The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-05-01
THE CoMpANY'S POSITION
In tho Strike Given by Mcssrs. Con
dcrmnn md Shirley.

III the strike Given by Mcssrs. Con-
dcrman md Shirley.
Last evening the following statement,
giving In detail the position of the
Wheeling Railway Company with ref
erence to the present strike Of Its oper-
ators and conductors was made BY
President 7. II. Condernan and secre-
tary- W. A. Shirley:
The following questions by the honorable
committee Of the council and our answers
thereto set forth the position OF the
Wheeling Railway Company in the pres
cnt controversy:
/. II your former employees concede your
right to hire and discharge. will you
agree TO not discriminate against any per-
son In you. employ or to be employed be-
cause he be member Of the labor organ
iZation?
Answer.-Wc will not discriminate
against my person in our employ or to be
employed by us because he be member
of any labor organization.
:. In case any enployc OF your company
pc discharged from your employ. Will he
be permitted to appeal to the board or
directors. or committee thereof?
Answer-fes II the appeal be made In
writing within n reasonable time (say
three days. OF his discharge.
j. VIII you agree to pay to your employees
l.uJ
cents per hour. provided all other qucs-
tons involved are agreed upon?
Answer-lr the exercise OF the trust de-
volvlnS upon US. and after the most care
unanimous In the conclusion that tho COM
pany cannot afford to pay its motormen
and conductors twenty cents per hour.
We are ready and willing to pay full
and fair wages. and all that tho earnings
and financial condition OF the company
viii warrant As an evidence OF our good
faith we nrs ready to pay our employees
one-halt cent per hour more than the
average paid for similar service In all the
cities OF tho United States having popu-
lation OF from 1900 to 100000. which shall
not be less than 16 Pc per hour. tho rate
paid In Philadelphia.
!. How Is 1t that the railway company.
up to and Including 1898 paid 2Oc per hour,
now?
Answcr-The railway company was
bankruptins Itself when It was paying
twenty cents per hour. and to such an ex.
tent TINT the directors were compelled
to frequently supply money out OF their
personal funds to meet running expenses
and pay-roils, and for this reason It was
reduced.
5. VIII you meet with the executive COM
mittee OF the railway men and Mr. Orr,
In conjunction with the council commit
tee?'
Answer-Ycs. with pleasure.
6. VIII YOU meet the committee OF street
car workers, with Mr.. Orr. alone?
Answcr-Yes.
These are on file In the Office OF the city
clerk and we understand become part OF
the records OF the council OF this city, and
represent fairly the attitude of the COM
pany.
AT the request of the large committee
OF the common council, consisting OF
Mayor Sweeney. J. p. Maxwell. John Wa
terhousc. n: a. Chew. r. J. Healy. Ed
ward Radcliffe. ". b. Mcalechen and ".
p. Mckelycy, we met our employees, and
had friendly md extended conference.
and rs 4 result OF that conference. and the
m0st commeRdabIe assistance rendered
by the council committee, we are firmly OF
the conviction that all differences between
the men and ourselves could have been
relief OF patient public were It not for
outside and irresponsible influences.
Our employees and our own are mutual,
| and We are ready NJ any timc 10 evidence
| this conviction by friendly conference
We appeal TO all good citizens to consider
| fully the broad and fair position now and
ut all times taken by this company In this
unfortunate controversy. We are enti-
On the following day we again met our
men, but failed TO come to an agreement.
although We finally offered to pay THO
| per hour. A complete agreement was
reached on all points In the controversy
save the question OF wages. and the COM
| pnny finally offered m advance substan-
| TALLY OF 10 per cent. which would give the
mon g 10 pcr day. which IL 800 more than
they. would got on thelr proposition OF l9c
| per hour OF nine hours.
A suppremental statement. critic!slns
| the circular recently issued by the
strikers, was given out by the company.
| 1t Is as follows.
| To tho Public:
II
believing that u Is iRadrisabfe tn general
TO make statements through the newspa-
| per In times OF commotion. deems II not
Improper TO take some notice OF Il circular
which has been posted ut public places In
| and near Wheeling. on the subject OF the
present strike. and which purports TO be
| an ''o''icin appeal" from tho central
bodies OF Wheeling and Bcllnirc.''
| The tenor OF the circular Is indicated In
Railway Company deny the right OF It's
employees to organize, and invoke the
power OF the courts to sustain 1t In its
arbitrary position"
Tho above headline contains two propo-
| sitlons.
| Right to organlzc.-Thc first Is an asser-
| tlon TINT tho company denies the
right Of its employees 10 organ.
aware OF the fact that its employees
did form an organization some months
aEo. did not then or since deny. and does
| not deny. the right OF It's employees, or any
| number OF them. to organize
| lnJunction.-Tho second proposition In
| the headlines OF the circular. namely: and
| invoke tho power OF the court to sustain
1t In Its arbitrary position" This Is
charge that the company has Invoked tho
| power OF the courts TO sustain II In q de-
| NAL OF the right OF Its employees to or
| Ranize.
Ordinances OF the cities OF Dcnwood and
Wheeling provide as follows: at shall be
unlwnful for any person or persons TO
| place or cause TO he placed, any obstruc-
| (Whcccl!ng Railway Company no ns to
| Impede or andanscr the passage OF It's
! cars on or over tho said tracks" The or
| dinnncc also provides for the punishment
| OF offenders by fine OF not less thun one
| nor more than ton dollars. These ordi-
| nunccs were openly violated on the FIRST
J day OF the strike In both cities, and lftcr-
ward In Bcnwood TO such an extent that
| tho company could not operate its cars
J or. In the manner contemplated by the
| law. comply with Its contract with tho
| government TO carry the United Statcs
mails. Other ordinances and provisions
| OF law were violated with like IMMUNITY,
| and to such an extent M to almost entire.
| ly suppress the company In Its efforts TO
| operate It's road and comply with I,E
contract with the government for
| The carrying OF Tho mails. and
| with Its duty to maintain tho
| Interstate commerce. which II had n right
| to maintain and which 1t IL the province OF
| tho United States government to protect.
In such straits tho company applied TO
| tho United States court for an Injunction
tn. ul.t