The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-16
RAILROAD STRIKE ATHAND?
pEOSpECT or 4 1IE-UP ON TWO
>rW ENGLAND SYSTEMS

.i,r. condition Of the Labor Problem ON
tho Hrsinn and Maine and New York,
Sew lIn,cn and Hartford Railroads.
1hc Alleged Grievances of the TeleE-
,,rr,r. Sut needed-On tho Boston and
u,,ue rhcy Have Voted to strike-No
,,,, Vet ON tue other Road-Next Stop
70 Appeal to the Federated Railroad
rr,th,rhoods to Enforce Their Demands.
r,,~,v Iuly 1.-THE labor troubles on the
,,.,.,,, and Maine and New York. New Haven
.,1 hartford railroad systems have reached a
.,... where a general strike seems probable
,,,I,ss ,ba arrangements of the roads recede
,.,r ,b, If present position. The strike would
T. ,.,ryc from $1,000 to $4,000 employees. and
4, s,cces ,ful would result In complete tie UP
OF both sy-t"ms.
m. order OF Railway TeleRraphers Is re-
.,,rsih.e ,or the present phase Of the situa
,,,, in seeking the adjustment OF what the
,,,uL.rs consider grievances But the en-
,I,y.es If other departments also have griev-
.rc.s and will probably aid in q general
royement to put the railroad employees OF
M Trs'ppd IN "A moro favorable situation.
Many ~ III. big roads OF other parts OF this
.,u,trv and of Canada have already adopted
rocticeuy the same schedule OF prices that
,ha \.y England employees are seeking to
have adopted
ava for n minimum salary OF 81 a day and for
dpv,s work Of a fixed number OF hours with
rov,or overtime 1t is asserted that at present
many men who should be classed as telegra-
nbers get as low as from $50 to $40 month
And work from 3 o clock in the morning until
late in the evening.
The employees say they are willing to sub
init the whole matter to arbitration, provided
the railroad companies will agree beforehand
10 ABIDE by the decision. The arrangements OF
the New York. New Haven and Hartford and VI
the Boston and Maine roads refuse to recog-
pi2o tho organizations OF employees. to sign
contracts or to treat with them In any way.
though they say they are willing to take up In
dlydual grievances. The men say this method
Is not a success. from their standpoint.
Effort, 10y the Order OF Railway Telegraphers
10 have grievances adjusted having met with
poaleluate result the next step was to get an
EXPRESSION Of opinion as to the advisability OF
n strike from the telegraphers employed
ON the roads Those on the Boston and
Maine road are practically unanimous In
favor Of a strike. The vote has not yet
!een taken on the Consolidated system.
The next step will be to lay the matter before
Federation Of Railway Employees. This body
Will then try to arrange conferences with the
managers Of the roads involved. and falling in
settling the trouble rs they probably will.
this federated body will then consider the ad-
visibility OF ordering strike. This federation
includes the Order of Railway Telegraphers. the
Brotherhood OF Locomotive Firemen. the Order
Of Railway Conductors and the Brotherhood OF
Hallway Trainmen. this last order including
the hrakcmen. switchmen. baggagemasters-
yaIdmen and others employed in minor ca
racitie@ 1t will be noted that the federation
does not include the engineers or the freight
handlers But both are strongly organ
lied and both have differences with their
employers which they have lately been
trying to have adjusted without sue
cess. so that their sympathy. at least,
could be counted upon in case OF a strike
ordered by tho federation. On the Boston and
Maine road the engineers have a Joint sched-
ue with the iircmen. which would call either
body out in case the other struck. On the
New York. New Haven and Hartford about half
the engineers are also members OF the Broth
erhood Of Locomotive Firemen.
The tracEmen are now organizing. and the
freight handlers are already we'll organized.
The after order on the n. YIN II. and H.. has
grievances, and in the effort to get them ad-
Iusted relations between the order and the road
have been strained very nearly to the breaking
point
Every organization of employees on the Bos-
ton and Maine road made efforts in the month
Of June 10 have their grievances adjusted but
there was little satisfaction given in any
case. Tho alleged treatment OF the Order
Of Hallway TeleRraphers by the officials
Of the road will serve as an example for
them all. committee OF three men from
this order waited upon General Supern-
'endent b. W. Sanborn on juno 20. and pre-
sehtod to him for his consideration contract
drawn by the order. He declined to consider
ERr1t day the committee took the case to 7. A:
Nackihnon. general manager.who also refused
MsHcIHnSid"r the contract or even to read it. MIR:
Of 0i,,, salaries, and he said that was
would adjust ' in indVdua ls cases as last
esthe earnings OF the road would permit. The
s,ohlmitt"" Put forth the assertion that the
ply hut Mr Mackinnon said that WAS a matter
F Tu InlN ,i opinion An APPEAL 70 President
hE 70 recognize the order as such.
in having exhausted all the usual preliminares
t n SG ,at Ga ; vote Of the members was
fE nI two-thrds vote in favor would have
cen 10 Suii,r"nt 10 insure the next step This
Gfri.rh Of The result Of the vote. President
i"WeII IS now at his home in Peoria. H., and
II Is not known Just when he will call the
meeting Of the federated Board in Boston:
IN -" New York. New Haven and Hartfc I'd.
at''F ne order had appealed unsuccessful y to
s"IVldlhatn officials. President Powell rote
T. thar"s J., Clark. President OF the road. ask
mE .ot "A conference This has no. been
kIht"l, ~ tar as can he learned. and II 1t 10
REFUSED hat road will also be rolled.
a., ~ been almost impossible TO get the eX-
A'I 'ril'r- = thr contract the employees have
MhMA u a. the officials OF the two roads abb
hH',"F refuse to be interviewed. and the
10, tW'"rr IN charge II the movement are
~, IlNlv""i 20 give Information to the news
l"L'r> al present. II can be said positively,
I.""n'r hat the following are the principal
t"''i'~ ~ ~ contract, and that the cont racts
''I ~ihllltaIly the same for both roads:
a. NlM kArE o. >LARIEs.. Chief train despatch
~, !, d., per month oh the New York. New Haven
d. n"' '.n gu III" ruston and Maine, tl25 trick
iI.l"" .'' $500 Per day on the New York, New
H.. 't'I hartford and 500 per month on the
=, '"h "Hu Ma ne tlr>c salaries are ALREADY paid
T., .' 'l-lnnS ot both roads, Tut in other cases
A 81. I'.lM % To- 20 per cent less; interlOcking
g, u, - :" I"r day: lntcrlOCking leNrrmen.
,n, a. Tiers. - per day, with overtime pro
i'i ''i' MAJ ~ M Case shall less than - cents
l. a. - Phil lor overtime. In all towers whGIe
= .Il an 'l, man "A employed on q trick one man
~" '.h'm'redlAnd officially known as directors;
~, '"'. = IT, .U3,.il,n
r"a-.' N"uh. Eight hours. consecutive Din
co... "- we Time Consumed IN making transfers, to