New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-25
ATENENT BY Mr.. NORTON.
CAUSES OF THE STRIKE FROM THE
COMPANY'S POINT OF VIEW.
THE OFFICIALS UNABLE TO CoNcEDE THE DE-
MANps or THE MEN BECAUSE 1T WOULDN'T
BE Just TO sToCKHOLDERs-No PRoPO-

MANps or THE MEN BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T
BE Just TO sToCKHOLDERs-No PRoPO-
sITIoN TO REDUCE WAGES.
In reply to inquiries BENJAMIN Norton, president OF
the Atlantic Avenue Railroad Company said yes
terlay that there have been many opinions ex-
pressed as To- the Of the great strike on the
surface roads In Brooklyn. some favoring one side
and some another that he felt called upon - eX-
main the exact situation from the point OF view OF
the Atlantic Avenue Railroad Company
Soon after the middle Of December last. the Ex-
ecuive Committee Ok the Knights ~ Labor presented
20 him two proposed agreements. which they wished
s,0,ed on January for the yea one covered the
sbonm.n and electrical workers. with whom there
had never been an agreement Of any hIhd anu
there had ne .er been. 20 far a@ ne knew any 'N-
pressed wish on their part that there should pe snch
an agreement Among the special features OF 'n'.
agreement was one which restricted the NUMBER OF
annrou,ices which the company should employ. and
another which cni,ed for an increafe IN pay -
matter Of fact. many Of the o.d shopmen expressed
themselves az entirely satisfied with their wages ana
the company dl not Feel - II 1t would BE- JuStll'd
IN making any special engagement win them py
contract parilc,i.ar'y a. thc clause which related to
appr.n ices woIh be restricting the company IN
measure IN the man * men; Of iis affairs.
The proposed agreement which re,atei 70 motor
men conductors. switchm~n and car cleaners anu
others was laid down upon ssrsianial.y u" same
,ncs a. bal boon IN vogue me previous year O"'
there .ere three features u that agreement which
the company this year ia not feel itself Justified IN
accepting one Wa Increase In wages. the second
y,~ the clause which called upon the company TO
run q nN.l number of regular ears. ana the 'h'rn
called upon Tho company To run fixed number OF
"triffcr'' cars Continuing the statement he says
Tlie fines ~ th- Atlantic Avenue haiifoad On
u,ny as - receipt. vary. some ui IN" IlncS are
particularly productive. and others are ny Gnu ,r
al a ma number ~ 'tripp"r' cars would cost
me company ". At d'Ii NOR. n,.,y ina" IN arl.r
"a ,et The :. ryire ont u the no wef" pax on
e ea' @ ,, G9H 6 t' - the " dsy When hey
Nj. not nee..i \ refusal on omr part to accept
,h,s If rS When our mcn eventually dcciined To-
work any longer And. ~ 10 accrie e their demand
,nz year. from business viewpoint IL was NOT
IN. - mater involved di not any way concern
a relnctiou 81 wages. because where We proipsed
,"orninr and evening the men 10 be paid ac
""rdlnrly and no regular trppcr on the published
seaeae a. ,ns t9 . San Gos'd day. as hereto
fore \ rearrAnscment of the Timetable upon a
strictly bus ness basis FOR the company meant re-
ducton IN force. and not In wages
COULDN'T ENTERTAIN THEM.
Some DAYS before the end OF the year the Exccu-
tive committee called In person. ard told them
distinctly that would not entertain the three
features which have been mentioned above IN any
agreement, because We deemed II hardly Just 70
oNr stockholders
out reason
ON the Saturday before tho trouble began, a com
mi,tec Of our own men called and desired to know
II my determination on those points was hnai !
told them distinctly that II was. Ihcy then said
that those were the only features OF the agreement
which they cared anything aboili, ana u they couId
not have the agreement with those sections In they
dll not want any
without any notice whatever 10 the company.
every man In it's employ left the service At o'clock
the following Monday morning ana We were lcf'
absolutely without 4 sngl" man To run our
In Justice 10 many OF the old men, who had evi-
DENLY gone ont against their VIII, | Immediately
rosted a notice notifying such men who were SIN
ioyal to the company and desired To work that
tbey would have n chance to be rc-cnployed II they
would Ale their applications or before II IN. the
following Welno sday. With very few exceptions
none OF them returned To work and We were ob'igcl.
~ course 10 secure the services Of other men, In
order TO meet tie requirements Of our charter
and to serve the public. who were dependent upon
US for transportation
BIG EXPENSE CAUSED
=. has involved upon the company n tremendous
expanse We have been obliged 10 the
services OF other men, paying their fares and keep
/ Inc them and feeding them under the most trying
circumstances. And all OF these have been