The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-07-18
'AR |. ! I ! / | B|I[.IG|;IN
The Difficult !. !: | !. [ |: TASK.
Continued from First Page.)

E counsel 81Or@ the company. AT the end cot
the table Mr. Il. o. w end enberg coun-
behind him and to his left sat the Com
mittee Of the Street-Car Men-Messrs.
#W.E5J.s Griggs. b.. F. Hobart. w. y.
johnson, II. J. Baker, c. Corley, b. Porter
and E. Dillon. Major Patton, president
of the Passenger and Power Company,
occupied a chair. upon their side Of the
table.
The meeting was an open one to which
representatives of the local newspapers,
were admitted.
Before the meeting had been called
there were lettering around the front
at the general offices. curious crowd
composed largely of street carmen, who
were restless and impatient for the
boards decision
CROWD ON OUTSIDE.
During the progress of the meeting the
crowd thickened, so that, when the ad-
journment was announced at S:5 there
We're fully one hundred and fifty persons
gathered.
President Simmons, Of the local union.
was among the first to hear of the post
ponement for further consideration, until
morning, and was evidently disappoi.lt-
ed. When asked what he thought of the
adjournment, he said II don't like it,.
Further than this he declined to make
any statement. Some of the men take
the postponement philosphically, while
the great majority had expected a de-
cision at once and were disappointed.
This meeting at o'clock was an adj
journed session from the brief conference
held by the arbritrators at 1 o'clock in
the day Immediately after they had been
informed of their selection. It was I'M
derstood that the street car men and the
officials of the company would be given
the opportunity at this time to present
their sides Of the case and this they
were prepared to do.
After the agreement had been signed,
Mr.. Martin. counsel for the Passenger
and Power Company, asked to submit
to the board along with the scale of
wages paid by the Traction Company, the
kilograms his company had received on
Wednesday from various cities in the
South, stating the wages paid street
car employees in those places To this
Mr.. Wendenburg made his first objection
saying that no court in the country would
admit these kilograms as evidence.
Mr.. Martin replied, that the matter
in hand was not a criminal casa
d Mr.. Forbes, who. as chairman. presided,
submitted to the arhitrators, as they
would have some bearing on the case.
Mr. Forbes asked for the scale by
which the Passenger and Power Com
pany had paid it's men, which was sub
mitted.
STREET CAR MEMS SIDE.
Mr.. Wendenburg, on the part of the
street car men, was heard first He stated
their position briefly, their demand for
20 cents per hour, to be paid all employees,
and the nine-hour schedule.
He said there were really but two rea-2
sons for their demand; the one that ply
scally the men endured a hardship I'M
der the twelve-hour shift, and the other
that they hoped by the nine-hour
schedule to give more men employment.
It follows. he said, that with the con-
soidation of the lines of Richmond some
of the cars are coming off. and with the
continued twelve-hour men, some of the
men now employed will be thrown out
Now, with shorter hours, he said, some.
men will be still necessary for the oper-f
alton of the SYSTEM lie went on to.
show that a nlotorman or conductor,
should their demands for 20 cents per
hour, and the nine-hour shift be granted
could earn s54 per month by working
every day In the month.
Mr.. Martin, in stating the case from
the company's stand point. asked the ar
bitrators to consider as one of the prime
elements of the case the ability of the
company to pay the Increased wages, and
continue the successful operation Of its
lines.
He said the demand for the same rate
on every line. branch lines and main
lines, if granted, would cut off with one
stroke all possibility of the company's
extending it's lines. He said it was I'M
reasonable to ask for men employed on
suburban routes the same pay as those
who were on the crowded streets. and
handle the great crowds of the the clty's
travelling public.
A MISTAKEN IDEA.
Mr. Martin said the men were mis-
taken if they thought the nine-hour
scedule and the twenty-cent rate would
cause the company to run more cars or
give more men employment. He said
it would naturally follow that fewer cars
would be operated.
Before closing Mr.. Martin predicted
that the demands of the union, If granted,
would finally land the Passenger and
ceiver.
Mr. Wendenburg replied to this by say
ing company had better go out of bust
ness if it could not pay its men living
wages and let somebody run the street
cars who could manipulate things to give
the employees a show.
During the tilt between counsel Mr.. Sit.
terding now and then interposed with
Several members of the Employees COM
mittee addressed the arbitrators. They
held that their demands were not unreas-
enable and called attention of the board
to their duties and responsibilities. They
enumerated their expenses for uniforms,
caps, gloves, gum coats and boots. which
the company requires them to furnish out
of the meas gre salary on which they are
supposed to live, and in many instances
support families.
One man compared the wages of the
street car men with those of the hod-
carrier showing the latter receiving s.
track hands. he said, received s1.1o iper
day. while the motorman. who has TIE
lives of the public in his hands, gets only
a few cents more per hour.
Before the arbitrator went into execr-
tive session Mr.. Hobart. of the committee.
asked to submit a recent report of the
Amalgamated Association. showing the
scale Of wages paid in all the cities Of
the co,r. ~ where the street car men are
organized
port. giving some cities lite, far below and
report was left with the arbitra tors.
EXECUTIVE SESSION.
When all had withdrawn from the pri-
lyate office the officials of the company