New-York tribune., 1905-01-24
SUBWAY TIE-UP THREAT.
ULTIMATUM IS READY.
Interborough Employees Declare
agreement of Last Fall Violated.

Committees representing the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Engineers the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Firemen and the Amalgamated AS
sociation Of Street and Electric Railway EN-
ployes Of the Interborough Rapid Transit Com
pany, including the elevated and subway divi-
sions, declaring that the terms of agreement
made last summer and entered into between
them and the Interborough officials had been
absolutely violated in every particular. held a
meeting last night at No. III willis-ave, as a.
result of which ultimatum will be presented
TO the Interborough officials demanding that
the terms of the contract be lived up 10. and
stating that if this is not done at once the
Interborough will have to take the consequences
IN the shape of a strike. One of the chiefs of
the Amalgamated Association acted as spokes-
man for the three committees, and said:
The terms of agreement representing 500
employees OF the Manhattan elevated and subway
systems concerning the rights of seniority, have
Deeh Nloiateo, ana the men who have done the
dirty work for the Interborough, acting as stool
pigeons, have been given jobs on the subway and
elevated roads over men qualified TO hold jobs
according to the agreement laid down by
both parties One of the demands that will be
sent 10 III lnterbcrough ofhe:at2 by the three
bodies viii be that the local branSA the sub
way lines be equipped with the block system so
averted
The motorman OF the subway train does not
know where the preceding train is. and. for the
protection of himself well for that of the
great travelling public, safety appliances must
be Immediately installed II serious accidents are
TO be forestalled. The public must cooperate
with US in this demand because they don't know
what awful chances they taking to-day.
Whenever an accident happens 1t is put up to
the poor motorman who has nothing between
him and death except pain of glass
The motormen the subway all qualified
men, who had TO pass an examination of manip-
ulation of the airbTake and it is due only to
their experience and care that serious accidents
have not happened. These will continue to take
place until the block system is installed and a
cauJionary ball shows where the preceding train
is stalled, along the entire lines of the subway
There is elaborate system of spies, whose
salaries reach into the hundreds Of thousands
and who employed to look out for trifng
attractions OF rules This sometimes results in
the loss OF pay and a suspension for three, five
or ten days for motornen, and the situation has
become intolerable that they will stand il
longer.
We are in fighting mood. and when we ap-
proach the subway officials IT will not be TO
parley with them, but TO demand every one of
the guarantees set forth in the agreement be-
tween them and us.
The agreement calls for ten hours work a day
on the subway and nine the L." with sal
ary Of So a day. The say that they are
forced to make more trips than the agreement
calls for They also declare that they are
obliged to go to saloons luncheon time and
are suspended if found there.
It is expected that the petition will be handed
in this week