Rocky Ford enterprise., 1895-01-17
STREET CARS STOP.
BIO STRIKE IN BROOKLYN.
Five Thousand Men Quit Work to Enforce
Their Domands For Better Pay
Claimed That the Company Violates
the Law.

Brooklyn, N. Y, Jan. 14.-At 8 o'clock
this morning all the street cars In
Brooklyn were tied up, the employees
refusing to take out the cars. Over s.
600 men quit work. This includes
motermen, conductors, electricians,
switchmen and others employed at the
various power houses. All but one of
the surface roads and that a compare
lively minor concern, are affected. 1t
is claimed that the strike will extend
to the lines of the Brooklyn Elevated
Railway company. The contract be-
tween the Kings County Elevated Rail-
way company and its employees Is such
that it is believed there can be no
strike on that line. District Assembly
No. 75, 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 upon President
Lewis of the Brooklyn Heights road
and again asked that he grant their
demands. They discussed the Ques-
ton for three hours and q half in Pres
ident Lewis office, and finally MIR.
Lewis refused to grant their demands.
The outcome of this was that the COM
mittee held q meeting which ended ut
o'clock this morning, at which 1t 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 line named is running.
The companies expected that the
men would go out this morning and
determined to anticipate them. They
asked the electricians, about 1000 in
number, If they would take out the
cars this morning. Every one refused
to do 80. They were then told that
there was no work for them. One fore
man was asked If he was willing to
take out car. He refused to do 1t. He
was the only foreman to go out. THIS
morning the people had to use the ele-
waited roads. The trains were made up
with extra cars to accommodate tho
rush. The public was greatly incon-
venienced.
The Court street line of the Brook
lyn City company ran out seven cars,
beginning at 8 o'clock. The cars were
manned, front and rear, by policemen.
There was no trouble. There was on
car running on the Fifteenth street
branch. 1t is said this morning that
PreSl0ent SlOCum, Wneu Wulteu upon
at $50 o'clock by the executive COM
mittee had conceded 1.-The demands Of
the men.
The entire police force, consisting Of
LOO men, is ready in case there should
be any trouble, but none is expected.
The mems grievances and demands are
thus stated:
The state law provides that day 8
work of street railway employees shall
be 10 hours, within Il consecutive
hours. 1t is alleged that the corpora
tions have required the men to work IL
hours, and even laterally II hours,
with no interval longer than 10
minutes for lunch, and even depriving
them of that brief time in most in
stances. The wage rate agreed upon =
year ago was 50 for the statutory days
work. The companies, it is alleged,
have made no allowance for overtime.
The men demand adherence to the law
regarding hours in days work or
1925 for a day of IL hours.
There have been but few cars run
ming in this city up to IL o'clock this
morning. There is an occasional car
on the Court street line of the Brook
lyn City company and the Montague
street line and the elevated systems
are running as usual.