The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-07-11
THERE MAY A STRIKE
Of Street Railway Men in Greater
New York.
CHARGES AND COUNTER CHARGES

Tie company SlhlmA NIuety-uVo Eor
Cent Of the Workers Are Satisfied.
But Labor Leaders, Claiming to Rep
resent the Men, Speak Differently. 4
New York, July 11.-Eighteen enn-
ployes of the Metropolitan Street Rail-
way company called on President Vree-
land. of the company, yesterday. They
stated to him that the men on the
road were perfectly satisfied with the
hours and pay, and with the manage
ment, and in proof Of the statement
submitted a document signed, 1t is
claimed, by 95 per cent Of the employees
of the road. Mr.. Vreeland said that
he was glad that they were satisfied,
but that If they ever had a grievance
to come to him at once and he would
try to adjust it.
Just as this committee of eighteen
departed committee of four railway
men called to see President Vreeland
to lay before him the grievances Of tho
Knights of Labor. Mr.. Vreeland CALI
ed their attention to the statement
signed by the employees of the road.
resentatives of the railroad employees.
and dismissed them curtly. The
Knights of Labor committee reported
the result of their visit to the general
executive committee of the Knights Of
Labor at a meeting at the Grand Cen
trail hotel, and at which John N. Par
sons, grand master workman, pre-
sided. ~
The conference lasted over two
hours, and at its close statement
was given out for publication. The
statement in part follows:
"In order to Offset the efforts of the
men petty officials and few others
circulated lists on all the roads for
signatures certifying that the men
were satisfied with present conditions.
and that no grievance existed. Our
people were warned, on the first in
timation Of the company's plan. to
sign this or any other similar doeu-
ment which might be presented to
them, as their failure to sign would
mean their discharge. They will en-
deavor to appear satisfied until the
opportune time arrives.
THE cause of complaint among tho
employees of the Metropolitan Street
Railway company which prompted
their action in forming an organization
was due to grievances of long stand
ing and against which complaint had
been made by them as individuals,
without any attempt on the part Of the
company to furnish relief, SO that their
action In continuing the unfair con-
dtions has become part Of the policy
of the management of the company.
THE reception accorded the CONF
mittee from the men by Mr.. Vree-
land, In refusing to receive them as
representatives of the employees, after
he had invited them by public no.
tice to send committees whenever they
wished to see him, caused no surprise
among the men, as they we'll know that
when Mr.. 'vreeland speaks of receiving
or as being willing to receive commit
tees from his men, he only intends
that to apply to committees selected by
the officials of the board who can call \
upon him as that satisfied COMMITTEES
did. 1t was brought to his Office in 4
special car Of the company, In the per-
sonal charge Of Chief Inspector Parker
and Assistant Inspector Murphy, for
fear any Of them would escape Oh the
way, while when the committee called \
who had the authority Voluntarily
given them, without any coercion, by
their associates to represent them, Mr..
Vreeland did not consider them worthy
of a hearing t--
Mr.. Parsons said after the meeting
that while he could not say that
strike would be the outcome of the
trouble, he regarded the trouble al
most serious, and that it was to be
fight to finish.
Steamer Wrecked. All Hands Saved.
Halifax, N. s., July 1.-THE steamer
Portia, from New York for Halifax.
was wrecked during dense fog last
evening on Films Island, off Sambro,
a point about 15 miles to the eastward
of Halifax. The passengers and crew.
115 all told, landed on the island In
the ships boats and are all comfort
ably housed there. No loss of life is
reported. The steamer is already full
of water and total wreck. The pas
sengers, of whom there are rs. are
nearly all tourists. The steamer had
large cargo for this port and st.