Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-04-13

III to present 70 f0 the Bdokd. IN
Shirley stated he could not atate
whether or not the proposition could -
accepted, and Also said II any indi-
vidual employed BY the Company lad
| q grievance or had been done wrong,
every effort would be made to right It,
but that the Company could not recog-
| nlze the men as an OrgaxizatiOn- We
informed him that we would send a
I duplicate of our request to Mr.. B. w.
Peterson, Vice President, and also to
T. II. Conderman, President, of Phila-
delphia- We called on Mr.. Peterson,
and he said Mr.. Conderman was the
head and front of the Company, and
| that he could not act upon it We
| then asked him to read it simply as
an individual, and he Gid 50. and said
| he would forward it to Mr.. COnier-
man. He was told we had a duplicate
| for Mr.. COndernan. and he gave US
his address. In the Communication we
stated that if it was not complied
with by April 7th we would consider it
a refusal, and in order that - might
not be construed as taking snap judg-
ment we again called on MIR. Peterson
| and asked if any word had been re-
ceived from Mr. Conderman. He said
no, but if any word came he would
send it to us by messenger. No word
ever came, and Friday night after mid
night we declared the strike" Cap
| plause.)
Mr.. Salisbury said employees of the
Company were present to give all the
| information desired as to hours OF
| work, etc. In response to a suggestion
that Mr. Dilworrh be heard, that gem
tleman said he did not know as much
as other gentlemen present about prac-
tical workings, and thought the men
should be allowed to explain Mr..
Salisbury said men were present rep
resenting the "early straight" the
'late straight and the Swing run, !"
and asked that they be heard for the
information of the meeting. This was
agreed to, and Mr.. WEIGH, working
late straight" took the floor. Mr..
WEIGH said he reported for duty at
11:10 a. M, and was on duty until
11:54 p. m. For that he received $1.92.
He had to leave home at 10 a. M, and
could not get back until long after
midnight, thus putting in really little
over fourteen hours.
Mr.. Burns ran ON the "early
straight" He left home at A. Is a. m,
and had to be at the barn at 4:45 a. M,
taking out his car at a. m. He re-
turned his car at 6 p. M. He was sup
posed to work twelve hours, and to
have one hour for dinner, but that
hour was really added, making thirteen
hours. Going to and from home add
ed another hour, making fourteen.
His pay was $1.92 per day of practical
ly fourteen Hours.
John Corners was on the Swing
rum" He reported at $50 a. m. and
was off at 11:54 a. m. He again re-
ported at 534 p. m. and was on until
1888 p. m. He got four and half or
five hours sleep night, and what he
| could catch in the afternoon. 1t took
thirteen hours to get in twelve hours
pay.
In response to an enquiry from a
gentleman as to the rates of pay for
similar work in other cities the size of
Wheeling, Mr.. Dilworth said that no
fair comparison could be made, be-
cause Wheeling was peculiarly adapted
to street car operations, being long
and narrow. To get from one place to
another a citizen was virtually COM
PEELED to take a car. The rate of wages
in other organized cities was from 18c
per hour to 27c per hour. Cities not
organized paid a lower rate. what
you should consider" said Mr. Dill
worth, lis whether $3.50 is excessive
wages for a nine hour day, and l would
like to ask you, as business men, il
lower wages will make more business
for you. I think that is the question
before you"
Mr. Tighe asked if any representa-
tives of the Company we're present, and
the chair asked the question. There
was no response.
Mr. Burns then said: 1--WE have
heard from the early straight from
the late straight and from the
swing. I would like the meeting to
hear from an extraman as to his ex-
periences. In response to this Mr..
Hannas, an extraman, took the floor.
He said: 81 run as an extraman until
l can get promotion to regular run.
/ am supposed to be at the barn at
T.
there until Z a. m, and if no one lays
off there is no work when 1t comes to
me- / return at 1918 a. M, and stay
until after noon. | am then excused
until 4.1S, when go back and remain
until after p. m. Thus, if there is no
work, put in seven hours and get
nothing. Iaughter.) ! have gone as
high as five days at a time that way
and got no work. That is one of the
rules of the Company. The men work
fourteen hours for $192, and as re-
suit they have 10 time to spend what
little they make. (Laughber9 They
have no time except to work, eat and
sleep. We are ready to meet any Of
fer from the Company to adjust this
matter. They refuse to meet us, just
as they have refused to meet you.
Q.--What does an extraman make a
week?
Mr.. Hannas-Five days pay is always
reserved-that is, there is always five
days pay coming to man. During the
cold weather good many regular men
laid of. and we had pretty good pays.
For the first two weeks in February /
drew about twelve dollars; ordinarily
> L. <~t,