New-York tribune., 1904-09-04

Part of Plan of Elevated Men to
Control Traction.

SOHti W 4 ttttfOft'
Sixty trac<rnen employed in the Interborough
subway Joined the AmaIgamated Association Of
Street and Electric Railway Employees at the
meeting Of the local branch composed of en-
poyes Of the elevated system other than motor
men, on Friaay night, when It voted to go out
win the motormen if ey struck The organi-
zaton of the subway trackmen. which may
have aa important bearing on the present wage
dispute between the marlborough and the mo-
tormen, IS simply one part of a general scheme
Of organization planned over year ago by the
elevated employees to meet the situation which
has arisen regarding subway wages and
places. and which they knew was bound to con-
front them when the subway opened
The trainmen and trackmen of the elevated, 20
a considerable number, in addition to those who
hremen in the locomotive days. have been
schooled and are able to run motor trains. These
felt that they should be entitled to first place
when the subway motOrmen selected and
correspondingly the other employees felt that they
should be promoted to higher positions when
the subway opened. It agT1 d, TO stalc
with, that the Amalgamated men should stand
by the engineers if trouble engendered by
any demands they might make. and that the
engineers in turn should back up the Amalga
mated men If they were the ones to take action.
Then it was decided 10 make a mighty and per-
sistent effort TO organize all the surface motor
men and conductors. If they could be induced
to join the AnaIgamated ranks, then the Inter
borough would not have their ranks to draw
from to fill the places OF the motormen and train
men in case OF a strike on the elevated In the
subway or one involving both systems.
The elevated employees were supplied with cir
culars, and these they sent 10 the homes OF the
surface motormen or conductors or gave
them out when they met them. The orsaniza-
- iUI,+ ba 90 without
the knowledge OF the street railway officials was
to take the form of an endless chain. The cir
culars read in part:
All corresponds zee in connection VITA this mat
ter is 10 he done through this tAnalgsm&ted As
neetngs 3s.te will G-{ be held held Tor the tine being
sw0d !nose W Wh4 @y geSone n%io9s
The plan is what might be termed an endless
~! q out the , nc!9sr0 f d lfnrd the to ne
nineteenth-st). for which an Official receipt VII
cient number enrolled. when a lodge Will be
All moneys received for initiation fees will be
held 81 reserve and turned over % TIE respeeIEe I'VE
fbns formed vii be attached and chartered by
the AmaIgs mated Association Of STREET and tseS-
fliated witt. ths j ncrican Federation OF Labor.
TT II Is aiso snd ou5 ressss Of the different motor
men and conductors, SO that we may cominanb ate
and addresses It can be done in such manner
that your object will not 4.o be maze known ana
You win also agree that there IS NAst | , netor
!Eea ana c0nUerSUi cS or%arization There is no res
son why such organize tlon could not secure
5oTs}ioHs 10 vestbule their cars and protect their
eemnIoyes from exposure TO cold and other in
clement weather.
These circulars in endless chain, were sent to
the employees Of the Metropolitan Street Kali
way. in Manhattan; the Brooklyn Rapid Tran
sit and the Union Railway Company, IN Ine
Bronx. The time has come now to test their ef-
feet. The employees Of the union lines are well or
ganized, and there is some organization strength
In The Brooklyn Rapid Transit men, but all ef-
forts 10 get the Metropolitan Street Railway
motormen ana conductors into line have failed
The elevated employees are hoping that renewed
activity on their part will effect what they
hope to accomplish. They are telling the sur
face men that with all the surface and elevated
workers In one big organization. behind Wh!ch
and ready to aid would be the Brotherhood OF
Locomotive Engineers and the Flremen. they
can demand higher wages, shorter hours and
vestibuled cars. If they can succeed IN organ
izing the surface men they can then tie up the
entire car traffic OF the greater city, surface and
elevated, whenever a strike is ordered. Inat
they can do this at the present time ana mus
give the motormen a mighty lever they are
doubtful. They would be satisfied to organize
the surface men TO = degree which would in
sure their refusal to fill the places OF strikers
on the elevated or in the subway
The elevated employees, in fighting for the sub
way motoruen. really fighting for them
selves for they according to an agreement with
the Interborough, are 70 nave the first motor
cars In the subway If the engineers win the
men who go from the elevated trains to the SUBJ
way motor cars will be the chief benehciaries Of
the victory.
whether or not the InterborouEh will keep Its
agreement 70 give the elevated train men the
first choice OF subway places after they have
voted 10 support motoIman's strike rena ins to
be seen II It did not there would be another
strike.
with the subway tracl5nlep already members
of the Amalgamated Association, the elevated
men say they can defer the opening Of the
subway and block in case there should be an
elevated strike. any attempt to care for the en-
suing congestion OF traffic By opening the sub
way ahead OF time.
SENATOR DEPEW's POCKET PICKED.