The San Francisco call., 1906-08-20

bers in the employ of the United
Railroads have started a move
ment to combine in the effort
to enforce the demands for
higher schedules of wages. The Car
mems Union yesterday presented a de-
mand for So for day of eight hours.
considerable advance over the present
hourly rate. Nearly every branch of
the corporations service has now made
known its desire for better pay. With
the unions in league the one ready to
support the claims of the other. solid
front will be presented to President
Patrick Calhoun when he arrives in the
city in a day or two from New York.
The various unions have been busy
with their league movement during the
past week, and conference OF dele
gates has been called Each union is
to appoint five representatives to this
gathering. which is to map out the
course for united action. The scheme
is to pool interests and to stand or fall
together.
SECRECY MAINTAINED.
The unions have been preserving the
utmost secrecy as to their plans. but
the news leaked out yesterday. At the
members were delegated to represent it
at the conference.
President Cornelius of the Garments
Union expressed surprise that informa-
tion of the movement had been gained,
and declared that he and his colleagues
were much averse to having the matter
made public. He virtually confirmed
the fact of the league movement of the
unions
CORPORATION PREPARED.
The United Railroads employs men
belonging to the following unions:
Carmen, electrical workers. stationary
fremen, street railway construction
workers, stationary engineers. team
sters, machinists and steam filters
All are powerful unions, and all save
three bodies. engineers. steam filters
and teamsters, have grievances against
the corporation.
The officials of the United Railroads
are said to be ready for any emergency
that may arise. They have maintained
right along that they are In a position
to fill the places of all strikers with
non union men. They claim that they
have non union linemen in plenty now,
and should the carmen decide to quit
their posts they aver that their places
would be quickly filled.
The following were the demands pre-
sented by the carmen to the officials of
the United Railroads yesterday:
WORK UNDER GREAT STRAIN.
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. Is, 1906.
United Railroads of San Francisco.
care of Mr. Thornwell Mutually. Assist
ant to the President-Gentleme When
we last bargained with you concerning
hours and wages 1t was of course un-
derstood that we bargained for what
was then usual work performed under
usual conditions. Neither you nor we
could have had in mind the extraordin-
ary situation obtaining in our field of
employment since April Is, and GER
tainly this union could not have fore
seen the use you have been making of
the disaster which befell San Francisco
on that day and the two days succeed
ing 1t.
I'VE respectfully remind you that
since the great catastrophe of April we
have uncomplainingly worked with and
for you under whatever distressing cir
cumstances have grown out of that
catastrophe and under whatever unfor-
tunate conditions you have yourselves
brought to bear as matter of necessity
or as matter of business policy In
continuing uncomplaining, however, we
have not been wanting in knowledge
of our rights. but have INDUCED the
hope that you would, quite voluntarily.
conscious of the strain and stress of
the burden placed upon us by your new
conditions and new policies, increase
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