The Topeka state journal., 1905-03-07
SUBWAY TIED Up.
Strike of 5000 City Railway
Employees in New York.
Trouble Extends to the Manhat-
tan Elevated Road.
UNION CREWS QUIT.
Weak Attempt to Operate Trains
With New Men.
Surface Lines Are Swamped
With Extra Business.

/ new 4Ork, March IA strike OF 5,OO0
employees of the Interborough Rapid
Transit company, operating the subway
and Manhattan 1ailroad elevated lines
in this city, which took effect at 4
O'Clock this morning. was one of the
most complete in its early stages of any
! in the history.
| After the hour set no train was start
| ed with union crews and the latter quit
i each train when the terminals of the
| various lines had BEEN reached.
One union motor man on the Ninth
avenue elevated line refused to desert
with the remainder of the crew and so
far, his was the only detection reported.
Many of the ticket sellers remained at
their posts because they are under bond
but posted signs announcing the strike
and refused to sell tickets. Crews of
strike breakers were hurried to the
northern ends of the lines, but not
many were found who understood the
manipulation of air brakes. In the SUBJ
way, crews were assorted for few
trains which were run up and down
over short stretches in an effort to
teach new men the method of opera
tion. Similar efforts were made on the
elevated lines
No violence was reported at any point
up to o'clock. A few boys entered
way and hurled bottles at a passing
train Many windows were broken, but
no policemen were in sight. Pickets
from the strikers ranks were posted
everywhere outside the stations and
warned persons who attempted to en-
ter, that the strike was on and de-
clared that it was dangerous to ride
on the trains. They asserted that safe
ty devices and emergency brake cords
had been removed.
Free access was offered to all persons
who wished to ride so far as the Off
cials of the company were concerned. In
fact few of the ticket booths were oc-
cupied and passengers desiring to ride
were admitted at their own risk.
Surface lines reaped a harvest. Hun
dreds of thousands of persons accus-
toned to being whirled down town on
express trains, and who knew nothing
, If the strike until they reached the
streets after breakfast hustled for the
nearest car line. On the upper east
side long before o'clock every car was
iammed to its utmost capacity and in
many streets, passengers could be seen
riding on the roofs.
Similar conditions prevailed in every
section of the city. On the upper west
side and in Harlem morning newspa-
pers were not delivered as usual
After 8 O'Clock conditions on the sub
way were greatly improved. Trains
were operated frequently and without
interference, confusion or delay. Some
express trains were run. The trains
have been we'll trained. The elevated
service was practically tied up.
During the early morning down
town train service. in the subway was
also if not quite equal to the demand.
This was due to the fact that many
thousands of persons who commonly
travelled by the subway made no at
tempt to do so today. About One-hfth
as many trains as usual were run and
they were operated by nonunion men
generally under the instruction of
skilled employe such as starter, yard
master or train dispatcher. No at
tempt was made either to sell or col
lect tickets and the public enjoyed
free rides. The surface cars were
badly crowded but with the aid of the
subway trains managed to get the
working people to the stores and Of
fees, though frequently delayed. A
great number of cabs and private car
riages were used in the down town
James Farley who had charge of
the nonunion men brought to this city
to operate the trains, took an active
part in directing their work.
Many business houses found them
selves today with short handed forces
as a result of the inability of en-
ployes to get down town to business
The first show of open violence
against the strike breakers was made
at the Eleventh street station of the
subway and as a result one of the
pital with a badly injured arm A
union man had boarded the train well
I'M the line and continued to harass
the non-union guard until, as the
train was nearing 10th street, the
two men came to blows. When the
train came to a stop in the station
others Joined in the fray and the po-
lice were obliged to use their clubs
before the fight was stopped. No ar
rests were made
Cause of the Trouble.
Today's strike was the outgrowth
of agitation and negotiations which
began simultaneously with the open
ing of the subway last fall. Even
before the operation of the big tube
was begun protest was made by the
motormen of the elevated lines when
it was announced that the wen who
were to operate the mechanism of the
subway trains would be paid only So
for a day of 10 hours. The dispute
arising therefrom was settled by a
compromise between the men and
their employers but threats of trouble
from various causes have followed at |
frequent intervals since that time. |
Hardly q month has passed in which |
some contention between the Inter |
borough company and its employees
has not demanded frequent confer
ences between the union leaders and I
General Manager Hedley and Vice Pres
fdant BRYAN of the company and on I
several occasions they became so serious
that August Belmont, president OF the
Tnterborough company, was called in /
TN to two weeks ago, however, settle
menf was effected in every instance. At
that time when an effort was begun by /
the union to have renewed an agree /
ment which was to expire March /, the
real trouble which resulted in the crisis /
The empIoyes declare that INTERIOR
ough officials at that time agreed upon