
"To the People of Philadelphia;
"The Union Traction company Of Phil
adelphia has refused interviews TO the
committee Of railway employees for the
purpose of arbitrating pending diiicul-
ties, thereby placing themselves In a POSI-
tlon 70 adopt other measures to bring
about a conference
much as we desire to avoid anything
that might prove Of great inconvenience
TO the public in general, we find the only
/ alternative is TO take up the gauntlet they
have thrown down. They are daily dis.
charging our men for belonging to an as
ISOLATION formed for their benefit and pro-
lection, and We now appeal TO you for a
continuance OF your sympathy and assist
anoe and 10 pardon us should any inoon-
vonience result through the line Of policy
we have adopted "
The demands of the men in dotail are
these
First w. That ten consecutive hours
shall constitute a days work, with not
less than 80 minutes for meals and for
which the sum of 90 shall be paid
Second That all cars shall be yestl-
buled, for the protection Of motormen, snid
work to be done within a reasonable time
Third. THAT sweepers snowplows and
trippers shall DO considered as special
work, and shall be subject to increased
pay.
| Fourth. That no employee shall DO
discharged for belonging to this (the
Amalgamatedl or any othor organization
except for just cause. That all men dis
charged by reason Of their anillation with
said organization shall be Immediately
renstated.
WlminEtonIans Waited for Cars.
Wilmington shoppers returning from
PhilAdeldhia on the noon trains to- day
report that very few cars we're to bl
seen anywhere in the city except on tn,
Bsstonvills line, which is not really
sifs ctsd Many shoppers waited snd
waited for cars that never came, and
then they had to walk. In most cases
the exceptions TO the rule--the coca
sional cars that we're running Ware 81
overcrowded that nobody else coulS
get on through the centre Of the town.
Crowda Repau IN noIIect