The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-25
MESSENGER BOYS STRIKE.
ABOUT 800 FROM THE POSTAL TELB-
GRAPH sTOP WORK.

Vhey mao innings Lively downtown hos-
terday and Seriously Impaired tho Com
pany's Servioe-Amorican District Com
pany's Boys Expected to Strike To-Day.
Following the example OF the nowsboys.
about $50 messenger boys employed by the
Postal telegraph Company struck Yesterday.
and for several hours they kept things pretty
lively In the lower part OF the city. "Scabs."
and there were almost as many OF them at the
start as there were strikore. were roughly
treated. and before the day was over many OF
them decided that they had grievance. too.
and went out with the others. Policemen had
to be sent to several localities during tho az
tsrnoon to curb the youngsters and they didn't
always ind II easy TO do. The pluecoate
are rapidly learning that lot Of small boys on
strike are Just as hard to handle az lot OK
men.
The rumblngs .of the present strike have
been heard for several days. The boys haven't
any more cause OF complaint now than they
have always had. but simply yielded to the
strike epidemic. They declared on Saturday
that when they went out they would take the
American District boys with them. but the latter
were working as usual yesterday. The Postal
boys exs1ained that the American District
boys are paid on MONDAYS. and so. OF course.
couldn't strike on that day. They say. however.
that they will 20 out to-day.
The cause OF the strike Is not small pay or
long hours. but the weeklytax I'm posed on the
boys for their unitorms and. in the case OF the
American District boys. the tax for collars.
too. Most OF tho boys receive - a week. The
Postal boys say that so cents OF this 10 de-
Quoted to pay for uniforms
Mind yer." said one to a Sun reporter yes
terday. they take so cents q week out for
uniforms. and before yer wear ore out yer've
paid for IL q half q dozen times over. But
dyer own II then1 Not on yer lie. They
takes 1t away. gives yer one that somc large
yer 30 cents a week. I've been working fer
The Postal year. and I've given in oyer S21.
Iys hed this one suit al the time ITS T91th
the American District boysEet the same deal.
only they haze to PAY 10 cents extra each week
en- 30 cent. for It. That's tho situation"
from n. s'f ssfh 81 srte5S e go SH
broadway. II William street, 81 William street.
70 Broal street and - Beaver street. The
but Immediately took the numbers off their
hats. turned them over to the managers in
street. whsrs they held meeting. They sent
committee 70 talk to the American District
boys and Il returned and rsp9rted that ne
this announcement and then the boys decined
10 go to their respective offices and attend to
fl. rst sesba to a Dts1 r. came out Of the
Broad street office. He started away on q run.
but vas and then
Nichols boss Of the Broad street boys. who Is
called odd Nich.," was 50 angry at the way the
he came out to lick few OF them. He retired
In hurry. stopplnR on the stems moment 70
70 was be ns
he ever got whom he reached home tonight
Young Nichols yelled back defaP zee and de-
At IL o'clock the strikers had won over fifty
"scab." Then a dozen Of them won't up to
They ' found four boys S. Working there They
without a moments hesitation. Things were
%sy and Mar1 "S .tfes. and hay. some iun;
them soaniy tSeF began rum rann Dns
through the corridor OF the building yelling at
tho top OF their lungs. The police drove tho
and The Postal people flnally te:phoned TO Pc.
police men were sent down. but try as they
would they could not drive the boys away.
lo.sd them nnt they wore S" out Of sishs Of the
policemen. Then they attacked them. A
dozen were PUN nel!i1s short fat 8! ssab on
on them and arrested two.
The main grievances are those mentioned
piece workers who got two cents message In |
stead of,.alary. and who have utilized tho pres
ent strike to demand TWO ana half cents in |
the future. The Postal people say that the |
boys are victi!hs OF the strike mania and will |
all be back at work In a few DAYS. They have
no genuine -grisvances." said SUPERINTENDENT
Ostrand. We'll stand. their nonsense to-day,
but II they don't come back to- morrow we'll
fll their places. Well brook no interference |
with our new boys. either. The strikers have !
had pretty free hand to-day. but to- morrow
we'll take the reins In hand and teach them a |
lesson"
About eighty hoys employed in the central
office Of the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany at 1a5 broadway went on strike at 3
Regular hours for the three squads OF relays.
and II o'clock to o: three SUNDAYS of 70 one
on instead OF two of to one on. and half pay |
for undelivered measaRes. Without warning |
to General Manager Wilson or District Man |
ager Shelton all tho boys in the building ex-
cept three took OF their uniforms and refused |
to work unless these demands we're conceded. |
At 515 o'clock Manager Skel ton told the bows |
to put their uniforms on again and 60 to work. |
them that the company would grant |
their demands.
and then decided to go back to work.
Three messenger boys Jacob Rich OF 100 |
Cherry street. Samuel Goldman OF 1O7 Ludlow |
street and Nathan Edelman Of 81 Market |
street. were fined So each in the Centre Street
Police Court yesterday for interfering with
other messenger boys In the performance Of
their duties