The Penn's Grove record., 1899-07-21
NEW YORK'S CAR STRIKE.
Nearly 5000 Men Went Out and
Much Rioting Resulted.
THE STRIKE NOT GENERAL.

Sfreetcar EMPLOYEES In New fork CITY
Out in Sympathy With the Brook
lyn strlkers-women Load the MODS
Which Are Dispersed by the Police
The Men Were Poorly Organized.
New YORK CRY Special. The street
railway strike, which was started In Brook
Ign, spread to Manhattan Borough. The
strike was on all the underground trolley
lines, which are the Second, Fourth, Madi-
son, Sixth, Eighth and Lenox avenue lines
aud all electric cross-town lines. 1t is es-
timated that nearly 1000 men went out on
strike.
The committee in charge of the strike
prepared an appeal to the members OF
the Order OF the Kn lights OF Labor and
other union working men, begging them
to assist the strikers, In the appeal they
review the occurrences that led to the
strike and state their grievances. The
grievances we're as follows:
L. That the time tables on all lines be ar
ranged so as to enable the men to complete
q full days work In ten hours.
2. That the prevailing rate OF wages be
fixed at S2.25 for a full days work; all
overtime to be paid In proportion.
3. That all trippers be paid at the rate
Of 224 cents per hour when actually en-
ployed, no regular trlpper run to pay less
than s1.36 a day.
4. That the company receive committees
of its employees representing the men, and
that no employees be Disseminated against
for service on such committees.
The number of employees on the lines af-
fected by the strike Is nearly 5000. About
half OF this number of men Joined in the
strike, aud 1t is due to the ~unorganized
condition of mnfnrman mil pnphupfnra
that It did not become general. The strike
is against the judgment of the labor lead
ers, but since the men insist upon going
out they are doing what they can to bring
1t to a successful end. There are over 5 90
policemen on strike duty Ia the boroughs
OF Brooklyn and Manhattan, and at times
they are unable to cope with the mobi
bent on stopping the traGlc and forcing
the men still in the company's service TO
Join them.
The most serious conflicts took placo on
the Second avenue line. Women, young
girls and boys were foremost In the rioting
which Impeded the operation OF the Sec
ond avenue cars. 1t Is many years since
such scenes have been witnessed on Man
haitian Island.
There were scores OF riots, most OF them
in the vicinity OF the power-house, at
Ninety-sixth street and Second avenue, and
In all OF the most serious ones women,
young and old, were In the van and dared
the police to club them. In almost every
instance men and boys hung behind the
women and stoned the cars and police:
1t was trying work for the latter. They
did not want to club the women, though
at times it was next to impossible to
shoulder them out Of the way. The WON.
en- stood their ground, spat upon the
policemen often, called them names and
wrestled with them fercely.
In some Of the scrlmmages women were
thrown to the ground and trampled upon.
but as far as known none was seriously
hurt. Usually thsy were up again 10 a few
seconds, rioting more lercely than ever.
Early in the morning two dynamite ex-
plosions wrecked two 81" road pillars OF
The Fifth avenue structure, at Thtrty-flfth
street, Brooklyn.
Men accustomed to the use of dynamite
say the explosion would have been more ef-
iective had tue plotters had time to prop
erly pack the dynamite.
Both pillars were knocked out OF plumb.
and the east pillar was 80 weakened that
1t was ~perilous to run trains over 1t.
A piece OF iron over thirteen inches long
and half IN Inch thick was hurled by the
explosion through an open window on the
third floor of a house over a block away.
The iron passed through an adjoining bed.
room over the heads OF the sleepers and
landed In the dining-room.
Twenty arrests promptly were made.
Sixteen OF the men arrested were hold In
$3.50 bail each, accused OF conspiracy by
William Ashley private detective OF the
Brooklyn Rapid-Transit Company.
The strike leaders have offered u reward
OF $500 II proof can be produced showing
that strikers were responsible for the ex-
plosion, and the railroad company has Of
fered u reward OF $1,000 for the conviction
OF 1.-THE men responsible for destruction OF
the ~ road pillar,
The strike In Brooklyn continues. The
ranks OF the strikers have been increased
since they quit work, but the streetcar
company has been able to replace many OF
them with new meu. The cars, however,
are not running regularly, and some oithe
roads are severely crippled. The feature
OF the strike In Brooklyn is the continued
disorder which makes 1t impossible to run
cars in some districts owing to the danger
incurrei. The men claim that they are
winning, but the officials OF the company
refuse to recognise that there Is a strike,
although they cannot run any cars with
out the aid Of the police.
1t is generally admitted that the strike
at this time was injudtcious. The men
were not prepared to go out, and 1t Is not
believed that they are In a position to win.
For every day the strike continues the
men lose In wa les over SIC, 900. and the
company loses. including the damage to
property and the decrease in traffic, over
s75, 900. The business men, OF course, are
the greatest losers, and their losses before
the trouble subsidies will amount to the
nnyIIiona