The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-21
ELEVATED READY FOR STRIKE,
1T CAN HAVE NEW MOTORMEN AT
WORK IN HALF AN HOUR.
Significant Announcement After Visit
OF . Trainnien's Committee to Supt.
Hctiley-The Trainmcn Are Next in

Supt. Hedley of the marlborough Rapid
Transit Company announced yesterday
that if the motormen strike on the Man
haitian elevated roads their places can be
filled in half an hour. This statement was
made just after committee of the organi-
zation Of trainmen, conductors and other
workers on the elevated exclusive of the
motormen and firemen, had conference
with Mr. Hedley The committee was
headed by President George Pepper of the
union
The full name Of this organization is
Local 332 Of the Amalgamated Association
of Street Railway Employees. 1t is on
excellent terms with the company. Its
members say they have no grievances.
All the men, from the gatemen up, are
supposed to be in line of promotion, those
highest being next in the line TO the dis
gruntled motormen and firemen. When
the others were on the point of striking
last April, the motormen refused to have
anything to do with them. They feel,
therefore, that they are under no obliga-
tons to the motormen.
Mr.. Hedley was seen by a SUN reporter
just after the committee went out. He
said that the company could make no
further concessions. and if the motormen
were foolish enough to strike the company
was now fully prepared for such con-
tingency.
I'VE could get men from all over the
country" he said, "but we would not need
to go out of the city, The trainmen would
be willing to go to work at once. We have
done now with all negotiations with the
motormen, unless their committee comes
to us and advises us that they are ready to
accept the form of contract they rejected
yesterday. | feel satisfied that should a
strike be declared their places would be
filled at once and that our cars would be
moving again in half an hour"
Mr. Hcdley said that men promoted
to be motormen 60 to work at 81 n day for
the first six months; 1925 for the second
six months and $3.50 at the end Of the year
and afterward No outsiders are hired
| men and every one hired is in line for pro-
motion. AS each is promoted the man
below him moves up step.
Including substitutes, the elevated has
about 45O motsunen and about 5000 other
employees.
to which the men object, Mr. Hedley said:
4Mr Belmont and Mr.. Bryan argued in
turn with the grievance committee that
there is alb olutely no Interior motive in
ordering the examinations. Then / tried
my hand. but it was useless We allow
men who can bring their eyesight up TO the
necessary point by wearing glasses to work
as motormen if they wear the glasses, but
two such motormen were found to DO run
ming the motors without glasses. l want
to say, also, in reference to the examina-
tons that less than per cent. OF the men
would be disqualified by the test p"
Have you received any communication
from Grand Chief Stone or Hanahanr was
asked.
NO." he replied, +but early in the nego--
tiations I invited the committee to send
for them. They should have been sent for
Just after the strike vote was taken
Mr. Hedley denied a report circulated
by some of the men that the marlborough
company would pay only s2.25 a day to it's
subway motormen and that after while it
was intended to put subway men on the
elevated roads. He said that the wages
would be higher for the subway motormen
because a good class Of men would be
wanted and moreover the two roads would
be run under separate Arrangements.
Chairman Jencks Of the grievance oom-
mittee expects the two Grand Chiefs to-day
or tomorrow. He said yesterday that
nothing would be done until the chiefs
arrived