New-York tribune., 1899-07-19
ROS,SITER is OPTIMISTIC.
HE SAYS THE RAPID TRANSIT STRIKE
is ALL OVER NOW.
ANNOUNCES THAT ALL THE LINES AXE IN
FULL OPERATION WITH FEW EA-
CEPTIONS-THE PRESIDENT CON
FIDENT OF THE SUPPORT
DIRECTORS
OF THE DIRECTORS.

FIDENT OF THE SUPPORT
OF THE DIRECTORS.
Yes the strike is all over" said President
| Rossiter Yesterday Afternoon as he leaned back
| IN his comfortable office chair and talked with
! a group Of newspaper men. He smiled as ne
| spoke. and appeared to be in good spirits
! When asked in regard to the strike situation
q, tho present moment he seemed surprised
by such a question, and again repeated;
| There is no strike Every line of the entire
Rapid Transit system is In full operation WIN
the exception of the Flushing-ave ana the
riftb-ave lines The Nassau system has felt
| this disarrangement the most. but we nave
| shifted our men from other lines, and the cars
| are running without any serious trouble
THE Gates-ave and Fulton st cars have not
been detained more than five minutes anywhere
along the lines The Putnam-ave.. the Graham
ave the Ralph-ave. and the Myrtle-ave. lines
are running to-day on full schedule. as far as
can learn There some delays On the
Third ave line early this morning. but every
thing was rectfed later The Flatbush and the
Seventh-ave. lines have experienced some de-
laws. but all passengers being cared for
Have many of the men come back TO work.
Forty crews. which constitute the whole
Tompkins-ave shift. reported for duty this
morning others are coming back. and In spite
of my statement of Monday. that none OF the
old hands who did not show up after q o'clock
that night would be taken back. the superin-
tendents will not enforce the rule upon any
who have fair excuse to Offer
VIII it be necessary to send to Philadelphia
for more men?"
The report of our sending to Philadelphia
for employees has been very much exaggerated.
Only forty men have been brought on, and no
more are expected. Our recruiting station In
State-st is crowded with applicants many OF
whom are motormen and conductors who were
discharged a year or so ago for disopedlence
or some such cause. They are only too glad to
take advantage of this chance TO come back TO
work again for their old company.
IT prefer such men to new hands. but can
say with assurance that although we are send
ing out some new hands none take car IN
charge until they are thoroughly experienced III
handling it,"
How many men will you need in all?"
I'VE shall require at least nine hundred men
before the lines of the Nassau system are thor
oughly equipped and in running order we
shall not take any in employment, however.
who are not fully capable in every way Hun
dreds of men are making application each DAY
and many OF these obtain papers. but am IN
formed by an examining surgeon that great
number are thrown out because OF various
disabilities. No moderation Of the rules OF ex-
animation has been made. We want the best
men, and we are getting them right along.
A GOOD, INVESTMENT.
How much do you think the strike will cost?'
was asked.
"The financial loss to the company will per-
| haps reach $25 O00 but consider that 1t is en-
| tirely covered by the wedding out of an unde-
| sirabe element which bound sooner or
later TO cause trouble. The loss as a result OF
not running night cars is not so great as might
| lee expected. Eighty per cent of the business Is
| done in the daytime. and we shall be running
night cars in short time.
| What is the opinion of the stockholders ana
| directors OF the road concerning the situation
NOT Likely TO LOSE HIS PLACE
MI Rosslter turned to Major John ID. Kelley
| formerly City Treasurer. and financially inter-
ested in the Rapid Transit company.
| THE directors of the company. as Mr.. Kelley
will tell you. have approved of my course In this
| strike with their heartiest cooperation. can
| saw further" and Mr.. Rosster gave slgnln-
| cant look TO Mr. Kelley "the regular meeting
of the directors scheduled for to-day, but
| inasmuch as II has been postponed they will
| not depose me from the presidency Oh the coIr-
! pany just at present.
| When asked in regard to the encouragement
| which the Nassau men have received from MT
! Johnson he SAID:
SORRY FOR THE MEN
| "I am truly sorry that these men have been
go III advised in this matter. l doubt II Mr.
| Johnson will. pay eight hundred men the -
CAV that they have been receiving as employees
| of the BROOKLYN Rapid Transit every day they
| wanted TO work. l cannot but sympathize with
| their families. who are the ones to suner most
| because Of their voluntary loss Of employment.
| Most of all" Mr.. Rossiter finally said. the
bravery Of those who have defended the COM
| many as officers and OF those who have been
| ioyal as motormen and conductors has been
| fully appreciated and will not go unrewarded."
DINED AT BRIGHTON BEACH.
President Rosslter, accompanied by Colonel
T s. Williams L. p Rossiter, Major John d.
| Kelley and c. A. Collins went to Brighton
Beach in the private Brighton and dined
| there After the return Of the party at about Il
| o'clock President Rossiter was seen by Trb-
! une reporter. and ne said:
II regard the strike thing of the past.
I This afternoon we traversed the Fulton-st.,
| Flatbush and old Brighton Beach roads. and
| there was no demonstration or incident Of any
! kind We shall run cars all night tonight II
we can do so with safety. 1t looks now as If We
could but it is better not to take too great
risks. I don't want to have any Of our men
| hurt
Il have had offers of help from Pittsburg
and Philadelphia but l have told our friends
/ that no help was needed. l want to see the old
| Brooklyn Heights men all back the road
| again I don't want the Nassau men back
| again They are undesirable. We getting
great many of the Heights men back. Not
less than one hundred and fifty reported for
work this morning. and we expect more of them
i hack tomorrow. Twenty-six Flatbush men
/ came back in one squad One of the newspapers
| saws that seventy-fve men went out at Mas
peth Superintendent Holland tells me that the
schedule is being I'm full, and that only
seven men have left. The lines through to
North Beach and Flushing are running on full
| schedule To-day cars have been operated On
| an eight minute hcadway on the Fifth-ave., and
| on a five minute headway on the Seventh-ave.
! lines and estimate that we are running about
40 per cent Of all the Nassau cars, while on the
| Heights line we are running fully 80 per cent.
| The men whom we keeping at the car houses
! over night in order TO have the runs started
| promptly in the morning paid double time.