The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-06-16
CRISIS IS NEAR IN
CARMEN TROUBLE
Matter VIII Likely Be Brought
to a Head Some Time
Today.
COMPANY MAKES AN
IMPORTANT CONCESSION
Instead of Grading Wages by
the Year 1t Will Be Done
Semi-AnnuaIly.

Matters are approaching a crisis In the
trouble between street car men and the
Utah Light and Power company. This is
the opinion OF c. O. Pratt, national rep
resentatiyo of the National Organization
OF Street Railway Employees.
Two executive sessions were held Fri
day. ono In the morning and the other at
o'clock in the evening. Both meetings
wero held In Mr.. Pratt's private apart
ments at the Kenyon. No information
was given out concerning the business Of
either meeting. save that matters viii
undoubtedly be brought to head before
today Is over.
No attempt has been made as yet by
leaders of tho men or by the national
representative to present the various
questions officially to the management OF
the company. 1t was TO outline the meth
cd OF presenting the grievances TO the
company that the executive meetings
were held. If the officials of the company
show any hesitation to treat with the rep
resentntives OF tho union, or II they de-
cline to receive the accredited delegates
OF the men, the latter Will then declare
themselves locked out, and the system Will
be tied up, This was the decision, unof-
ncially expressed, however, OF Mr.. Pratt
late Friday afternoon.
Important Concession Made.
Another and very important conces-
sion was made by tho company To the
men Friday morning. Instead OF grading
wages By periods OF one year. as here
toforc, General Manager Campbell has
posted orders to pay the men by periods
OF six months. Formerly the men wero
paid 20 cents an hour for the first year.
22l5 cents an hour Tor the second year
and 25 cents for the third year. The new
order practically pays now by six
months scale, and a man reaches the
highest wages In one year. instead of In
three years as heretofore cutting down
the time of probation two years. This
affects new men only, and is but an
other evidence. old employees say, Of the
attitude of the company toward union
WOrkmen.
Another executive session Will probably
be held today, and in the evening an open
meeting will In all likelihood be held in
Electrical Workers hall. Election of Of
Thursday. Ballotng Will begin at 10
o'clock in the morning and continue un-
til 7 o'clock in the evening. In view of
the present trouble, great interest Is
shown In the election.
What Manager Campbell Says.
In speaking of the scale of wages paid
to the car men by the Utah Light and
Railway company, Manager r. 8 Camp
bell stated Friday that II was unfair to
compare wages paid TO any class of labor
In Salt Lake with the wages paid to the
same class OF labor in Butte. Butte, he
said. was decidedly a union town, where
a non union laborer could not 1.-Two and
that wages were higher for all kinds of
labor there.
From q report from the superintendent
Of the street railway system at Denver
he had been advised by a letter dated
June II that the scale paid the car men
there was as follows; First year, 20 cents
an hour; second year, 2212 cents an hour
third, fourth and NTH years, Sh cents
an hour. and for the sixth year and after
ward, 25 cents an hour.
Mr. Campbell stated that he could see
no reason why 1t should cost more to live
In Salt Lake than In Denver. and II II
did in the interest of a greater Salt Lake
1t should be found out and romedied,
He said that this is a fertile valley and
In addition TO all kinds of produce being
grown abundantly, sugar was made hero
and ought to be purchased cheaper than
where II was shipped in