The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-08-14
WAITING FOR A CONFERENCE
LEADERS THINK A RAILROAD
STRIKE VILL BE 1VERIED.

Their Chief Demand is Recognition by
the Company of Their Organizations
Federated Board Now Has Taken UP
the Photographers Demands Import
amt Statement by One of the BLENDERS.
A member of the Federation board,
speaking yesterday afternoon of the
probability of a strike of the telegraph
operators, firemen and trainmen or the
Consolidated road, said: IF we can
see the officials of the road l am pretty
sure that we can get along without a
strike. If they refuse to treat with u.s.
though, we will deliver our ultimatum
and strike will surely follow. ! be-
lieve that there will be settlement,
though and that it will not come to
strike because the combine against the
company is one of the strongest that
has ever threatened a strike and the
demands, so far as the operators arc
concerned, are reasonable, They are.
of course, willing to meet the road peo-
pie half way and make some conces-
sions. The great object is to secure for
the organizations of the men recogni-
ton by the company. The idea of hav-
ing contracts with the men is new here,
but contracts have been secured in other
parts of the country.
1.-THE company has wrong idea of
the organizations. 1t thinks that they
are arbitrary, but when the representa-
tives of the organizations are given
hearing l guess the road people will be
surprised, because after the companies
have recognized us and given us a hear
ing we nave always arrived at agree
anents with them without any trouble
at all.
'Within the last year and half sew
enteen different roads have given us
contracts without strike. One of the
last contracts was secured from the
Grand Trunk about two months ago
Only two or three weeks ago the Long
Island Railroad company, which last
winter wouldn't recognize us at all, gave
us conference and all differences were
settled satisfactorily to all parties"
As matters stand now, the next move
will be made by the Federation board.
"A member of the Photographers union
said last night that representatives of
their organization had attempted to get
a hearing with General Manager Cham
berlain Of the Consolidated road and
had been unsuccessful. The matter
was then turned over to the Federation
board, which is composed OF representa-
tives of various organizations of rail-
road employees and which only steps in
and acts when a strike is imminent.
The Federation board is composed Of
the executive heads Of the various or
Plantations which have entered the
Federation. These organizations are
those of the teegraphers, the firemen,
the trainmen and the conductors The
Federation board is made up of the ex-
ecutive heads of each of these organi-
cations. The executive heads consist of
the chairman Of each national orSani-
cation, the general secretary and the
general chairman of the organizations
on the road where the grievances exist.
Among those composing the Federation
board which will act i'm the present
case are Grand Chief Sargent of the
F'iremen's union, President Powell OF
the Photographers union, Grand Chiet
Morrisey of the Brotherhood OF Kali
road Trainmen and Grand Chief Clark
of the Conductors organization. In all
there are twelve members of the FEEDER
alton Doard.
The engineers organization is not
now allied with the Federation, but it
Is expected that at their convention to
be held this coming fall they will vote
to affiliate with the Federation.
President Powell of the Photographers
70 Tow q
wen tomorrow to look into the present
situat ton, to get clear idea OF how
matters stand. He will then return to
Boston, where it is expected that the
board will meet and endeavor to get a
conference with General Manager
Chamberlain of the Consolidated road,
whose office is in Boston The board
will endeavor to see him first, and in
the event of being unsuccessful there |
will appeal to President Clark, and if |
ha refuses to hear them it is probable |
that they will appeal to the directors of |
the board. This plan was outlined last
night by a man who is closely identified |
with the Federation board. He said |
that if all the members of the board |
could get together this week he had no |
doubt but that before the end of the |
week an agreement would be reached |
with the railroad or a strike would be |
ordered. The members of the board live |
In widely separated parts of the country
and it is possible that they may not all
get together this week.
The same person, speaking OF the
claim that even if the telegraphers |
struck the company would be able to
get along with telephones, said that tel
enhones could not be used successfully
in railroad business to take the place
of the telegraph. He said that, aside
from the costly mistakes which would
he ant to result from the use OF tele-
nhones. the telephone system could not
he used. He said that there were be-
tween New Haven and New York about
14o operators at present and thought
that telephone could not be used, since
,f one station was using the Wire no one
else could use it unless exchange STA
lions were established.
Tn case a strike is ordered by the
17nderation board not only the tele-
praphers, but the firemen, the tralnnen
and the conductors, will be called out,
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