The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-12
SUBWAY STRIKE MUST END.
CLTIMATIM TO STRIKERS To GO
TOWORK or LOSE THEIR JOBS.
Contractor Mcdonald Gives Them Till
Tomorrow Morning to Make Their
Choice-Meantime New Men Are Being
Hired-Teamste rs' 81 rike to he Settled.

| their jobs tomorrow morning, their places
will be filed by non-union laborers anc
these laborers will be protected in doing
the work, even II the route Of the subway
| has 10 be lined with policemen,
That WAS the ultmatum which John B
| Mcdonald, after conference with his sub
contractors, delivered yesterday 10 the
| president OF the Rockmens and Excavators
union and the members of the settlement
committee Of the Central Federated Union
who had brought the unions reply reject.
ing the plan of settlement. accepted for
them by the c. F. U. last week, because the
plan provided for their return to work
pending arbitration.
In the letter which Mr.. Mcdonald de-
livered on behalf of himself and the sub
| contractors it was shown plainly that the
patience of the latter has become thoroughly
exhausted. They are incensed, not only
| against the strikers, who, the letter said
have been receiving the largest wages
for the shortest working hours in any coun-
| try under the sum-" but also against the
Central Federated Union, which by indoors.
| ing the laborers' demands for a SO per cent.
| increase Of wages, helped to bring on the
strike.
The conference at which this letter was
| drawn up was held in Mr.. McDonald's Office
yesterday morning There were present
at 1t, besides Mr.. Mcdonald, Michael j.
Degnon Of the Degnon- Mclean Company,
William Bradley. John c. Rodgers D. j.
Farrell, j, j. Hopper, Frederick Holbrook.
g. W. McNuty and John Shields. All Of
these contractors expressed the opinion
that plenty of laborers could be found the
| moment 1t was shown that protection
| would be assured to them. When the com
mittee called later with the letter from the
| to return to work Mr.. Mcdonald simply
read the contractors ultmatum as follows:
! To the members Of the committee Of the Contra!
Federated linton and vour recently added
As it Ia very evident that In the, pied &c
Of your word. as a committee, and by your
or i bind the labor orSanIzations, You viii
see that ii Is entirely futile to carry on any
future conferences for the Ranid Transit work
further delay
ii the laborers who we're receiving the
in any any country III under the sun, and Who. aided
fsssfR Rapid d yS" afSad thu ,s T?
that, while the employment of labor Is entirely
men who are willing to work will be put In
their places. and ! say now to YOU most en-
phaicaly, not as threat but as warning;
that even II one man wishes 10 work he shall
be protected to the full extent Of our power
szainst violence, rioting. lawbreaking and
Mr.. Mcdonald said that this letter was
all that the contractors had 70 say. and
the committee went away To talk the mat
ter over. In the afternoon the ropresen-
tatives OF the Central Federated Union
sought and obtained another conference
with the b-contractors. this time with
references ia the Transfers strike. With
the committee was Dennis Quinlan OF the
teamsters' union. At this conference
plan Of settlement of, this strike was drawn
up which will be submitted to the MEM
bers Of the union at once. The transfers
also struck for higher wages and a recog-
milton OF their union. Their strike will
be settled by arbitration II the men accept
1t. Pending arbitration they are to 90
back to work tomorrow.
In thus virtually settling the Transfers
strike the prospect for general re-
sumption OF work to morrow was further
improved, In the opinion OF the contrac.
that the Central Federated Union is pretty
tired Of the conduct Of the Italians. whom
it has only lately taken under it's wings,
and that there will he no sympathetic
strikes or ref,isas of the other trades to
work should the strikers refuse to 60 back
any mon they can get. SO far from TAX
ing affront at anything in Mr.. McDonall's
letter. the Central Federated Unions rep.
resentatives seemed to be more DESTROYS
than ever of keeping on the right side OF
the contractors. AS was shown when they
ing the teamsters strike.
Whether the Italians will return to
work is uncertain. Meetings were held
yesterday. at which their leaders urged
them to stand firm and not to return until
their demands, eight hours work and
eight hours play eight hours sleep and
81 paw" were granted. Vito Pucelli. their
leader, said that n meeting would be held
on Mr. Mcdonald letter would be sought
He would not predict what their action
would he. Some Of his lieutenants seemed
to think the men would pay no attention
to it.
Unusual precautions are being taken
against possible damage being done by the
strikers. Firms selling dynamite are to he
asked by representatives of the Rapid
Transit Commission that none be sold to
strangers, II being feared that some Of the
completed sections Of the tunnel repre-
sentative OF the commission said Yesterday
that there was good deal more reason to
fear this than that violence would be at
tempted against the men obtained in the
strikers places.
a lot Of Italians know good deal about
dynamite, said this man, 'and that il
why we have asked the firms supplying
II not to sell 1t to strangers. We alsointend
to have tho compe ed sections Of the tunnel
guarded night and day for while and special
guards placed at the houses in which dyna-
mite is stored"
George W. MoNulty said yesterday that
Gen. Greene had assured the contractors
that when the attempt Is made to start up
work tomorrow morning he can have police
all along the line OF the tunnel.
sWe are confident said Mr., MoNulty,
that az soon as work is started up one-half
the strikers will go back to work. They are
only kept out now by their leaders. We are
not going out of the city to get any labor.
We can get all we need here. All that we
need Is protection
Some OF the cont ra ors decided yesterday
not to wait until Wednesday and started
hiring non-union men In the afternoon.
Contractor Bradley had 200 men, guarded
by policemen, at work along upper Broad
way The men were watched by groups
of strikers but the latter seemed to be spies
rather than out to attempt violence.
The Degnon- Mclean Company got to-
gether about 100 laborers and SO did McMul-
len Mclean, who have the Harlem River
section. The contractors said they would
go on hiring men to-day.
II was said that at the meeting of the
strikers to-day Consul-General Branch
will try to persuade them to 60 back to
work or, at any rate. to preserve the peace.