The San Francisco call., 1906-08-01

"a YORK yesterday afternoon In an
- endeavor to avert the threat
ened strike of the street car
men which may tie up the United Rail-
roads entire system in this city is the
ent grave situation. President William
D. Mahon OF the Amalgamated Asso-
citation of Street and Electric Railway
Employees of America met President
Patrick Calhoun of the United Rail-
roads by appointment and took up the
which threaten to involve the street
railways of San Francisco in a serious
strike. President Calhoun will be in
this city within a few days. and un-
less some understanding be reached
in New York President Mahon also will
come West to direct the struggle of
the employees against the corporation.
The news that the United Railroads
has been gathering men between here
and New York who are able to operate
cars confirmed the suspicious of the
unicA men that a strike was far from
improbable and the temper OF the men
is far from conciliatory. 1t is the gen.
eral feeling among them that it is not
good policy to wait an indefi time
for President Calhoun to reach this
city. thereby giving the company time
to pick up strike-b breakers in all parts
of the country and get them to this
city. The disclosures made by the
men who escaped from the Turk-street
carhouse have aroused the carmen to
a menacing frame of mind, and unless
word be received from New York with
In a few hours that will quiet the
resentment felt in the union there is
a strong likelihood of a general tie-up
of the street railway system of the
city.
Meanwhile the Linemen's Union in
tends to see that the company is not
permitted to violate the laws of the
city without paying the penalty. All
day yesterday members of the union
were at work on the various car lines.
taking the numbers of the cars which
are being operated without tenders. in
of the law. With a complete
list in their possession the men will
appear at the next meeting of the
Board of Supervisors and demand that
action against the company
be taken. AS the law on the subject
is particularly plain and provides a
fine for each car operated in violation
of its provisions it is expected that the
will have little difficulty in
bringing the company to time The
fact that many cars are in operation
without tenders shows what a serious
predicament the railway company will
be in when it is forced to comply with
the ordinance.
special dispatch to The Call from
New York last night said: Patrick
Calhoun, president of the United Rail-
night that he had had an informal
talk today with President Mahon of
the Amalgamated Association of Street
Railway Employees, with reference to
the demands of the men employed on
the San Francisco railroads.
Calhoun declared emphatically that
there was no trouble with carmen in
his employ. The strike, he said, was
confined exclusively to electricians and
trackmen. 1t was with reference to
the electricians and trackmen that he
conferred today with Mahon
Calhoun said the conference was
wholly informal and that absolutely
nothing was accomplished. He was un-
able to say tonight whether there
would be a future discussion of the
subject with Mahon, and declined to
state whether he believed a quick set
Element of the strike would be ef-
fected."
1t is possible that settlement of the
strike of the construction men may re-
suit from a conference to be held this
afternoon between President Lynch of
the union and Superintendent of Con- !
struction Fitch.