Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-07-17


far it has not been as effective as the
strike of 1895, but there is no telling
how long or far-reaching it may be-
come. For some weeks past the en-
ployes of the several lines controlled
by the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Com
pany have been complaining that the
management did not live up to the ten
hour law. The men demand a revision
of the time tables at the different
barns, and also claim that they should
be paid twenty-five cents an hour for
day, the price which they set for
working day of ten hours. Meetings
have been held daily and nightly for
the last week. and it was inferred from
the reports given out by the employees
and their advisers since Thursday last
that while a strike was iminent, it
would not occur for some days to come.
General Master Workman Parsons
and District Master Workman Pines
had charge of the mems affairs, and
A STRIKE WAS CALLED
at half-past four this morning. At this
hour most of the motOrmen and con-
ductors on the Brooklyn Traction Com
pany's lines had completed their night
trips, and the leaders decided that this
was the most Opportune moment to
begin what was expected to be a stub
born fight with the Traction Company.
A heavy rainstorm was in progress at
this time and there was very little
passenger traffic. The Smith street,
Franklin avenue and Hamilton ferry
lines, which are controlled by the
Coney Island Railroad Company, hav-
ing maintained the regular terms with
their employees, were not impeded in
the least, but on all other roads trans
portation was stopped for awhile, and
a good deal of congestion occurred in
consequence.
Shortly after midnight about
ONE THOUSAND POLICEMEN
from the precincts in Manhattan and
the Brink districts were conveyed to the
different barns and many places along
the several routes comprising the ter
ritory covered by the Brooklyn Trac-
ton Company. Up to half past seven
O'Clock therewere very few cars run
over these lines, and those that were
sent out fro mthe different barns wers
policed by two, thrre or four consta-
bles. On the Putnam avenue line only
a few men refused to work, and it was
notable that scarcely half dozen of
the cars of this division were policed.
The Flatbush and Bergen Beach cars,
the Nostrand avenue, Gates, Ralph and
Myrtle avenue cars, as we'll as the
Third avenue trolleys had a meagre
service in the early hours of the day,
but traffic on the old Nassau lines,
which comprise the Fifth, Seventh,
Park and Vanderbilt avenues, and
Douglas and Butler streets roads, were
PRACTICALLY AT A STANDSTILL.
The men on the Nassau road were
most determined, and not one of the
motormen or conductors went to work.
The cars remained idle for several
hours, but by ten o'clock about one
tenth of the regular rolling stock was
working. Those cars manned by in
spectors and linemen, and in fact oil
ers and helpers, were pressed into err
vice so as to maintain partial running
of the system. Many of the old con-
ductors and motermen reported for du-
ty on the Gates, Ralph, Broadway, Myr-
roads, and President Rossiter said that
shortly after noon over fifty per cent.
of the Old hands were at work on these
lines. Later in the afternoon the cars
on the latter roads were running at in
tervals of ten minutes, which meant
that the service was crippled about
one-third. The heavy storm of the
early morning was dissipated about
10 o'clock, and from that hour until
well into the afternoon, the Sunday
traffic, which is usually very heavy to
North Beach, Bergen Beach and Coney
Island. filed the cars, but the dread of
TROUBLE OR DISTURBANCE
kept hundreds of people away from
these seaside resorts. Shortly before
noon President Rossiter's private car.
Ampere, started from the City Hall
and made round trip of the traction
lines On board were Chief Engineer
Breckenridge, w. W. Wickes, Presi-
dent Rossiter's private secretary, and
Assistant Secretary Van Colt. Ac-
companying these were headquarters
detectives Reynolds, Harrington, Gray
and Stoddard. The Ampere after run
ming to the Flushing extension, went
up Nostrand avenue to Bergen beach
and returned to Flatbush avenue, when
1t ran to Coney Island. Coming back
from Coney Island the special car tray-