The sun., 1895-02-08

President Norton Says His statement
Were Utterly Without Warrant.

President Norton Says His Statements
Were Utterly without Warrant.
President Norton of tho Atlantic Avenue
Railroad Company says that Supreme Court
Justice William ]. Gaynor did not tell the truth
about the Atlantic Avenue Railroad Company
in the letter he sent to the State Board of Medi-
alton and Arbitration on tho cause of the
strike. Judge Gaynor in his letter told
at great length Of alleged stock watering
in connection with the Brooklyn Heights Com
pany. and asserted that the strike was due to
the effort on the part of the managers of the
railroad to pay dividends on the watered stock.
He added that the case Of the Atlantic Avenue
Company was precisely the same. Regarding
the latter President Norton said yesterday:
About the Brooklyn City Railroad Company
and the Long Island Traction Company know
nothing as our company is entirely apart from
this system; but SO far as his attack on the Al
lantiS Avenue RAILROAD Go Company and the
feel !: my duty to PGpt out some Of
The %, ,000 900 Of preferred stock Of the Brook
pt ,Ssp .::P RI. Il:
the e
tion Company and preferred stockholders
shares have received practically no return on
their Investment the charge that the rupture
petWeen the einployees ana Cne company II uue
capital is entirely uncaled for. The real cause
OF the strike, as has been previously stated by
OF the knights OF Labor for an agreement coy-
erfng our shop men and electric al men. In which,
among other things, the number of apprentices
in the shops was to be restricted. Tho sec
ond was an unreasonable demand for in
crease OF wages during the most serious finan-
cial depression that this country has ever seon,
Swhen instead Of wages being increased they
case in many manufacturing enterprises, the
works have been shut down altogether. The
and the arrangement OF cars on the schedule
of the company was to be operated in such
way that the company would be required
than the business of the road would warrant.
In brief. the trouble was due TO disposition ON
the part OF notorious labor organization,
10 absolutely control the business OF a legitimate
enterprise Moreover. strikes ordered by the
Knights OF Labor have taken place in cities
where the question of watered stock aud In
fated capital was not at all a factor.
1T win accordingly be seen that Judge Gay
nor's charge. SO far as this company 10 con-
very much surpri ised that he should not have
first taken the pains to inform himself on the
subject before I writing nI. as he did, did especially
at any time be called upon To act officially in
matters affecting this company and its em-
pl.ooyees.
well to point out this additional fact. namely,
that tho strike WAS ordered by the Knights OF
Labor against the opposition of many members
or Lhe organization who were perfectly well eat
isted with their wages and with their present
condition. II is therefore not surprising that
Lner @ only nope 9t success was 9y means a. yiG-
taken the necessary steps 10 dsperse the riotous
gatherings, ipsiod Of tempOrizing with them,
the city would have been spared the late humili-
attnG spectacle and the county saved consider
able useless expense"