The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-05


etreet and Electric Railway employees,
with q number OF the national officers Of
these organizations OF elevated railroad
men, was in session ct the Broadway Central
Hotel all day yesterday, discussing the
conference held with Mr.. Belmont, Mr..
Bryan and Mr.. Hedley on Saturday after
noon, the proposals for compromise
made by Mr.. Belmont and the opinions
passed on them by the men themselves at
Saturday nights late session.
There were about thirty present at the
meeting. Among these were Grand Chief
Wilson Of the Firemen, President Mahon OF
the AmalEamated and Grand Chief Stone
OF the engineers brotherhood
After going over the situation for several
hours the committees decided to try to
bring about another conference with MIR.
Belmont Supt Hedley was communi-
Gated with by telephone and the new
request for a conference was made. When
Il was learned that it would be impossible
to see Mr.. Belmont before this morning,
Messrs. Wilson, Stone and Mahon informed
Mr.. Hedley that 1t would be impossible
for the men TO accept the compromise
offered by Mr.. Belmont-$S day for ten
hours work.
Instead, Mr.. Hedley was asked to inform
Mr.. Belmont that the unions had decided
to adhere to their original demand OF $3.50
a day for nine hours work or a strike would
result.
Besides this, the union leaders said, an
additional demand had been formulated.
The elevated railroad employees did not
think 1t Just that rigid medical examina-
lions were essential before jobs in the
subway could be secured. Mr.. Hedley
was asked to notify Mr.. Belmont that this
rule must be eliminated from the applca-
ton blanks. The men could consent to
nothing moro than practical examination.
such as test in the working of trains, the
use OF signals and air brakes an a reason
able examination as to sight and hearing.
MIR. Hedley told Stone, Wilson and Mahon
that this information would DE conveyed
to Mr.. Belmont.
coNcILIAToRY TALK FROM STONE.
Chief Stone was found last night at the
Grand Union. He had just left another con-
ference Of the executive committees Of the
unions at the Broadway Central Hotel.
Said Mr.. Stone;
we have not received any answer from
the Interborough people yet. We under
stand that Mr. Belmont and Mr.. Bryan
were both out Of town to-day, and that IL
the reason. OF course we rea lie that
Sunday was a bad day and that tomorrow
IL also bad day to get people together
1t may be impossible, but we are hoping
TO get some sort Of an answer by tomorrow
night.
Tho letter which we sent this morning
asked for another conference with Mr..
Belmont. won't discuss it further than
that"
SIS there any likelihood OF a strike as
early as tuesday, Mr.. Stone was asked
Il hardly think So" he replied. We
have two or three other measures to try
before we resort to that. I want people to
understand that We recognize the vast
interest the people OF this city have in this
thing. 1t is one Of the first things to be
considered. l have never believed there
would be a strike. although the situation
just now is critical
Our order has q record OF settling dis
putes peaoeably. and would not represent
the interests Of that order II failed to ex-
haust every means could think OF to avert
q strike before allowing one to occur"
Mr.. Stone said that the executive COM
mittees would hold another Joint session
this forenoon at the Broadway Central
Hotel and would await the reply to their
letter.
NEGOTIATIONS AT DEADLOCK.
1t was the opinion Of officials of the Inter
borough Last night that tho deadlock caused
by these counter proposals Is too complete
to leave room for any basis OF compro-
mise.
fN ha
OF the subway motormen has been the
orux OF the whole situation. The Inter-
borough company has shown not the slight
est tendency to yield the position 1t has
held from the first on this question. Yet
the very FIRST item In the counter dema nd
Of the employees, made in response to the
written proposition made by the company
on Saturday evening, is the rejected de-
mand that the subway motormen receive
the same wages-ss.5O for a nine-hour day
which the elevated railway motormen are
now receiving.
At all the four conferences which have
been held between Mr.. Belmont. Mr.. Bryan
and Mr. Hedley on the one hand. and the
Representatives Of the unions on the other.
II was explicitly stated that under no con-
sideration would the company yield on
this point, whatever concessions it might
be willing to make in subsidiary matters.
PREPARING FOR THE WORST.
Yesterdays whole counter demand
was regarded last night by the marlborough
officials as being next door to an ultimatum.
For this reason the company began yester-
day to make thorough preparations for the
worst II 1t comes.
A report was circulated yesterday that
In the event OF strike the subway will
be at once thrown open to the public. This
was said last night on authority to be I'M
founded 1t is true that for four or five
nights back exercise trains have been
running over all the tracks Of the subway
as far as it is opened. The company has
maintained great secrecy about this, only
very few even in the offices KIN owing any
thin q about it, But the trains have been
run solely for the purpose OF drilling the
men in the operation Of the air brake and
other details OF running the trains.
SUBWAY TRAIN CREWS AVAILABLE.
The operations Of the underground trains
however, is identical in all essential par
ticulars with the operation Of the trains on
the elevated The crews that for nearly a
hap nj hov DRILLING in unHar-