The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-10-16
STREET CAR SERVICE.
MAY RE USED To TRANSPORT
UNITED STATES MAILS,
A Scheme BY Which Strikes and
Lockouts VIII BE Forever Pre-
vented-If il Works.

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct 15.-The
Chronicle says:
The announcement by Postmaster
Frank McCoppin that he is endeavor-
ing to bring about the carrying of the
NAH be'lNeen cdb-tI-at:cl-5 and the
central postoffice on the street railway
lines of this city is looked upon very
suspiciously by railway employees, and
especially by members of the American
Railway union. While not imputing TO
Mr. McCopptn anything but the best
motives TO facilitate the transmission
and dispatch of mails generally. the
railway employees claim to see behind
the proposition the hand of the South.
ern Pacific railway. They claim that it
is nothing more or less than scheme
Of the railway company to bring its
immense street car system within the
protection of that celebrated omnibus
decision of Attorney General Olney,
during the strike against the Pullman
Car company.
The provisions of that decision were
broad enough toNSring under its wing
all railway companies carrying mails.
1t was maintained that the refusal of
the trainmen to move trains carrying
Pullmans was indirectly an interference
with the United States mails, and con-
seQuently a serious OffenSe in the fed
eral calendar of crimes.
There is a rumor af1oat that the off,
GERS of the Market street combine
would like, if possible, to trim the wa
ges of it's employees a little, and it is
openly announced in certain quarters
that the moment mail cars begin run
ming over the lines the reduction will
go into effect. In case of a strike un-
der these conditions, Attorney General
Olneys decision would cover the case
very nicely and stand between the COM
pany and its dissatisfied employees. =
general strike would of course tie up
the mail cars as well as the others,
even in case the company used separate
coaches for carrying the mails, and
could be very nicely construed into an
interference with the mails.
In this city there are about S,OO0 men
employed on the street railway lines,
so per cent of which force is controlled
by the Southern Pacific railway under
the name of the Market Street Consol-
idayted railway system. A general
walk out" would result in a very bad
state of affairs, for both the public and
the owners of the lines But the latter
would be much the worse sufferers. In
the past there have been some lively
strikes on some portions of these sys-
=, AAN'c'N'ti
ly for the companies. Should the street
cars begin carrying mails, as long as
the Olney decision is interpreted as it
is at present, a general strike would
bring the strikers in direct conflict with
the federal authorities, as it would be
impossible to keep the mail cars run
ming if the roads were tied up.
E. D. Marlatt, ex-president Of Lodge
No. 345, American Railway union, Of
this city, says Mr.. McCoppin need have
no fear of the success of his scheme.
Il am only surprised" said Marlatt,
that it has not been thought of be-
fore AS the Olney decision is at pres
ent interpreted by the federal courts,
the running of mail cars over street
railway lines brings them under the
protection of the federal power in case
of trouble Once those mail cars run
over the Market street lines. all dan
ger of big tie up on that system is
practically over. The boys know this
as well as any one can tell them, but
what can they do about it? Simply
nothing. It's case of saw wood, say
nothing and trust to the appointment
of new judges to the federal bench"