New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-17
NO ELEVATED STRIKE YET
Other Employees Win Not Join
Engineers and Firemen, 1t Is Said.


the marlborough Rapid Transit Company and tn,
grievance committee OF the dissatisfied motormer
and fremen the elevated railroad IL agreed
that further action should be deferred until afte
Monday. when another conference Will be held
This agreement was made that every means may b,
taken TO avoid strike. Vice President f. p
Bryan and General Superintendent Frank Hedley
attended the conference but neither OF them would
make any predictions as the possible result OF
TIE meeting Monday.
Just before the grievance committee appeared Mr.
Belmont had private talk for half hour or SC
with Congressman Timothy ID. Sullivan. Neither OF
them would say anything to the object Of Mr..
SUllivans visit
In the forenoon Chairman william L. Jencks Of
the grievance committee. and J. J.. Smith, also OF
the committee went TO the Office OF Superintendent
Hediey, IN the Western Union Building. and Of
1ciaily Informed him OF the vote taken by the
notormen and fremen at the needing IN Horton
Hall. No 1I0 East One-hundred- and twenty fifth
ct Thursday night, when they decided not TO
submit 10 the physical examinations unless they
were modified. Arrangements were then made for
the conference with Mr.. Belmont
The conference was held in the boardrcom OF
the Louisville and Nashville Railway Company.
close 20 Nj Belmonts Office in the Equitable lite
Building When Il was over both sides seemed
20 be arnicGbly inclined. though Il was admitted
that no decision had been reached. The grievance
committee consists OF William l. Jencks. chair
man; J. D. woolsey. Frank Davis. J. W. Smith,
representing the rnosor1nen. and J. p. Dufry and
Henry Pinney, representing the fremen.
NO DECISION AT CONFERENCE.
AFTER a conference Of several hours" said Mr..
Bryan no decision reached. though both sides
were in friendly mood. 1t was finally resolved 10
have another session. and VIII meet again
Monday. In the mean time neither side Will take
any further action. At present the whole matter
Is IN the air"
The examinations however. It was stated. will
continue IN the mean time.
we have made some progress toward a settle
rnent" said Mr.. Jencl1s. though II very little.
Nothing definite has been done. but wa Will try
again on Monday"
J. d. woolsey. OF the committee said:
I should think the company would want 10 avoid
9 strike. We viii exhaust every means hrst we
90 not want a strike II II can be avoided AS the
present transit facilities in New-York are made
ouate and everything has 10 be done at high
pressure. a strike would be a very serious aafir.
None OF the members Of the committee would say
whether the OF seeing letters threeeghths OF
inch long with either eye, the eye being shut
was find out the limit OF a mans eyesight or
as a qualification. President George E. Pepper and
other officials OF tho union OF trainmen. conductors
and others formed sst spring were downtown yes
terday and wished TO hear the result Of the con-
ference. The executive committee OF the motormen
and fremen met last evening and discussed the
results OF the conference. report OF the confer
ence will be made tonight at the regular meeting
of the motornen in Horton Hall
The present examinations. which the men COM
plain Of were ordered month or two ago after
Il had been found that one % the men had defect
IN his sight. The examinations include tests for
capacity TO see objects at a distance as well as
tests for color blindness. They also require that
men should have a sound heart, and that the
hearing should be good and that the men be In
fa.r ohvsical condition The eyesight must be
within % per cent Of normal
ONLY FEW MEN DISCHARGED.
Though only three or four men have been dis
CHARGED and the company has repeatedly assured
che men that the tests solely for safety OF the
messengers on the elevated railroads. including the
crews the men insist that they are merely a pre-
text 10 get rid OF the old men-that their places
nav be flied with non-union men The basis for
this they say, is the alleged severity Of the eX-
arninations which they say are ridiculous. They
are tested they say as II they were soldiers. One
OF the complaints is that though the company says
men wearing glasses arc competent II the glasses
bring their sight the point required. they nave
10 take OF the glasses before the tests are made.
Another complaint is that IT is only year since
the last rhvsical examinations. The company
meets this by stating that man may be physically
a. now and year hence may be oisqualneo-
Other complaints by the that the eXamina-
lions are more severe than those for the big rail-
roads and that some OF the tests have nothing TO
40 with qualifications required for motormen. The
signal men and tower men are also being examined
but so far as Is known have made no objection.
The rn0.Ormeu the former engineers on the
elevated road before the introduction Of the cleo
tric motors but are stiI affiliated with the Broth
erhood OF Locomotive Engineers and are known as
Local No. Jos Of that brotherhood. The hremen
of the old system sti affiliated with the Broth
erhcod Of Locomotive Firemen, and while some are
employed conductors and trainmen. most OF
them are employed as yarcmen and sNltchin , a..
would require the sanction OF Grand Chief Stone
OF tho BrotherhooG of Locomotive fnglneers. Re
fore an aur hOrizcd strike is ordered the general
Element II they do not sanction strike and a
the brotherhood The same course IS followed in
strikes Of locals Of the hremen brotherhood, o.
which ). j. Hanahan Is grand CHIEF
THE AGREEMENT OF ENGINEERS
When the motive power was changed from steam
20 electricity on the Manhattan syst the motor
rnen's wages. which as engineers were 81 30 a day.
were continued also those OF the fremen
The motornen. when only one part Of the system
was euipped with motor cars. talked strike. and
after a number % conferences obtained written
ever could only obtain "a verbal agreement. hut
the motormen having gained their point, would
-. Anil the conductors guards. ticket choppers
and others were organized as Local No 80 Of the
malcarlated Association Of Street Railway En-
ployes which is affiliated with the American Fed
Grafton Of Labor. They made demands Tor a nine
refused and had actually voted tie up the roads
when a conprornise was reached and the strike
was aSerted During the strike agitation the mo
tormen kept aloof. They said they were perfectly
satisfied. and they belonged 20 a separate
ganzation. would take part in the agitation.
Now the other organization says il has griev-
andis perfectly satisfied II thought that
Local No. 5S2 viii take any part a strike move
fnent II Is sale that a number Of its members
may ne asked TO take the places OF motormen I'm
case OF a strike. but. according Of its Of
neers. they would not DO So, Grand Chief Stone
OF the engineers, ard Grand Chief Hanahan. Of the
firemen. viii not be asked 20 take a hand IN the
trouble. y was said last night, until after Mon
days conference.