The record-union., 1896-12-25
Thirty-Five Hundred Motormen and
Conductors on Strike.
Quit Their Posts of Duty Because of
the Alleged Refusal of the Com
pany to Recognize Their Union and
COncede a Demand of a Ten-HOur
Work Day, Causing Great IncOn-
venience to Thousands of People.

alleged refusal of the West End Street
Railway to recognize their union and
concede a demand of a ten-hour work
day, $500 employees early this morning
quit their posts of duty and effectually
tied up a street railway system operat-
ing lines throughout the entire city
proper, South Boston, Dorchester, East
Boston, Bridgeton, Cambridge, portions
of Newton, Maiden, Everett. Medford,
and in the entire Roxbury and Charles
town districts.
Not since the strike of the West End
Railway employees in February, 1897,
has the general public SO fully realized
it's dependence upon the street railway
lines for transportation between the
various districts of this city as to-day.
Coming just at Christmas, the strike
has greatly inconvenienced thousands
who wished to visit the city stores to
purchase their gifts, and all thorough
fares have been crowded with pedeStri-
ans, despite the biting wind that has
prevailed. Early this morning an en-
terprising teamster put out line Of
passenger barges between Charlestown
and Scollay square and reaped a har-
vest. Later, lines We're started under
the management of the strikers.
The steam railroads have been dan
gerously overcrowded on account of the
sudden demands upon them. During
the late afternoon and early evening the
suburban traffic over the Boston and
Albany road was immense. The station
was packed with a dense mass of hu-
manity, and although trains We're run
every ten or fifteen minutes the cars
were filled like so many sardine boxes,
the crowds pushing. jamming and tramp
ling upon one another for standing
room. Men shouted and women nearly
tainted in the excitement, and innumer-
able bundles and boxes containing pres
erts and breakable articles were
crushed beyond recognition by the
crowd, which resembled pack of fren-
zied animals more than a collection Of
rational human beings.
There were somewhat similar scenes
enacted at the other railway stations.
This afternoon the committee of the
Conductors and Motormen's Union that
had the conference with the West End
directors last night and agreed to a
weeks postponement of the strike,
called on President Little to place
themselves right in the eyes of the Off
cials They explained the apparent vio-
lation of the agreement entered into
last night by saying that the men took
matters into their own hands, and the
strike was a fact, even though the Su
preme Council was not aware of it. All
this and more was submitted to Presi-
dent Little, and it was again intimated
that nothing would avail until the
agreement was signed. The President
reiterated his statement of yesterday
that he was powerless to sign the
agreement, and that, even if he did SO,
it would be worthless without first being
accepted by the Executive Committee
of the company.
The West End Street Railway Com
pany tonight issued a notice to its
employees in which it states that all en-
ployes who continue in the service of the
company will be protected, but that all
who voluntarily absented themselves
from service would be considered as
having withdrawn from the employ of
the company. The company advertised
for motormen and conductors to-day,
and it was said tonight that in response
a large number of men had been en-
ployed
At O'Clock tonight it was reported
that 100 men of Division No. Z, which
includes Cambridge, Arlington, Newton
and West Somerville. had gone back to
work, and as result few cars are run
ming tonight between Boston and Har-
ward square, Cambridge. Some fifty or
sixty men also returned on Division No.
,, South Boston.
Over on the Charlestown division the
strikers declare that if men are brought
from other cities to take their places
there will be trouble.
Late tonight the strike was declared
off by the Supreme Council of the Con-
ductors' and Motormen's Union, and the
men will return to work tomorrow.