The morning call., 1895-01-15
WIRES CEASE TO HUM.
TroIIey-CarS Of the Brooklyn
Lines Tied UR.
BEGINNING Oh 4 BIG STRIKE.
Over Four Thousand Men Demand
Better Wages.
ELECTRICIANS TAKE 4 FIRM STAND.
There Is a Prospect Of the Tie.Up Elk.
tending TO Elevated Railroad Of
the Suburban City.
ELECTRICIANS TAKE A FIRM STAND.

lyn we're tied up, the employees refusing to
take out the cars. Over 1000 men quit
work This includes motormen, conduc-
tors, electricians, switchmen and others
employed ut the various powerhouses. All
but one OF the surface roads, and that a
comparatively minor concern, are af-
fected
1t is claimed that The strike will extend
to the lines of the Brooklyn Elevated Rail
way Company. The contract between the
Kings County Elevated Railway Company
and its employees is such that it is believed
there can be no strike on that line. Dis
trict Assembly 70, Knights of Labor,
which has control OF all the trolley line
employees in Brooklyn, has held various
meetings during the past few weeks, and
after the meeting on Saturday their execu-
tive committee waited on President Lewis
of the Brooklyn Heights road and again
asked thai he grant their demands. They
discussed the question for three and half
hours in President Lewis Office, and finally
Lewis refused to grant their demands.
The outcome of this was the committee
held a meeting. which ended at o'clock
this morning, at which it was decided TO
tie UP all the roads in the city of Brooklyn,
with the exception of the Smith and Jay
street lines.
This was done this morning, and not a
car outside of the Smith and Jay street
lines Is running.
The companies expected the men would
go out this morning, and determined to
anticipate them. They asked the electri-
clans, about 1000 in number, if they would
take out the cars this morning. Every one
of them refused to do so. They were then
told that there was no work for them.
One foreman was asked if he was willing
Nto take out a car. He refused to do it. He
was the only foreman asked to go ont.
This morning the people had to use the
elevated roads. The trains were made up
With-extra cars to accommodate the rush,
and the public was greatly Inconvenience.
The COurt-street line of the BROOKLYN
City Company ran out seven cars, begin
ming at . o'clock. The cars were manned
front and rear by two policemen. There
was no trouble. There was one car run
ming on the Fifteenth street branch.
AT midnight the executive board de
cided upon the action, and an hour later
all the master workmen, seventy-five in
ali. left the hall with instructions to notify
The master workmen visited each car
house, and as the cars came in the men
were told that tie-up had been ordered.
The men left their cars and walked out
without a word TO the foreman or superin-
tendent 1t was a complete desertion OF
the cars on the part OF the men, and the
companies were left without men to handle
q single car or put one in condition to be
taken out. 1t is the work of the cleo
tricians to put the cars in order, connect
the trolley wires, fix motors and see that
everything on the car is in good running
order. Every car was left in the condition
il came in and not one was fixed" up.
There are all told thirty-five lines of cars
and 1900 men, exclusive of about
1000 electricians, employed in the city. 1t
j. estimated that the Brooklyn City line
employs 300 men; the Atlantic avenue
500 men; the Brooklyn City and Newton
40 and the Queens County and Suburban
3l6. making total Of 1900 men. The only
ears that went out this morning were
seven cars on the Court-street line, which
j. part OF the Brooklyn City system.
A large crowd of men stood a few blocks
from the stables, and as the cars came
along they threw several barrels OF ashes
in front of them. The motormen got off
the ears and amid the shouts of "scabs, "
removed the ashes from the track On
each car were four policemen, two in front
and two in the rear, with drawn clubs
Superintendent Cameron of the Brooklyn
Heights Railway told Superintendent
Morrison of the same road that com
mittee of 1000 loyal employees had told him
they were willing to go to work if they
were provided with proper protection.
President Slocum of the Jay and Smith
street line, when seen, denied the report
that he had conceded anything to the men.
If the men should order tie-up he was
prepared, as he had large force of men
or hand To work if the police protection
was adequate. The tie-up is materially
affecting the United States mail service.
None of the trolley lines delivered the mail
this morning. Postmaster Sullivan said
he would have to go back to the old system
OF collecting by the aid OF mail wagons.
He had called upon every substitute and
? "lay off connected with the office TO do
duty
At II o'clock United States mailcar 102
on the Flatbush came down Fulton street.
A mail-carrier was in front and the passen-
gers were on the inside. 1t contained the
Flatbush mail. Extra detachments of po-
lice were detailed to patrol the thorough
fares through which the various railroad
lines run. All the old stages that could be
resurrected in the city were pressed into
service, and line OF teams was established
between Flat Lands, through Flatbush
avenue, to the City Hall, 10 cents being
charged for the trip. 1t was rumored that
5000 men had been engaged in Chicago,
Newark, Paterson and other cities, and
were on their way to Brooklyn to take the
places of the strikers.
John Russell was caught placing an ash
barrel on the Court-street line and was
taken to the police station. The strikers
caused some trouble the Twenty-ninth
Ward by placing timber and stones on the
track near the FIatbush depot. The police
men guarding the mailcar removed the
obstruction. The strikers did not inter
fere with the officers aside from jeering and
hooting at them. One of them was ar
rested
police force of 100 men is in readiness