The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-01-14
ALL WALK.
Every Streetcar Line in Brook
lyn Tied Up.
Five Thousand Men Strike For
Shorter Hours.
Streetcar Company Deliberately
Violates the Law.
TEN HOURS A DAY
Is Working Day According to
the State Law.
The Railway Company Working
Its Men 2 Hours,
AND ONLY 10 MINUTES
Given For Lunch to Its Over
worked Employees.
Fatal Accidents Caused by Greed
of the Corporation.
The Railway Company Working
Its Men II Hours,
AND ONLY 10 MINUTES
Given For Lunch to Its Over
worked Employees.
Fatal Accidents Caused by Greed
Of the Corporation.

BROOKLYN, Jan. 14.-At o'clock this
morning all the street cars in Brooklyn
were tied up, the employees refusing to
take out the cars. Over 5000 men quit
work. This includes motor men, con-
ductors, electricians, switchmen and 9TH
ers employed at the various power
houses.
All but one of the surface roads, and
that comparatively minor concern, are
affected. 1t is claimed that the strike
will extend to the lines of the Brooklyn
Elevated Railway company.
The contract between the King Coun-
ty Elevated Railway company and its
employees is such that it is believed there
can be no strike on that line. District
assembly. 75. Knights of Labor, which
has control of all the trolley line en-
ployes in Brooklyn, has held various
meetings during the past few weeks and
after the meeting on Saturday their ex-
ecutive committee waited upon President
Lewis OF the Brooklyn Heights road, and
again asked that he grant their demands.
They discussed the question for three
and half hours in President Lewis Office
and finally Mr.. Lewis refused to grant
their demands The outcome of this
was the committee held a meeting which
ended at l 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.
Ibis was done this morning and not a
car outside of the Smith and Jay street
lines is running.
The companies expected that the men
would go out this morning, and deter
mined to anticipate them. They asked
| the electricians, 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 will
ing to take out car. He refused to do
it He was the only foreman to go out
This morning people had to use the ele-
waited roads. The trains were made up
with extra cars to accommodate the
rush. The public was greatly incon-
venlenced.
The Court street line of the Brooklyn
City company ran out seven cars, begin
ming at s o'clock. The cars were mannee
front and rear by two policemen. There
was no trouble. There was one car
running on the Fifteenth street branch.
1t is said this morning that President
Slocum, when waited upon at $3.50 o'clock
by the executive committee, had con-
ceded the demands of the men.
The entire police force, consisting of
1,700 men, is in readiness in case there
should be any trouble, but none is ex-
pected. The mems grievance and de-
mands are thus stated:
I The state law provides that a days
work of street railway employees shall be
| ten hours, within twelve consecutive
! hours. 1t is alleged that the corporations
| have required the men to work eleven
| hours and even latterly twelve hours,
with no interval longer than ten minutes
for lunch and even depriving them of
that brief time in most instances.
The wage rate agreed upon year ago
was So for the statutory days work. the
! companies, it is alleged, have made no
allowance for over time. The men de-
mand adherance to the law regarding
the hours in days work, OR $225 for a
day of twelve hours.
An address issued by the executive
committee of District Assembly No. 75,
alleges that trouble was precipitated by
the Brooklyn Heights company in ex-
cluding their electric workers from work.
The statement goes on to say that the
| fragrant violation of the ten hour law has
mentally and physically incapacitated
the men for their work. All the compan-
les run their trippers so that the men can
make only A. to 80 cents a day. While
the corporations are not allowed by law
to run at a rate of speed of more than
ten miles an hour, through schedules are
arranged so that cars have to run at a
rate of speed of Is to 90 miles an hour.
As consequence nearly 100 fatal acci-
dents have occurred since the trolley
was introduced, and countless injuries to
passengers, all caused by the greed OF
the corporations.
The employees in the power house are
organized as Knights of Labor, just the
same as the molormen and conductors
and when the signal is to stop work, they
will fall into line and not car can be
! moved.
How 1t Was Done.
At midnight the executive board de
cided upon the action, and an hour later
all the master workmen, seventy five il
all, left the hall with instructions to no
tify the motormen and conductors to tit