The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-07-17
IT'S QUESTION OF WAGES
Several Conferences Are Held But
Without Results.
THE COMPANY OFFERS TO ARBlTRATE
Finally the Employees Agree TO lake the Cars
Out ltday The ArbitatO's TO Agree
by Six O'clock in the
Afternoon.
CBy the Associated Press.)


Richmond, Va, July 16.-Richmond
first big street railway strike is on.
Practically no cars are running and, of
course, transfer men and owners of all
sorts and conditions of vehicles are pre-
pairing to lay the cornerstone of their
individual fortunes by running Jehu
trolleys, using at ten cents fare all
their wagons, carriages, buggies and
busses.
A committee, representing the local
Street Car Mems Union after two con-
fcrences this evening with President
Sitterdng, of the Virginia Passenger and
Power Company, which now owns the
whole Richmond system, at which they
were unable to get together on wages
question, shortly before IL o'clock passed
out the ord to the men on the cars to
take the cars to the barns at noon and
quit work BY one o'clock there was
hardly a street car running in Richmond
The strike affects the entire lines of
the Passenger and Power Company in
Richmond and Manchester. ancludJnEi
all branch lines to West Hampton.
Lakeside. Forest HILL Fairmount and
Seven Pines.
The cars of the Richmond and Petrs-
burg Electric line, which are under
separate management. are the only cars
running in the neighborhood of Rich
mond All suburban resorts are shut off
from the city traycl and suburbanites
are casting about for new methods of
getting to and from their homes.
for hac
The men took the cars to the barns with
out any irregularity or improper be-
havior
The committee fro mthe Street Car
Mems Union held two conferences with
President Sitterding this morning. AS
instructed by the Union, the committee
presented the union proposition of twen-
| ty cents an hour for nine hour day.
At the second conference this was modi-
fed on the part of the union to 20 cents
! for motormen aud 19 cents for conduc-
/ tors.
At the first conference President Sit
! terding met the men with the original
company propostion-17 cents for main
| line motormen; Is cents for branch line
, motormen; 10 cents for main line con-
ductors, and IA cents for branch line
CONDUCTORS.
President sitterding offered to submit
the matter to arbitration. This proposi-
ton was not acceptable to the commit
tee, which reported back to President
| Simmons of the union, and after con-
ference with Mr.. Simmons they returned
| to Mr.. Sitterding's office and advanced
the 20 and 10 cents proposition as a
compromise offer.
Mr.. Sitterding made a compromise
proposition of IS and 16 cents to motor
men and IS and Is cents to conductors,
a raise of cent over the previous propo-
| sition fthe company.
This was not acceptable to the menu
| bers of the committee, who, on retiring
| from Mr. Sitterding's office at once
stated that nothing remained but to call
the men off the cars.
This afternoon a car load Of non
union motormen and conductors was
brought in from Petersburg. The ar
rival of the men evoked no particular
s! demonstration.
The Chamber of Commerce held a spe
| cial meeting this afternoon TO consider
| the situation.
Tonight the men held a meeting, and
it was agreed to take the cars out at
| six o'clock tomorrow morning, and leave
the differences to arbitration the arbi-
traitors to agree by six o'clock tomorrow
| afternoon otherwise the strike will be
declared on again. The men will ap
point two arbitrators. the company two,
| and these will select fifth.