The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-12-21
DEMAND OF YARDkEN
 DENOUNCED AS UNFAIR
GENERAL MANAGERS ALSO RE- CARD IT AS MOST ASTON-
 ISHING.

Statement Issued to This Effect in An
 swer to the Ultimatum of the Men of
 All Roads Entering New York That
 They VIII Go on Strike Next Satur-
 day Unless Given an Increase in
 Wagcs-Situation Regarded as Acute
 --NIOrrisey Sent For.
 New York, Dec 2O.-The general ! managers of the railway lines entering New York, which are affected by the ultimatum delivered yesterday by the yardmen, who propose to leave the service of the several eomupanies on Saturday, December 22, unless their re- quest for an increase of wages of five cents an hour is granted, declared to- day that they regard the strike ulti- matum of the yardmen as a most as- tonishing and unfair demand" A statement to this effect was given out tonight following meeting of the General Managers association in the offices of Vice President and General Manager w. G. Besler, of the Central Railroad of New Jersey, chairman of the association. It was also stated that the managers have as yet come to no conclusion as to what action will be taken but have requested Grand Mas ter F. H. Morrissey, of the Brother hood of Railway Trainmen, to come to New York immediately. It is said Mr. Morrissey is now on his way east from St. Louis and may be here if he de- cldes to come at all, in time for a con ference tomorrow. The situation is regarded as acute, in view of the hol- iday rush on the railroads, The man agers declare the men have violated contracts in threatening to strike at this time.
 The yardmen's ultimatum was deliv- cred to the railway managers by James Murdock, fourth vice-grand master of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen. The lines affected are the Central Rail- road of New Jersey, Erie, Delaware, Lackawanna and Western, Lehigh Val ley, Long Island, Baltimore and Ohio. and Staten Island.
 The New York Central and Hudson River railroad recently granted the yardmen the raise of five cents an hour The other roads offered their men al four cent increase and this was off cially rejected in MT. Murdocks ulti- matum.
 This note to the general managers de- clared that failure to concede the five cent an hour increase would be regard ed as refusal ito deal as fairly with your mem as the New York Central, and all members of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen employed in the yards of the company would leave the service December 22. Only the yard men in the New York harbor district are affected by the present troubles, some 5000 men, 1t IS said, being involv- ed. Most of the yards included in the threatened strike are on the New Jer- sey side of the Hudson river Grand Master Morrissey, of the trainmen, who has been requested to come here, is a member of the executive committee of the Cipic Federation, which has been the intermediary in settling number of strikes.
 The statement given out by the Gen eral Managers association tonight was as follows;
 'The general managers of the lines entering New York state that they re- gard the strike ultimatum of the yard- men as most astonishing and unfair demand.
 Tn the first place, many of the roads have contracts with their men running to January 1907 and beyond, which | they (the yardmen) now propose to re- pudiate by striking on Saturday noon, December 22.
 "Second-In the last three years this l class of labor has had Its wages in- creased from 33 per cent. to 50 per cent, as well as having had the working hours reduced.
 "Third-The companies have offered them an increase of IA per cent, which they decline to consider, but, as stated before, take this occasion, just before the holidays, to break contracts and hold up the railroads for an increase far in excess of anything that has been granted to or asked by other classes of employ es
 "The managers have as yet come to no conclusion as to what action will be taken, but have, in view of the viola tion of contracts by this ultimatum from the yardmen, requested Grand Master P. H. Morrlssey to come to New York immediately"
 Cleveland, Dec 2O.-P. H. Morrlssey, grand master of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, left this city to- night. going east and it is supposed he is bound for New York. MT Morrissey before leaving said: 'The two propo- sitions which We now have on hand, one in the east and the other generally through the west, are different in their application. If the managers do not grant the yardmen the wage advance asked by Saturday night the men will be withdrawn"