Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-03-07
Oily Tbousand Men Strike.

New York, March Z. New York's
transit facilities we're paralyzed at four
o'clock this morning when six thousand
men, motormen, trsinmen, gatemen and
ticket sellers, the employees of the Inter
borough Rapid Transit Company, went
out on strike. The men struck because
of number of grievances, chief OF which
we're a demand for change in the phys
zeal examination of motormen and
shorter hours and ten per cent increase
in pay for ether employees. At four
o'clock yesterday afternoon the employees
presented an ultimatum to the company's
officials, demanding a favorable reply
by III O'Clock last night, and threaten
ing extreme measures in the event OF
refusal of their demands. At 1870
O'Clock last night General Manager
Frank Hedley sent the simple word
'No" to the men who were gathered in
mass meeting at Marion and Majestic
Halls, in Harlem, and the order to strike
at 4 a. m. wss given out forthwith. The
strike order was received with great
enthusiasm. The Interborsugh Rapid
Transit Company controls the subway
and all the elevated lines, which carry
more than a million passengers a day.
Practically every man employed by the
company obeyed the strike order, but
as the company had nearly thousand
strike breakers aud non-union men on
hand. many trains were running soon
after their abandonment, by new crews.
During the rush hour this morning,
though, there was much congestion OF
traffic. The men are orderly and
there has not been single sign OF
trouble. The police reserves were kept
on duty all night guarding the various
subway and ~" stations. Altogether
Commissioner McAdoo at eight o'clock
this morning had 5000 men on duty.
The strike had been under way not
more than half an hour, when it was in
timated by the strikers that the fight
was more against General Manager
Frank Hedley than for higher wages
and shorter hours.
William 7. Jencks and George E.
Pepper have assumed command of the
strikers. Pepper said this morning
1T is Hedley we are against. He tried
to break up the unions in Chicago, and
made the men work there over time
without pay. Either the unions here
or Hedley must go. We can carry on
this strike for six months. We will
stand for our full demands to the end.
The men have been ordered not TO resort
to violence, but to conduct themselves
as respectful and orderly citizens
The first serious trouble occurred in
the subway at 10th street. Anumber
of men boarded train at that point and
blew out the fuse, disabling the train.
A crowd Of hoOdlums then rushed into
the station boarded the train aud brutal
" beat the conductor. He was res
caed by the police, but only after he was
seriously injured.
Christopher Barnard, assistant Train
master of the Interborough Rapid Tran
sit Company, caused the arrest this
morning of Chacles A. Dougherty. a
ssitchman emplOyedin the subway tower
at Fulton street. According to Barnard
when the strike occurred at 40 clock this
morning Doughcrty locked himself in
side the switch tower and refused to
operate switches or to allow any one to
enter the tower to operate them in his
place. thereby endaDgering human life
and safety. Barnard broke in the door
of the switch house and caused Dough-
erty's arrest. Dougherly then made a
counter charge against Barnard Of carry
log pistol without permit.
About noon today nearly one hundred
students from Columbia University of.
fered their services to the coms,anv
The crowd we're members =. the football
baseball and athlete teams. They were
sent te the company's employment
agency and later in the day will appear
as guards, ticket choppers and ticket
sellers,