The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-15
MUST have 4 NINE.HoUR DAY.
ELEVATED NEWS UNION SAYS
1T WILL GET IT OR STRIKE.
eve Haveat Reached Divorce Prsceedings
Yet," Says 3. ?. Brysn-Doesnt be
Iievea Nine-Hour Day 10 Practicab'e on
the Road-Men 70 See Directors To-Day.

1et," Bew Is. u. DSyen
lievea Nine-Hour Day IL Practicable on
the Road-Men 10 See Directors To-day.
George E. Pepper and the grievance
committee Of the elevated railroad en-
ployees' union will try to see the directors
OF the marlborough Rapid Transit Company
to-day and present to them demand ioi
the nine hour work day. II the demand
is refused. meeting Of the union Is TO De
called to vote whether there shall not be
q general strike to enforce the demand
This was the result, the committee says
of a conference with General Manager b. r.
Bryan Of the marlborough company yes
terday morning. The committee demanded
the nine hour work day, and. according to
its report, Mr.. Bryan said the nine-hour
demand could not be considered under
any circumstances.
Arbitration was then proposed, but the
proposition was not accepted. The CON-
mittee then decided on its present pro-
gramme. A meeting Of the COMMITTEES
was held at the home Of an ofiicer OF the
union late last night, and arrangements
were made to call q general meeting OF
the union II the directors OF the company
refuse the demands.
According TO George z. Pepper, president
OF the new union Of elevated railroad en-
ployees, the men will insist on nine-hour
work day and whether there will be q strike
or not depends on whether they get II.
For the marlborough company it was said
yesterday, that the men having re-
ceived two advances In wages and other
concessions since the company assumed
control OF the elevated railroads, they
need expect nothing further.
General Manager Bryan had a con-
ference yesterday afternoon with President
August Belmont Of the Interborough Rapid
Transit Company and q representative OF
Contractor John B. Mcdonald at which.
among other things, the demands OF the
men were discussed.
To a Sun reporter Mr.. Bryan said after
the conference: The men have had two
advances and 1t Is difficult to say where
they will stop. They are always asking
for more
what about the nine-hour workdayf'
was asked.
DO YOU know q railroad in the country
where they have the nine-hour workdayI'
replied Mr.. Bryan. Il don't. The New
York, New Haven and Hartford men were
working under the twelve-hour system
They demanded a ten-hour workday and
compromised on eleven hours.
is an absolute nine-hour workday prac-
ticable?'
ION a system like the Manhattan railway.
with such crowds Of passengers a. there are
In New York, / hardly think so. But some
people hold that nothing is impossible;
Asked if there was any danger OF strike
Mr.. Bryan said: AS told the employees
committee, we have not reached divorce
proceedings yet; but ! am not. OF course
talking for the men and don't know what
they will do
An officer Of the company said The
mems leader seem to think Mr.. Bryan an
easy mark. II Is time to call halt. Mr,
BRYAN has established a nine-and-a-half hour
day on Sixth avenue and is arranging to
put it in force on the other lines on May I.
On Sixth avenue the average time now Is
nine hours and twenty-five minutes
President Pepper Of the union says that
the union has decided to stand pat on the
nine-hour demand We have tried to
consider the public but We will not back
down on this point said he. We do not
want to strike II we can avoid it.