Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-10
TO AVERT 4 STRIKE.
UNION WILLING TO LEAVE CASE I
ARBITRATION.
BOARD OF FIVE CITIZENS.
NATTER of Conductor sclph's suspen-
sion Considered BY the Employees
A, An Enrly-Mornine MectinE-A
strike Would BE Fnr-Rcachins.

At the meeting of Division 152, Analga-
mated Association of Street Railway EN-
nloyees. held at o'clock this morning
The division declared for arbitration in the
Belph case.
On motion of President Simmons, the
following was unanimously adopted:
THAT the Grievance Committee propose
TO the company that the Selph case DC ie1'
TO Eve disintercstcd citizens-the company
30 select two men and the union to select
two men. and these four to select the
fifth man. This board of citizens to hear
both sides of the case, and then to decide'
their decision to be final.'
PRESIDENTS POSITION.
After the meeting Mr.. Simmons SAID
that he wanted the division to try every
fair means in their power to settle the
matter without trouble. After hearing
the report OF the committee appointed 10
wait on the officials of their company
the above resolutions were adopted, anu
the Selph case was turned over to the
Grievance Committee. who have full pow
or 70 either settle the case or else can
a strike of every motorman and conductor
employed by the company.
National Chairman Pratt will reach the
city this morning.
The strike, if called this time, is liable
to be more far-rea ching than the strike
for the nine-hour day. as more OF the
employees of me company are now mem
bcrs of the division. In the strike Tor
the nine-hour day only motormen and
offn cd lint
airemen, engineers and dynamo-tenders
have joined the division; they may be
called ont as we'll as the motormen and
conductors.
LEAVE CITY IN DARKNESS.
Should the division take This step it Will
cripple the various lighting ard power
plants Of tho company, and leave the
rity in total darkness except where gas
rs used.
The following is tho committee who will
endeavor to settle the matter with the
officials of the company to-day: William
J. Griggs (chairman). A. j. Porter. +.
Dillon, W. D. Trice, and r. d. Johnson.
Should r. Sttcrding. president of the
company, refuse to meet this committee,
the members say n strike will be called.
and every car belonging to the company
in Richmond and Manchester will be tied
up.
At the offices of the Virginia Passenger
and Power Company yesterday afternoon,
it was learned that the officials OF the
company had takeuthe stand in the case
of Conductor Selph. who was suspended
recently, that it was simply case Of
discipline among the employees of the
company. and that no one had right
to interfere in such cases.
The following is a copy of the letter
written by Mr.. Mccain, to the company.
as a result of which, Conductor Selph,
was instructed to take Mr.. McBsins'
money to him. and apologize:
MR.. M'BAIN,S LETTER.
1904 Floyd avenue,
Richmond. Va, September, 1902.
Richmond Passenger and Power Com
pany. City:
Gentleme n,-Shortly after / P NJ. on
Saturday. August 80. 1 handed the con-
ductcr of car No. l29. CIay-street line. a
silver dollar from which to take my fare.
He offered me the change in nickels. I
wanted to have 25-cent silver piece for a
certain purpose is why / gave him the
dollar. Upon being offered the handful
of nickels. / asked him to give me the
silver dollar, at the same time offering
him nickel for my fare. This universal
1y acknowledged business courtesy he re-
fused. and insisted that I should take the
nickels. which / refused to do. I rode
from Seventh and Clay to the L., +. & P.
depot after giving him the dollar, in
which he had ample time to make the
change.
ness and the return of my dollar is all
he needs: it may help him in his future
life through the world.
Yours respectfully,
(SigneD w. MBAIN.
p S. These facts were telephoned to
your main Office, also to West Main-street
office. within half an hour of their re-
currence. NIB.
General Manager Huff asked Superinten-
dent Flanagan to make a written report
20 him on the SeIph case. and the follow
ne is copy of that report:
MIR. FLANNAGAN'S REPORT.
Richmond. Va September 9. 1902
Mr.. S. w. Huff. General Manager
IVA. Passenger & Power Company,
Richmond, Virginia.
Dear Sir:-In regard to the Selph case,
beg to say that upon receipt of com
plant / found that the dollar had been
turned in to The dispatcher at the office.
requested the dispatcher, who was at
the Office, to ask Mr.. Selph, who was
running a car, to come to see me- think
ing the matter could be adjusted without
having to take the conductor from his
car. When he came to see me, he was
very indignant, and. as he was running
at the time l requested him to call when
,r duty.
He did call in the evening, and I ex-
planned to him that I thought it his Guty
to go to the old gentleman and apologize
as he was the cause Of the disturbance
by refusing to take the five cents offered
and return the dollar
He acknowledged to me that he had
larger change. but that the gentleman
Should have given him smaller change in
the first place, and Furthermore stated
that the gentleman was not very polite
and that this was the reason why he did
lot give him the larger change.
I explained to him that he could have
avoided this disturbance by taking the
five cents when 1t was offered to him. and
returning the dollar: that his behavior
was very discourteous, and that in consid-
Grafton of the passengers age, thought
m apology was due him by the company,
and suggested that as he was, the cause
OF the whole complaint which could easily
have been avoided. he should take the
dollar back and apologize. and the matter
you'd be settled. He seemed to think that
his would be too humiliating to him. so I
suggested that he take day to consider
the matter.
he called again that evening and stated
that he was not willing to carry the
money back. then told him that would
have to lay him off for twenty days, as
must have men on my line who were
y,nl ~