The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-26
APPEAL TO
The PUBLIC
Street-Car Men Answer Gen'l
Manager Huff vigorously.
CRlrlclsE HIS POSITION
His Communication Discussed Section
by section-Men Not Making Enough
to Live on, They Say, Because
of increase in Prices.

The Executive Board OF the street rail-
way motormen and conductors Of Rich
inond, Petersburg and suburbs OF both
cities. held meeting yesterday morning
to discuss the communication OF Gene
raj Manager HUFF, OF the Virginia PAS
senger and Power Company. In reply 70
their proposition OF arbitration on all
matters OF disagreement and an Increase
OF their wages, stating for his company
that neither the one or the other was
possible at this time. The two comm,ini-
cations were published In Sundays paper
After full and lengthy consideration OK
the reasons assigned by Mr. Hun, the
board decided to send him the suggestion
that the matter be left to board OF ar
bitrators, and to the public an appeal
and statement. which is published here
with:
To the Public:
Division 1872 Of the .Amalgamatcd Asso-
brncing all the street railway motormen
and conductors OF Richmond. Peters Frs. burg aI
9nd all branch Ss p5esentea to and thf Po
er ' Com 40 n propositon. which carried
with 1t an increase OF pay for me en- en-.
nloyea AND d scheme srab Sf Weh hight
mess eo nse nf the lne FUTURE This
tween employer employc. and that the
possibility Of clashing between the TWO
This pr proposition was submitted to Gen m
ern Manager Huff. as q representa- tive
OF the company With the hope ,,, mat ,;ror ne
ii s pnd Of Spee JUSTICE sss and fn sRsFs
with them N The a ampeye 50 to
1i Hl ' taking this view Of the matter. and
entering into the coneillatory s S 1t OF ane
S soundness t. 81 the position q ihe en-.
oyes and has Sysn ms beore
il to the association. which addressed
him The most casual observer VIII re-
GSnze in , iss 70 GAIN On p ihs
eSr t hs f pan p the puPs asanst ths
on Of ,ns Wages and CIV
inG 81 gentlemen sg len imbned With a desire e
Conduct which our citizens could ap-
II Is important to proper, nnders !, nd
understand exactly what compllanSfae
with the. reques, OF the employees s ~4 thai
carry with IT. for We Ten, are e anx xeSf 1R nh
before those honorable citizens Who have have
in the past so truly and faithfully sto9a
by US w an1 fyen 1hel the
our duties as pleasant as possible under
the circumstances. II the company grant.
Ha emr rssu on our city Ines Would receive
sl.9S per day. and conductors sl.s9 per
day; The, wages OF the men % on ! the >, re e.
great, and the dangers and responslb, II,
ties are much less. would receive va, Inu zen
less rate OF eompensat,i.oqh her. N opd ave we
peal to the honesty OF our citizens 70 Say
Whether they regard demand for the
above named wages for men VINO % nave 1narn 10
ing in order to be at their place OF busi-
ness. who IN the discharge Of It., their lroG dn-
Itch called upon to face and Taln ieb al nnr
II ther De Is, s1'a citizen Of Richmond who mas
hoq Gay our ptt aaS he Who W
G Ie v''i The Justice OF our claim-for II the
tncrease is granted. there will be nothing
init but the ordinary living for the men
and 'hf sUB iaiHH:fs. TO CRITICISM.
While Mr.. Hufr's reply has been care
fully drawn. no doubt with the ass,st ,
ance OF the high salaried and competent
attorneys OF the road. nevertheless II is
subject to at least some criticism, Ihnt
Il may not mislead the public and put
our men in false position, we sha:., IN
our awkward and unlettered way, attempt
to, as briefly as possible. review It.
Mr.. Hun first says that shortly y, after inc
properties confronted ny tne TuSsSaIbSt
and Power Co. were acquired, and before
there had been an opportunity to know
what the earning capacity and the ex-
penses OF Of the properties operated toseth,;
or would be, demand for increased
wages and n nine-hour day was present
cd II we mistake not. this refers TO the
time when the Passenger and Power Com
many acquired the properties Of the Trac-
ton Company. which was virtually the
work OF Mr.. Fisher, although he did not
tlg,lre publicly In the transaction. Now,
does Mr.. Hun tell the citizens of Rich
mond that SO shrewd manipulation OF
railroad stock and finances as Mr.. Fisher
has proven himself to be would ever have
bought n road before no knew what the
earnings, expenses and profits of that
road we're? Does he mean to tell our
citizens that this same expert would
have bought a road at all y which he
did not know there was profit? We are
OF the opinion that our citizens will be
slow to enter into and share with Mr..
Hun this view While we were not pres
ent at the deal. we are persuaded that
every book was examined. every expense
carefully computed. and balance-sheet
drawn which was satisfactory to the
purchasers. and proved the Investment to
be paying one.
Mr. Huff next says when the company
had been gotten into such shape as to