The sun., 1901-03-18
TO STRIKE ON THE BRIDGE?
THE COMPANY BREAKING ~ INSPECT.
ORs As MOIORUEN.
The Five Men Appointed 10 wait on President
Rossitsr Two weeks Ago Have All Been
Discharged. Il Is Said. for Inattcntion TO

That the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company
Is going TO be- prepared should any trouble
arise over the demands Of the Bridge em-
ployees was made evident late Saturday
afternoon when the night motormen received
orders before starting 10 work that they
would be expected to break in any Of the
oompany's employees who presented them
selves during the night for that purpose
The order created some surprise and not
little Ill feeling among the Bridge hands. but
about o'clock when about forty inspectors
boarded the Bridge trains end stated that
they were there TO learn the business. the
III feeling increased and although tho Bridge
men Obeyed orders to the letter IT was plain
that they wore angry clear through and Just
u bit worried us to what it all meant
soon afterward the cable was put in opera
ton and each inspector was drilled IN tho
use Of the grip This was continued up 10
about o'clock Sunday morning when cleo
trio power was again used and the inspectors
quit for the night. Last night they were
again on hand and up to late hour the cable
was running with inspectors on each ear.
That the dissatisfied Bridge employees intend
to act at present could not be learned last
night. but from their talk they do not appear
TO intend to act hastily One OF the inspectors
who is learning how TO handle Bridge tIGins
said.
Il don't think there is any chance of any,
thing serious happening just yet, but II II
should why ! suppose the company wants
to have us well broken in 80 that the Bridge
will not be tied up"
The five men who were appointed a COM
mittee to wait upon President Rossitcr OF
the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company two
weeks agO in the interest Of the seventy
eight conductors aud Twenty-Five motormen
employed on the Bridge car. have been dis
charged by the company for natt"nuon to
their duty Two OF them were dismissed
on Thursday, two more on Friday and tho
fifth received his discharge onsSaturddv.
This has caused the rest of tho men to feel
uneasy, and there was much talk last night
of strike The officers OF the company
believe that strike is bound to come and
they are preparing for II They do not "S-
pect one this morning but they would not b"
SURPRISED il the men went out during the
rush hours Of this afternoon.
The conductors and motormen Of the
Bridge train service Who are not on duty
will hold a meeting at $50 fulton street, Brook
lyn this morning II may be Tint ~ this
meeting II will he deCid ded that they 60 on
strikc this afternoon. The men say that tho
Brotherho ood Of Local Engineers have agreed
10 support them in the nght shis they
claim is big thing In their favor, as all the
engineers on the elevated railroad system.
which IL part Of the brooklyn Rapid Transit
Company, belong 10 the Brotherhood
The men who are dissatisfied are the old
Bridge employees who formerly we're rated
ms city employees, but were ira nsterred e.
the Brooklyn Rapid Transit service when
the Bridge Commissioners gave the control
or passenger carving 80 thnt compa nv
When the change was made the railroad i'm
mcdlatelv cut the wages 70 make them CON
form tn tho regular scale that they paid their
other employees on the trolley Cars.
This raised howl and was really the be-
ginning Of the trouble, although many new
rules made for then, have also proved dis
tasteful Tie Installation Of the through
train service has al-o had much 10 do with the
present situation A. this has decreased the
number ~ Bridge trains run az all times
| during the day except rush hours. 4 strike.
| should il occur. will affect no one II Is said,
! bu, the Bridge trAinmcn, unless some Of the
! other employees, such as ticket sellers and
| choppers. should decide To go out also There
| has beennD sympathy talk from any Of the
| other employees OF the company on either
| the elevated or trolley lines