Waterbury Democrat., 1903-02-20
mcnt,

There is something new in the strike situation in Waterbury to-day ana the indications point to something else every other day from now on until we reach the end. Since the trouble started much has been heard about the me men and many wondered if they would be called out, but it seems the union to which these men belong never thought seriously of such thing, put on the contrary permitted some tnlngs to he done since the strike Wnch they would not stand for in times or peace in order not to get into the snarl: put it seems there was something III lhe air at the power station, anyway, and if came to head this morning when Superintendent Meth dropped Ray Platt of Bridgeport in upon the linemen as foreman of the emergency wagon, 70 succeed A. Crowley. Naturally crow lev was a little surprised at seeing PIatt crawl over his head without any warning. and he Informed the superln- tendent that while he had no objection to Platt doing all the trolley work he pleased. he did not see why he should be put on the wagon. To this MT Meth is said to have answered that if Crow ley didn't like the new order of things there was no more for him to do. CroW- lev took this for what it meant and quit, the other man on the wagon. Thomas Allen, going with him. Halr an hour or so later all the men ana their helpers in that line of business, numbering about ten, had left their Jobs, and PIatt and James Smith were in undisputed possession of the field.
 Ray Platt is we'll known in Water bury. He worked for the company here for several years as motofman, and also tried his hand as ltneman, but got tired of it and went back to the cars again While he was in the line business he belonged to the union. but he finally left the organization and has not Joined 1t since. For some time past he has been in the employ of the Con- necticut Railway and Lighting Go at Bridgeport doing telephone work.
 It is said that one feature of the ob- lection to Platt is that he stands ac- cused of being spy for the trolley company at Bridgeport and is charged with shadowing Waterbury men who went down there since the strike start ed Besides this the men say that about three weeks ago Mir Meth want7 en to know if they could arrange some way with their union so as to do any thing that might be required of them in 
 as we'll as before. but they made it plain to him that the most they could do in that direction was to work with non-union foreman, which they had been doing since the trouble started and which they were willing to do as long as it lasted.
 One of the men who went out this ! morning told Democrat reporter that this was plain case of the superinten dent forcing the union men to go out He said that they had no intention whateverof objecting to Platt doing trol ley work, but that they did not want to have him placed over their gang He said that for the present they had decided not to call out the trimmers because such a course would put the city in utter darkness, and that they were trying to avoid that if such $ thing be possible.
 General Manager SewelI was seer by the reporter, but he didn't appear to know much about ct. He said, how ever, that he was not aware that there was any foreman on the emergency wagon for some time past, and tha the placing of MT Platt in authority there had nothing to do with the line men unless they wanted to take it tha way. Platt, he said, is practica man and there is room for him in Wa terbury, and he had a notion that tn company had a right to say what h. should do without giving offense t anybody. But he hadn't had time t inquire into the case and therefore h was not prepared to talk on the ques ton.
 If the trouble should be carried jus trifie farther then the trimmers vii fx. 41,9 l. ,J II. ness. Let us hope that things will no come to that.
 '.Boss'' Farley paid dollar fo about half a shave ves1~rday after noon He went into Dillons tonsoria rooms on South Main street and whe1 his turn came he removed his tie an' collar and sat down In chair Joh1 T. Murphy commenced to operate upol him when someone noticed the cut ol the side of his head and suspectiu that the stranger might be the Boss Inquired what had happened to hi head. The man replied that he ha been on a little ''bender" and fell O the sidewalk opposite the postohfc building. This looked plausibl enough, still there was some doubt i the mind of the fellow who was doin TTe JdlklIl& dIu Wllu sl Fl6W lO uEdWl III him out he asked him what he though of the strike and the gang that cam here to take their places. To this Fa1 ley replied that he did not think til new corners were as much to blame a the parties that brought them in. Dul Ing the conversation and when til barber had Farley almost cut ava from his whiskers, some one droppe Tn who knew him and the Boss" set ing that he was recognized jumped or of the chair just as the knight of tn razor was in the act of nutting th towel to his face, handed the barber five dollar bill, picked up his tie an collar and disappeared without wal Ing for all his change. The barbt handed him four one dollar bills an was counting the change for him, bl he was in too much of a hurry to both' with it. Those who were about il place say that the Boss was nee