Waterbury Democrat., 1903-01-12

ITeaCnGd c1lmaA yesterday HOEuluS, when the men went on strike. Satur- day night, or rather Sunday morning, after the last car was taken to the ibarn, all the trolley men held meet ing. and it was put to vote whether or not to strike 1t was voted to strike, and at 3:3o o'clock Sunday morning Mir Sewell, the general manager of the com pany, was notified by telephone of the action of the meeting This was start ling news for MT Sewell, for he had supposed all along that when the men had heard all the sides of the case they would not have taken such action. He thought that his personal popularity with the men would cut some figure, would prevent such an awful climax to the controversy which they had been indulging in for the few days previous. The men, it will be understood, gave the company Saturday morning a writ ten proposal and allowed MT Sewell un- til midnight to give them an answer, They informed him that they expected that answer would be an affirmative; Ithat is, the discharged men would be taken back and the other demands granted. Saturday noon Mir Sewell re- ceived a message from Philadelphia by telephone asking him to meet A. M. Young in New York Saturday night The meeting was held and it was there and then decided that the company would not grant what the men demand ed
 The mems demand. is as followsa
 i. Recognition of the union.
 ?. The reinstatement of William Barrett, John Kelly, Edward MaIoney land A. W. Light. discharged men,
 3. A ten-hour day at 221a cents per hour for all regular and extra men,
 4. Snow blow work 30 cents Der hour; car barn men 20 cents per hour
 5. All extra men shall be paid regu- lar scale of wages for reporting at car barns until released
 6. All men failing to report to barn flo take out their cars shall report for duty at central office at s:30 8. m. and at ? D. m., to be paid only for work done. s
 .. All men employed by this com any shall become members of our union within. thirty days.
 g.. In all cases where men are dis charged the superintendent shall allow a conference with the grievance com, mittee
 MT Sewen returned with his answer on the 7:52 train Saturday night. He had had very hard days work and slept all the way from Bridgeport. So busy was he that he had not time to partake, even of lunch Mir Sewell feels the situation very keenly. apart from his position as general manager, because he knew he was quite popular with the men and that this sentiment would have some influence in deciding their final action. Upon arriving in town MT Sewell drew up the following answer in preparation of the mems final demand. The men named in the communication form the committee who are managing the affair:
 Messrs Cornelius Horgan, Howard
 Dennis and J. c. Collins:
 Gentlemen: I have your communl- Ecation of January 9, 1903, addressed to ype as general manager, embodying the Edemands of the employees of the Water blry division of the Connecticut Rail- way and Lighting Go.
 These demands have been considered iby the company, and am instructed ito inform you that they will not be z granted
 Any employe of this company who fails to report. for work before D. m. Monday, January 12, 1908, will be con sidered as having left the employ of this company. and he is hereby noti- Ined to immediately call at the office of the company for any money that may be due him. If any man, who shall thus leave the service of this lcompany. be at any time re-empIoyed 1t will be as new employe, and at the established rate of wages.
 Yours very truly,
 J. B. SEWELL. General Manager.
 January II. 1903
 Upon being informed of the mems decision MT Sewell said he was sorry and that if the men went out he would give them until 3 o'clock this afternoon Ito return to work. If they failed tt return by that time their places would be considered vacant, aId if after tha, ltime they returned to work they should begin as new men, at IS cents per hour Following is the statement of the mems committee:
 Waterbury Conn. Jan Il, 1903. First and Only Official Statement of the
 Employes of the Connecticut Rail
 way and ; ghting Go, Waterbury Di vision:
 Previous to this time we have beer unable to give out statement owing to our promise to Mir Sewell, made al his request on Saturday morning, tha- x we would not confer with the press re \ Igarding our troubles. and as Mir SeweI 5 lhas broken faith and taken advantage 4 or us by placing a false statement be & Tore the public through the press, wt 4 Heel in duty bound to give our state Iment to the press, and let the public ne the judge as to who is right in tho matter. We have kept our word al nen in this regard. The inconvenience 1o the public, we know will be very great. Our reasons for stopping worl on Sunday were that the public would have chance to know our action an( be prepared for Monday morning.
 Tn reply to the statements of Mana ger Sewell we have the following tt offer in rebutta1:
 We enphatically deny and vigorous lv brand the statement a contemptibl' lie. that we were drinking in saloor
 on Saturday night in uniform, as stat'