Evening star., 1896-07-04
OFFICIAL STATEMENT
Directors Of the Metropolitan Rail-
road Give Their Side.
REASONS FOR TEE DISCHARGES
Claim the Men Were Disorqanizers
and Against the Road.
AROUND HEADQUARTERS

A SpeCl01 meeting OF the DO6rO OF QlroO-
tors of the Metropolitan road was held to-
| day. and the following official statement.
| signed by the secretary and treasurer, was
issued:
"The dismissal of the twelve employees
the 18th Of June, 1885, having become the
subject of. public comment. the directors
Of the company deem 1t due to the public
| to make this statement as to the causes
which have led to their action.
I'm the first place the company wishes It
| to be distinctly understood that no man
has bsnn discharged for the reason that he
was known or supposed to be member of
| the order Of the Knights of Labor, and the
assertion that the recent action of the COM
pany was based upon any question of men,
bership in any association whatever is in
| every respect wholly unwarranted, false
and mischievous.
1.-The company did know by rumor that
other men in its employ than those dismiss
ed were members and officers Of the
Knights of Labor, yet they were not dis
they were agitators like those dismissed
were believed to be- nor will any Of them
be dismissed while they faithfully dis
charge their duties and are in sympathy
with the welfare of the company.
1T was believed by the directors that
the large majority of these men have for
the last eighteen months constantly. and
| in almost every conceivable manner. en-
deavored to agitate and excite discomfort
against the company among their fellow
workmen, until the directors were con-
vfnced that the peace Of almost all of the
employees was being more or less destroyed
and the men incapacitated for doing their
duty.
This state Of affairs has been borne by
the company, first, because it always hoped
that things might grow better, and, sec
ordly, because the directors knew their
discharge would be followed by misrepre-
sentation denials, effor Is at strike and pub
| lie clamor, all Of which they have shrunk
| from precipitating.
THE directors have been informed that
since the adjournment Of Congress some
| of these men have been particularly active
| in fomenting dissatisfaction and insubor-
dination. and in some instances attempting
| to terrorze other employees.
1.-The condition Of decentralization had be-
come so serious among the men that 1t was
should run the road or the constituted
authorities
1.-The subject, therefore, became SO press
| ing 1t could be avoided no longer. They
| confess they approached 1t with anxiety.
because they foresaw the misreprescnta-
| tions and public notoriety which have TAX
en- place. and it was only after the most
anxious and. indeed. charitable considera-
| ton, that they determined the welfare Of
the company demanded the dismissal of
these employees.
THE directors are Informed that since
their discharge peace. contentment and
satisfaction pervade generally among the
men which have been unknown for the
past year and a half, and a number Of the
best drivers. conductors and motormen
have actually expressed alarm when It has
been reported that these men would prob
ably be reinstated.
The directors, acting under a deep sense
Of their responsibilities to the stockholders.
to the public and to the employees, the dis
charged men included. have the approval Of
their consciences, and none regret moro
than they. jointly and individually, that
that they were compelled finally to act as
they have done. VIM. ]. WILSON,
Secretary Of the Board of Directors"
Among the Employer.
There is no change today, 80 far as the
discharged employees Of the Metropolitan
are aware, in the attitude Of President Phil
lips toward them, and it was stated at the
usual daily conference of the members of
the executive board of the Street Railway
Assembly 10 a Star reporter that no fur
ther developments were looked for, so far
as the railroad company Is concerned until
after the annual meeting Of the stockhold-
ers. which will be held Wednesday next.
whatever may be the outcome Of that
| meeting, SO far as we are concerned" said
Mr.. F. NJ. Dent. chairman of the execu-
"
of those dismissed by President Phillips
there will be no strike. We are opposed
to that, tecause should such a step be
taken there would in all probability be q
mob come in and perform acts of violence.
for which those who would be held re-
sponsible for ordering a strike do not want
to become liable in public opinion. Besides.
We do not want to throw any more OF our
men out Of work.
Should. however the pending troubles
7 OF be settled within the next few days,
after the annual meeting of the stockhold-
ers, there is not much reason to doubt that
an official boycott will be ordered. As a
matter Of fact, there ara hosts Of people
who are already boycotting the Metropoli-
tan cars. Many ride. it is true. but in
numerous inrtances that know Of people
pay their fare down in the morning on
the Columbia cars, get q transfer on the
Metropolitan road. and In this way reach
their destination in the center Of the city;
while in the evening when they wish to
return to their homes they walk to New
York avenue and from there pay their
fare on the Columbia line.
Under this sort of an arrangement the
Metropolitan has to do its share OF the
hauling, but gets none Of the proceeds"
The executive board has received a mes
sage from one of the directors OF the Met
charged men to remain quiet until after the
annual meeting of the stockholders and in
timating that he will try to got the mat
ters at issue between the company and the
men settled during next week.
The Mems Side.
"It may be-" said one of the most prom
inent Of the discharged mon today. that
we will be defeated; that we will not get
back into the employ of the company; but
whether we do or not, the experience we
are passing through will be Of immense
benefit to the railroad men and people Of
this city generally. and when Congress
meets again no steps will be spared to
bring to the attention of that body the fact
that the railroads of this city have paid
nothing for their franchises. while in other
cities. notably Baltimore. the street car
companies are taxed per cent on their
gross receipts. which produces a revenue Of
several hundred thousands Of dollars an
nually and pays the entire expenses Of an
extensive park system.
Il have 1t from source that believe to
be reliable that the Capital Traction Com
pany il bitterly opposed to the course of
the Metropolitan company toward the
Knights Of Labor: not that they care any
thing whatever for US. but because Of the
possible and very probable effect that the
discharges will have on legislation by Con-
gress next winter.
"It is well understood that all the rail-
road companies here expect to ask for ad-
uy{nf md 4,