The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-01
FAIL TO WIN FROM BELMONT.
FIVE HOUR CONFERENCE OF THE
ELEVATED MOTORMEN.

Head OF the Interboroush Suggests That
the Question BE Referred Again 10
the Men and There'll he Another
Meeting--One Compromise Proposed.
Representatives of the elevated rail-
road motormen had five hour conference
with August Belmont in the latter's Office
yesterday on the question of wages and
hours OF the motormen on the subway.
The meeting was substantially without
result. The only definite conclusion
reached was to hold another conference,
the time of which is yet to be determined.
At the end of the discussion Mr.. Belmont
said for publication that he expected a
satisfactory settlement. He declined to
say whether any counter proposition had
been made. Grand Chief Stone Of the
Brotherhood OF Locomotive Engineers,
who attended the meeting, expressed the
same hopeful view. Yet in the conference
itself each side remained mistaken in the
position which it took at the outset. The
representatives of the elevated motormen
stood pat" in their demand that the sub
way men get paid so day for nine hours,
the rate the elevated motormen are paid.
The issue assumes much Importance in
the eyes Of the brotherhood, because Of its
bearing on the whole question of the sub
stitution by the railroads of electricity for
steam. That accounts for the firmness Of
the brotherhood in it's insisting upon its
demand
For Mr.. Belmont, on the other hand. it is
said that the principle at stake is equally
important. The question with the Inter-
borough company is whether motormen OF
L. ...o he
class as regards pay and hours as the high
est grade Of locomotive engineers, while
hundreds Of surface railway motormen,
who get only 81. so per day, are eager to take
the underground jobs at So.
The conference began at ten minutes after
noon, following meeting of the board OF
directors OF the marlborough, called, 1t is
believed, to consider the question under
discussion.
The meeting with the motormen lasted
in unbroken session until nearly O'Clock.
At its conclusion Mr.. Belmont said:
I'VE have not been able to reach any
definite conclusion. There will be another
conference. When it will be cannot say.
1t will be soon. however, and we expect to
have q satisfactory understanding. l do
not anticipate any trouble"
NIlcl clOuc, lcpi coChtiIS tiiC HlOtoib
said
we did not reach an understanding
Another conference will take place soon.
probably within a day or so. and l shall
remain here until it is over We hope to
have an amicable adjustment of the matter
under iii ;cussion.'
From another person who was present it
was learned that the conference was
i,ol bx toll Mr Nr
JencKs and Mr.. Pinney, representing the
motormen, presented the arguments on
their side of the controversy with much
energy. Mr.. Belmont replied with equal
earnestness and decision of manner.
Look what you are asking the elevated
railway motormen to DO, he said in sub
stance to Mr.. Stone. Here are men who
for twenty five or thirty years. They have
life places. They are getting higher pay
and better hours than any other motormen
in the United States. A strike on their part
places. which we could fill Immediately
with men at $3.50 a day. And it is pro-
posed, as / understand it, that they quit
these jobs on the proposition that other
they get the wages Of these other men
at the same time being so cents a day higher
than men doing the same work elsewhere.
Il ask you to call your men together,
full time to consider it and then get their
best judgment on the question"
1t was with the understanding that Mr..
Belmonts suggestion be acted upon that
the conference broke up. In the mean time
it is expected that Mr.. Hallahan OF Peoria,
the head Of the Brotherhood Of Locomotive
Firemen, will either come here in person
or send representative to take part in
the discussion.
1T is evident said an old railroad man
yesterday, that the Brotherhood of Loco
motive Engineers is disposed to regard this
as an important advance skirmisR in the
struggle over the introduction Of electricity
as a motive power in long distance railroad
ing They are making their stand here in a
fight for the possession OF strong strategic
and pay for electric motormen here which
locomotive engineers get their position in
the future will be materially strengthened
Another reason they are pushing the
fight here Is because of the peculiar
conditions in New York just now. They
perhaps assume, and the assumption is
reasonable, that Mr.. Belmont in view of
his political efforts, will sacrifice great
deal rather than have a big strike on his
hands"
on the part OF the marlborough company
was made yesterday as one OF the possible
outcomes Of the discussion. The elevated
railway men now demand that the subway
motormen get $3.50 for nine hours work.
It was suggested that the Interborough
ing this demand by offering to put subway
and elevated motormen all on the same
level and make 1925 rate for ten hours
work for all of them. This proposition has
not been put in any other form than gen
eral talk, but it was quoted yesterday as
practically the only concession the Inter-
borough company would make.