The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-30
Big TROLLEY STRIKE COMING.
QUESTION TO BE DECIDED IN
NEWARK THIS EVENING.


NEWARK THIS EVENING.
Essex County Local to Vote-Public Service
Company Practically Ready Now to
Meet strike-Win Grant No More
Wages-Trying to Shorten ''swings."
The question whether there is to be a
strike over all the enormous mileage Of
the Public Service Corporations trolley
lines in Newark and the surrounding
country will virtually be decided this
evening. II the Essex county local Of
the Amalgamated Association Of Electric
Street Railway Employees at its meeting
this evening votes for a strike, a strike
in all human probability there will be-.
To be entirely regular strike must be
ordered or authorised by the national
president Of the association, William Mahon
Of Detroit, but the national treasurer Of
the union, Racien Orr, il on the ground,
and it is not doubted that Essex locals
vote to strike. Endorsed by Mr. Orr, as
il is believed it will be, would be APP
proved by the national president.
So far as the Public Service Corporation
is concerned it has given the men it's ulti-
matum, and its officers say that they will
have taken.
"There is nothing to add to the written
communication I have addressed to our
employees through their representatives.
said Thomas N. McCarter, president Of
the Public Service Corporation, yesterday,
They have demanded that we increase
the pay from 10 cents to % cents per hour.
This demand will not be granted. We
have already increased the pay Of our
employees within few months by $40 900
per year, and will 90 no further in that
direction
'As to recognition Of the union that is
out OF the question. We know nothing Of
any union. We do not care whether our
employees belong to . union or whether
they do not. We will have no dealings with
a union. Our employees as individuals
or by committees they may choose to select
to represent them we will gladly meet at
all times. But we will have no outside
interference with our business. Another
complaint which the men make seems to
be fairly founded. This is relative to the
swing which in some instances keeps
men on duty during long hours. This,
as have in writing informed the men, will
be corrected so far as possible, az soon as
our time table expert can figure out the
requisite changes necessary, and In this
task have invited the men to give the expert
the benefit of their experience and any sug-
gestions they may have to offer If they
will leave us alone long enough and not take
up the time talking strike we will get this
matter adjusted. do not know whether
the men mean to strike or not. but If they
do we are ready for them
Mr.. MoCarter said this yesterday after
noon following long conference with
General Manager Wheatley and Walton
Clark, representing the company, and the
Joint executive board Of the union locals
embraced in the Public ServiceCorporation
system, at which meeting George Diersing,
district organizer Of the Amalgamated
association, was also present. All that
Mr.. Diersinp would say as to the conference
was that he did not believe there would
be any trouble
That the company is by no means certain
of a peaceful issue Of the controversy
is sufficiently evident from the preparations
they are making to meet trouble II 1t comes.
"A
ing is being hastily run up that may serve
to house strike breakers in case the worst
comes. and several Of the car stables them
selves are being equipped. with hunks,
mattresses and cooking ranges so that even
now the company is almost ready for an
emergency. On large percentage OF cars
seen in the streets of Newark yesterday
were new men on the front platforms in the
process Of being broken i'll as motormen.
# is. in fact, believed that in New York,
jersey City, Hoboken and Newark proper
the company has force in readiness to
manSAhe cars practically at moments
notice.
Ever since the abortiye, unauthorized
strike that began on the Bloomfield line on
Friday last the company has been diligently
at work preparing for an emergency that
might arise. There Is still some shadow
OF mystery as to how this unauthorized
st rike was started. The men on the Bloom
field line say they quit because they We're
informed that strike was ordered and
where. Mr.. Conway, president OF the
union, quit his car In front of the Broad
street Offices of the company before the
Bloomfield men struck, and he explains
that he did so because he was informed
that others were striking
Subsequently, on the evening OF the
strike, Mr.. Conway and Thomas Ford,
president OF tHt clot- vi ~
had conference with Mr.. McCarter, which
lasted until o'clock on Saturday morn
ing. at which hour it was announced that
there would be no strike. When MIR. Con-
wav repeated that night to the men the
statements said to have been made by Mr..
NcCarter, on the basis of which statements
he. Conway. advised the men to continue
at work, there was a good deal OF loudly
expressed dissatisfaction. some even going
so far as TO call in question Mr.. Conways
GOOD faith in the matter This feeling
grew 30 strong in the interval between
Saturday morning and Monday night, when
the next meeting of the Essex local was
held, that Mr.. Conway asked for police
protection at that meeting. and de-
tail of police was consequently present
10 maintain order. The meeting was a
stormy one, but the police did not have to
interfere. At this meeting Mr.. Conway
produced in writing over Mr.. McCarters
signature what was the substance of his
verbal report after the conference OF Friday
night. This document from Mr.. McCarter
was as follows:
"DEAR S1R--Purslant to your request
that | should put in writing what | said
TO YOU and your fellow employees in this
office on Thursday night last, relative to
the attitude of the company upon ques-
irons presented by you, [ herewith say,
as | then stated, that | consider your crii-
clsms fair upon the length OF time of some
of the swing runs as they have for long
time existed, and steps have already been
taken, and will continue to he taken, to
remedy this situation, so far as it Is practi-
ca bic to do So The desire of the manage
ment Is to reduce all the swing runs to the