The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-12-24
Prove Fruitless and Lines at a
StandstiH.
THOUSANDS WALKING.
Christmas Trade Badly Affect
ed BY the Strike.
misunderstanding In Fixing the
Time For Striking.

nouncements of the Motormen's and Con-
ductors' union of the West End Street
railway made early this morning that the
proposed strike over the alleged nom
recognition of the union by the West End
management would be deferred until De-
cember 80, many of the employees have
taken the matter into their own hands
and at 10 o'clock the service had been ser
iously crippled by men leaving their cars.
The indications are that the lines viii be
pretty well tied up before night
If the tie-up of the road is as complete
as is now predicted. it viii cause wide
spread discomfort to not only city resi-
dents, put to suburbs for miles-grea ter
discomfort than ordinarily owing to the
ENORMOUS patronage of the surface lines
by holiday shoppers.
That the strike question is not of sud-
den decision. is Indicated by an interview
with union official by q representative
of the Associated Press. The official said
The trouble between the corporation
anu the men mas Deen preWlng lot some
time. From the nine divisions of the ROAD
complaints have been received at the un-
ments have been crowding the men, over
working them, also laying them off ana
The men got to be SO restive over their
treatment that the union officials We're
plants. The climax came when several
employees who made individual complaints
charged. The effect of the treatment was
that the men joined the divisional unions
and when they We're Sufficiently strons,
the union officials prepared an agreement
which would relieve the cause of COM
plants which have been Increasing since
'tOn presenting this new agreement to
President Little, he referred it to the con-
ference committee, who had charge of the
matter for the union with the statement
that the divisional authorities had fun
The union voted to leave the wages as
they We're. s.. 25 day. This action of the
Rugg. The latter replied a few days
sign the agreement and referred The com~
mittee to President Little. request was
Immediately forwarded to President Lit
tie of the conference, but up to the press
time no reply has been received
over the fact that no reply was made TO
their letter They fear the suh0rdiuate
officials VIII crowd them worse in the
future than IN the past They also fear
that the management Will Increase their
days work, which they claim is already
extended beyond the ten hours in one.
Early last evening Superintendent
Rugg of the railway company waited
upon the executive committee of the un-
ion and was in conference with them for
about half an hour. after which the con-
ference committee went to the offices OF
the company and had a four hours con-
ference with President Little Superin-
tendent Rugg and other officials of the
the men we're taken up and the various
articles of the agreement discussed at 8
o. m. Mr.. Little said it would be impos-
sibie to sign the agreement until the mat
ter had been fully discussed by the dis
ne matter remain In abevance and the
strike order recalled for a few days.
1,,,srfere TsrbaTs tf7ev1 nlace1 the DroTo-
45 q4alseIS Ssi7+ SIlei1 tl fgor tll NJ
to remain IN abeyance but if there was
nothing done before December 30. the tie
up would be c0nsummated on that date
TROUBLE IN THE SUBURBS
The cities of Maiden and Everett. as
welI as of the Charleston district OF Med
ford. had little or no street car accom-
modations this morning and thousands Of
people were obliged to get to their place
Of business in this city the best way they
could.
Meetings We're held at midnight and
o clock at the Headquarters of the union
and hundreds Of employees who attended
once as originally decided ny the coun-
ell There were several exciting scenes
when it was announced that the strike
would be postponed.
The leaders of many divisions Of the
city and suburban places threatened to
leave work without the sanction Of the
council and several divisions have been
tied up at least temporarily as result
The FIRST action against the company oc-
CURED in Charleston and Everett when q
number of the Maiden motormen ana
conductors refused TO take their cars out
before daylight No cars were run Ircm
the Maiden and Medford line stables in
Medford this morning and the citizens
who were obliged to go into the city;
either walked. or got INTO oYercfoWoed
passenger trains.
4 report received here from Everet this
forenoon saws that 200 West End railway
employees are idle in that city
Cars of the Charleston and Roxbury
routes are running regularly
ALL. LINES ARE TOPPING
Boston. Dec 24.-At 10 o'clock all the
cars We're off the streets Of Boston, ex-
capt those of the Washington street
lines and the South Boston division
The men on the other lines as fast as
they came into car houses after the
early trip stopped work on being told
Of the situation The executive commit
tee Of the Pioneer Federal Labor union
the central organization of the em-
ployes. held a meeting this morning. at
which action of the supreme council
after midnight in deciding to postpone
the strike was criticised
President Young Of the union issued
a request that all employees both i'm and
out of the city remain at work until
noon, when he said work on every line
would be stopped The police have re-
serves at each station, but according to
reports from all sections of the city
everything is passing off quietly 1T is
understood that q conference between
the union executive committee and the
west end directors viii endeaNor to
come to some understanding, but it Is
admitted that this viii be difficult
matter. The union officials say that
eleven mail cars which run over the
different lines Of the road VIII not be
involved.
The west end street railway oper-
ates the street car lines throughout the
entire city proper. South Boston. Dor
chester, East Boston, Bridgeton. Cam
bridge. portions of Newton, Maiden.
Everett. Medf0rd. and in the entire
Roxbury and Charlestown districts.
Weather Indications
Chicago, Dec. 24.-For Kansas: Part
IN cloudy and warmer with snow fur