The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-20
RIVER FERRIES TIED Up.
FTREMENS STRIKE PUTS SEVEN
LINES OUT OF BUSINESS.

f
--
Thousands OF Hsmegoink BrooL1ynitcs Had
to Go Aroun Robin Hoods Barn NJ
Went Out Against Advice Of Union
President -Seiuement Expected To-day
A strike OF the nremen employed by the
Brooklyn Ferry Company OF New YORK
caused a complete tieup yesterday OF the
seven lines operated by hat corporation In
the East River. The lines affected were the
Roosevelt street, Grand street, Twenty
third street and Forty-ssoond street; from
the foot of Broadway, Williamsburg; the
Grand street, from the foot Of Grand street,
Williamsburg, and the East Tenth street
and the East ~Twenty-third street, from the
foot Of Greenpoint avenue, Greenpoipt.
Forty-three hremen went on strike.
They demanded an increase of wages from
SASS a week to SIS a month. Some OF the
strikers belong TO the Eccentric Association
OF Firemen, but the officers OF the latter
say that the majority ~ the fremen are I'M
organized and disclaim all responsibility
for the strike. The strike threw idle also
the pilots, engineers, oilers, deckhands and
porters.
The time act for calling was II A. M.
At that time some Of the boats were in mid
stream, and the strike leaders got out in row
boats and signalled for the iremen to quit.
They Quit as soon as the boats reached
the slips. There was little traffic when the
strike first vent into effect. The drivers
Of wagons on the Manhattan side were in
some cases inclined to be ugly when they
saw the sign at the ferry houses mo boats
running" but most of them accepted the
situation with a good grace.
Passengers for Greenpoint were directed
TO the ferry Of the Long Island Railroad
Company at the foot of East Thirty-fourth
street, and those who were going 10 Broad
way look the cars across Williamsburg
Bridge. Policemen from the East Twenty
second street station directed passengers
north or south as occasion required, and
in some cases advanced carfare to
stranded persons who put up a story OF
hard luck. Throughout the afternoon
there was a jam at the Thirty-fourth street
ferry. Long lines OF vehicles were kept
waiting for from fifteen minutes to an
hour. Six funerals were stalled.
When the rush hour came the customary
crowd poured into East T~wenty-third
street heading toward the ferry. The
conductors on the Twenty-third street
crosstown cars told all passengers that no
f~erryboats were running and thousands
took Second avenue transfers and e
tn town or down town TO other ferries.
There was a crowd Of several thousand
at the ferry at about half past 5 Inc the
police had some difficulty in explaining
matters.
Police Captain Cooney OF the Union
Market station was notified late in the
afternoon that there was a congestion OF
traffic at the ferry at the foot Of East Hous-
ton street caused by trucks being turned
\ north from the Grand street ferry. He
sent Roundsman Connolly and five police
men to the ferry, and they Strengthened
out the tangle. An extra boat was put on.
since traffic was opened on the Williams
bure Bridge IL has not carried such crowds
as Yesterday. The Brooklyn Bridge was
utilized by some who would have used the
Roosevelt street ferry il there had been
no strike. but most Of them used the Catha-
rine street ferry.
According to Timothy Healey, president
of the International Brotherhood Of Sta
tionary Firemen, whose headquarters are
at 1893 Bowery, he advised the firemen on
the boats not TO strike. About one-third
Of the strikers, he said, belong to the Eo-
centric Association Of Firemen and the rest
are unorganized.
The ferry flremen told me from time
10 time" he said, that they were dissatis-
l 0eu dDOuL LhHCl "ahCSf oAt WIN NJ
ton came to a head on September 7 when
a committee of the firemen, some Of them
non-union men, called on me ard asked for
advice. vent over TO Brooklyn, where
they held some kind of a meeting, and ad-
yised against a strike. | suggested that
they should send a letter 70 the officials Of
the company. stating what they wanted,
and they sent a petition asking for the
advance in wages. They did not hear
from the company and got nettled.
They called a meeting for last Saturday
night, at which l was present by Invitation
and again advised against a strike. Last
night they had a meeting and ordered
the strike. had been asked to attend.
but as l live in Yonkers l did not get the
message In time
There was no reply to the petition Of
the iremen because none Of the ferry com-
the superintendent had not the power
to do anything in the matter.
To a Sun reporter Capt. Stoney said:
The iremen sent me a petition some
time g demanding an increase Of wages,
but l was in a position neither To accept
nor TO grant their demands. The officials
Of the company were out OF town and could
not be reached. That the fremen con-
templated going o. strike did not reach
me until about Q o'clock this morning.
l did not think the men were 80 unreason-
able as to inconvenience the company
and the public a. they have done"
The belief was general among the ferry
masters that the trouble would be settled
'to-day.
There was a report last evening that the
iremen employed by the Nassau Ferry
Company on its boats between Houston
street, Manhattan and Grand street. Brook
Ign, were ready TO strike at once unless
they get $3.50 a day, an advance on their
present wages. -