The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-11
TAN SHOES BARRED
New Styles in the n.
Y, N. III. & III, r.
r. Service.
BLACK TIES STAY.
But the Fancy Shirt De-
crees Dished 1t
All.

| worcester employees OL the INC"
York, New Haven and Hartford rail
road are not quite satisfied with the
condition of affairs, but local trainmer
believe that there will be no strike or
the road.
Agent Henry NJ McCambridge OF
the New York, New Haven and Hart
ford railroad was seen by Spy re-
porter yesterday. He said:
ut is evident that whatever trouble
there is, is on the Boston end. 1 have
heard no complaint from my men, and
from talk / have had with train men
running to Boston, I should say that
there will be no strike ordered. No
petition has been circulated among
Worcester employees Of the road, as faf
as 1 know"
Mr.. McCambridge said that in his
opinion the matter would be settled by
the railroad before any steps could be
taken toward ordering a strike.
Local employees Of the road say
they consider it case of grin and
bear it," There have been several meet
| ings of men employed in the different
departments of the road during the
past few days, and the consensus OF
opinion from these gatherings seemed
to point toward an amicable Settle
ment of some sort. The railroad men
want to avoid a strike.
An employee of the road talked with
a Spy reporter yesterday. He said: Il
have talked with many Of my fellow
workmen since the report has been cir
cuated that a strike might be ordered.
Every man had his tale of woe, but
not one was in favor of urging q strike,
The new wage schedule which went
into effect March 26 is not the cause of
the strike.
1.-THE present dissatisfaction on the
part of employees of the road has
grown out Of the attitude of the Off
Gals for many months. Under the Old
| Colony management, the men were paid
| for the time they worked and the Off
Gals of the road were not looked upon
with disfavor by employees. Every
man worked for the interest of the
road in those days, but with the advent
of New Haven officials there was q
great change in the conduct of the
men toward the officials.
Under the New Haven regime strict
orders have been issued and men have
| been laid off for the least infringement
| of the rules. Many times men were
unjustly accused and laid off withOu
an investigation. Then came the uni
| form order which created a feeling Of
| discomfort among the men. Men arr
now required to buy two uniforms eacl
year of a prescribed material, if thei
| work is that of passenger conductor
train baggageman, brakeman, gait
tender, station man or station baggage
man. This order was supplemented b!
one ordering that tan-colored shoe
and fancy shirts could not be worn b!
| the men. The order also compelled
men to wear black neclSties exclusively
THE curtailment of passes was 1
| hard pill for the men to swallow. Mel
would work overtime without pay, anC
| then a request for pass would be re-
fused when applied for, that the mer
might visit their families at the enc
| of the week When the new wage
| schedule went into effect, the men were
not prepared for a reduction in wages.
I'm the smaller stations on the New
| Haven line the station men and opera
| tors have their grievances. The roaG
| formerly allowed house rent, fuel, lights
and water. This was in addition to the
salary at which they were hired. Dur
| ing the past few months the new gen
eral superintendent has issued orders
| that agents so using coal, water and
| lights must discontinue the practice al
once. This was a clear cut and there
was no raise in wages to compensate
| the men for the loss of these articles.
The telegraph operators on the road
are dissatisfied with the present man
agement because with it's advent into
power, the commission they received
under the Old Colony rule, for West
ern Union telegraph business has been
taken from them. Now this is used
to swell the golfers of the New Haven
magnates. The attitude of the New
Haven management has been one of
oppression towards its employees, and
the men feel that injustice is being
done them. but they dare make no
complaint because they fear the power
of the New Haven road.
An official at Providence made a
statement yesterday regarding the new
wage schedule of the New Haven road
which went into effect March 26. The
new schedule. he said, was a readjust-
ment, the road desiring to place all its
officials on a uniform basis. Heretofore
the rate Of wages has been different on
the three systems, which are now
united in one company, the former
New York. New Haven and Hartford
Railroad, the Old Colony Railroad and
the New York and New England Rail-
road. The result of the readjustment
has not yet been clearly understood,
but there will be unquestionablv q
general advance, although in a few in
stances there will be a slight decrease.
1t has been stated that all the men
affected have not yet experienced the
full practical workings of the new
schedule. but will more thoroughly I'M
derstand it on the next pay day. The
officials also state that no trouble of
any nature is anticipated by the COM
pany.
A meeting of freight handlers of the
New Haven road was held Sunday
night The question of extra pay for
over time work and an advance in reg
ular wages was discussed. 1t was said
at the meeting that while other lines
We're paying not less than % cents per
hour for all time in excess of ten hours
per day. the New Haven road was pay
ing only 17l2 cents per hour for regular
or overtime work. A petition was
ordered forwarded to the managers of
the freight department explaining the
feelings Of the men. Freight clerks
in Boston also decided to forward a
similar petition for the restoration Of
wages
No petitions have been circulated in
Worcester. and according TO local EN-
ployees of the road, the men are firm
in their belief that the road will make
amends for the unsatisfactory condi-
ton Of affairs at the present time. En-
ployees Of the road were much interest
ed last night in the statement sent out
by the Providence officials. A ma
iorlty of the employees said that If the
next pay day was productive Of a res
toration of former wages, the men
would be contented, but if the officials
did not make an increase in wages,
there would be a deeper breach be-
tween employer and employed.
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TEACHERS WILL BE RICH.
Teachers in the public schools may
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