Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-10
WORLD OF LABOR
Continued Discussion of the Metro
poitan Railway Trouble.
BREWERY WORKERS RUMORED ACTION
Activity of the Various Labor Or
CARNATIONS.
NOTES OF THE UNION S

The meeting of the Street Railway AS
sembly which was held Saturday even
irs was we'll attended and in, some re-
spects was the most interesting that has
yet taken place. The discussion, how
ever. developed that the lockout Of the
men belonging to the assembly b. the
Metropolitan Railway Company has al
ready resulted in breaking UP one previous
ly happy home. and that unless the men
who are now unemployed soon get work
other equally happy homes are threatened
with destruction.
The case first referred to was that OF a
former car driver, who was in the employ
of the company for seventeen years. For
a long time his wife has been sick and
his pay Of 81 per day was barely sufficient
to provide her with the services of ply
stefan. the medicines ordered by The latter
and the members of his household, in
which there were several children, most
of them small with the necessaries of
life. Since the discharge of the husband
and father the sick mother has been forced
to so to hospital in Washington, where
she is now being cared for, and the chill
dren, with one exception. have found a
refuge in one of those institutions which
some good people Of the District have pro-
vtded for boys and girls whose circum-
stances compel them to accept Of this sort
of hospitality.
The exception was that of the eldest
daughter. who fortunately received the
benefits of an excellent education and was
able to procure position as governess,
ard from the pay of which she is assisting
her parents as much is in her power.
The River View Excursion.
In the absence of Master Workman Thos
j. Lawrence and the Discrimination of
Worthy Foreman James Trainor to preside,
Mr.. F. NJ. Dent chairman of the executive
board, called to the chair. Mr.. Will
liam F. Dement, was secretary.
The reports relative to the recent excur-
sion to River View for the benefit Of the
locked-out men showed that the affair was
a financial success Mr.. Dent, who is the
only one of those who were discharged
who now has work at remunerative wages,
declined to receive any part Of the pro-
ceeds, and the net amount, after paying all
the expenses of the excursion, was ordered
divided among the other twelve. AS, how
ever, they have row been unemployed for
nearly two months, the sum received was
not sufficient to help them out of their
financial difficulties to a very great extent.
Alleged Misrepresenta
There was much discussion relative to the
pending trouble between the members of
the assembly and the railroad company,
and 1t was stated that the letters which
have been written by President Phillips
not only not stated the facts, but have had
the effect, 1t was believed of keeping some
OF the men from getting employment else
where, and 1t was agreed that If the rail-
way companys officers or any of the direc-
tors will produce names Of persons whom
the discharged men have tried to influence
against the railway company and the dates
when these things are said to have oc-
CURED. the iocked-out men would give I'D
the fight and accept the actions of the di-
rectors and President Phillips as just
Attention was also called to the fact
that the assembly has on Its files a letter
from the secretary of the company written
one week before the men were discharged
TO the secretary of the Railway Assembly
In reply TO one from the latter requesting
an interview with the directors in order to
smooth away any supposed difficulties ex-
listing between the company and its en-
pioyes. and that in his reply the secretary
OF the railroad company stated that there
was no necessity for an interview as there
were no grievances existing between the
two parties and that the company was NOT
olscharglng any one, not even those whose
influence was deleterious to the company"
The Steele Case.
The case of Mr.. ]. T. Steele, who was, 1t
has been alleged, discharged a few days
ago because he was member Of the Street
Railway Assembly. was also brought to
the attention Of the meeting. Mr. Steele
was not present. but one of the members
said that he had conversation with Mr..
steele on the subject of his discharge, and
that Mr.. Steele told him that after RECEIVE
Ing his notice Of dismissal he went to Mr.
Coleman, the present secretary and general
manager. and asked him why his place was
taken from him.
To this Mr.. Coleman so Mr. Steele stated
replied (after taking out the record booj,
and reading therefrCm): you were trans
ferred from the front end of the car. where
you were driver before the power was
changed 70 electricity. to the back platform
and made conductor at the request OF
Michael Casey and F. M. Dent, both of
whom were among those DISCHARGED some
weeks ago. and. as your influence Is gone,
you VIII have to go. too. and you are not
me only one who will have to CO. Besides
this, you were not satisfied to belong TO the
street Railway Union. but had to go and
Join the knights of Labor"
1T. 1t was also stated that General secre-
tary-Treasurer Hayes tried few days ago
to have an interview with President Phil
Fps in reference to taking the men back on
the road. but that he was unable to get to
stated. informed Secretary Coleman. whom
he met at the railway company's office
that 1t was the full determination of the
general executive board Of the knights
Of Labor to ask Congress at its next SEES
sion to pass laws taxing The franchise of
the street railway com panies In the Dis
trfct of Columbia. and also to reduce car
fares to three cents.
Mediation offered.
A communication from a merchant on
Az street was read, in which the writer
expressed his willingness 70 be one Of a
committee of business men who would call
on the authorities Of the Metropolitan
Railway Company and ask that the dis
charged men be reinstated III their former
positions. and in this connection one OF the
leading members of the assembly stated
that he had recently had conversation
on the subject Of the pending troubles be-
tween the railway men and the railroad
company with prominent merchant doing
business on street, during which tho lat
ter expressed the hope that the men would
fall trade. as he feared thu aaftation of tha