The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-06
LEADERS HESITATE TO STRIKE
FINAL CONFERENCE TO-DAY TO
SETTLE IF THEY WILL OR NOT.
Mems Position Weaker and the Company's
Observation-Disclosures Put in Car Barns
Motor Controllers Kept in Inter.
borough's POssesslOn-New Men En-.
listed by the Misunderstanding
Trains All Running TO Train the Re.
crults-Trafic on the Elevated Won't
Stop n Strike Does Come.


Trains All Running TO Train the Re.
cruits-Tranic on the Elevated Won't
Stop II Strike Does Come.
The one thing absolutely certain at mid
night last night about the threatened strike
on the elevated railroads in Manhattan and
The Bronx was that there will be no strike
to-day and in all human probability there
will be none before midnight tonight There
ia to be another conference with August
Belmont, president of the marlborough
Rapid Transit Company, before any action
is taken by the men to enforce their de-
mands that the motormen in the subway
shall be paid at the rate of 1850 for day of
nine hours and that physical examinations
of applicants shall be dispensed with.
This was the net result Of communica-
tons which passed yesterday between
Mr. Belmont and the heads of the mems
organizations. To-days conference will be
held in Mr.. Belmonts Office at noon. 1t is
expected that it will be long conference.
lasting probably until the evening" and it is
probable that it will be the last one. 1t will
be the fourth parley between the company
and the men held within the last six days.
and il is not in the nature Of things that
this condition of uncertainty can last much
longer.
Until the conference of to-day is over
the strike or no strike question will be as
much in the air as it has been for the last
ten days Should the discussion fail to
make peace assured, even then it will be
next to impossible to begin a strike before
late hour tonight. The result of the con-
ference will have to be discussed by the
mems leaders with their larger committee,
and it will take some hours to put the strike
machinery in operation. II there is to be
strike, the rush hours tomorrow morning
is the time at which many believe 1t will
come.
IF THE MEN DO STRIKE.
II strike is declared then this will
happen:
On every train which the trainmen and
motormen abandon there will be travelling
as plain, everyday passengers a full crew
OF electric railroad men equipped to take
the deserted train out of their hands and
carry it on to its destination. On the trains
or about the stations also there will be
another group OF men ready to step in and
20 to work as guards and conductors and
at selling tickets and working the chopping
boxes. The trains which ran on the ele-
waited yesterday had passengers Of this
sort, and those which run to-day will be even
better provided in this same way.
The marlborough company has been
working tooth and nail for the last seventy
two hours getting ready for the struggle
which seems to be inevitable. Yesterday
between James Farley-who will have
charge Of the road and OF the struggle to
defeat the strike, II the struggle comes
and the employment machinery Of the COM
pany itself more than 700 men were en-
listed for service. Applicants for workswho
have been summoned by telegraph are
pouring into the city on every train. They
are coming from as far away as Chicago.
st. Louis, Cincinnati, Detroit and Pittsburg.
A considerable number are here now or are
on their way here from Boston.
Some 1900 to 5000 men will be required
to fill all the places, IL all the places are
vacated, on the elevated lines. At the rate
men were being hired OH Saturday, Sunday
and yesterday, there will be very close to
that number all ready to go to work by to
night or tomorrow morning. Every day.
every hour in fact, that the labor leaders
lose in declaring the strike. II a strike is
intended. has put the company in just 80
much the better shape to meet the strike
should it come
SUBWAY IN FULL ACTION.
All day yesterday and all last night
trains running at short intervals were
through the subway under the
feet Of the thousands who were walking
the streets. The interior of the subway
was as busy as a beehive. Switches and
signals were being tested and adjusted,
lights were kept burning, trackmen and
stationmen were being drilled trains we're
starting and stopping, slowing down at
The curves and rushing at full schedule
speed over stretches OF straight track
The road in fact was in full operation with
he single exception that it was not carry
ng any passengers except the civil en-
yineers who went over it from the City
Hall to Fifty-ninth street,
All day to-day this same underground
irilling work will continue, and every hour
hat it goes on, men more and more COM
,etent to handle the elevated trains are
,eing turned out. Yesterday eight car
rains were run with perfect smoothness
between the City Hall and Ninety-sixth
trect These trains are capable OF carry
ng from 600 to $50 passengers apiece. II
he elevated should be crippled tempo
arily by strike, the subway can be put
although the company will take the bulk
If it's trained underground force and con-
,entrate il on the elevated in tho event OF
strike, using the subway for the most
,art as the training school which it
low is
CAR BARNS MADE INTO BARRACKS.
Yesterday delivery wagons, hired by
he PETERBOROUGH company. were busy
II day hauling cots to the eevated's car
,arns in l29th street. between Second and
Third avenues Above the main barn is
loft block long and about 100 feet wide
live hundred wire cots had been stored
n this loft by midnight last night and
everal hundred more will be installed
here to-day, it was said at the car barns
asst night.
The loft is TO he used as barracks for
oluntecr motormen and guards in case
he men go on strike. There are accom-
for about $50 men at the car
'arns at this place,
At l45th street and Eighth avenue where
he marlborough Rapid Transit Company
as another big storage station, several
hundred cots were put in yesterday after
Don. Employees of the company said
here was no doubt that these were to be
sed by now men should the union en-
loyees quit their jobs.
CONTROLLERS TAKEN.
Both at the l2ath street barns and at the
18th street station last night the motor
zen were asked to surrender their con-