Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-07-25
STRUGGLE is on
motornnen and Conductors
Out at New Bedford.
Want More Pay, Fewer Hours
and Recognition Of Union.
Police Guard Carbarns-. Two Arrests Made
Several Demonstrations.


New bedford. Mass. July 2i.-Strcct
car service in this city ceased five Ii lurs
before the regular stopping time to-
night, as Il result Of q strike Of aO1
employees Of the Union Street Railway
GO. for an increase in wages. rcCogni-
ton of the union and shorter hours
The prospects for the resumption OF
traffic along the regular lines tomorrow
is not encouraging. There were several
demonstrations about the car barns as
the last cars We're hauled il about 6
O'clock and two arrests were mace, !
JOSEPH Mahar. 81 years old and Archie
Goulcitc, IA years old. Both were
charged with stoning cars.
y dozen policemen were at tho car
barns al the afternoon and were busy
this evening keeping back the crowd
Of hooting symrathizcrs. Many Of the
cars from, the south end came in with
their side: pluStr"rd with mud, while
| several others showed dents from
| stones.
Superintendent Potter stated this
evening that the company would max"
every effort to run cars tomnrrnw AMI
| hoped to have ~ If their employees al
| work
Tie company was abb" TO kcco $ verdl
Of the lines open during the day.
New Bedford, Mass. July ga
strike Of street railway employees went
into effect here today because Of The re-
| fusal of the Union Street Railway Co.
to grant demanded Increase of wages
| Ii.
workday. The vote to strike was taken
at clock this morning, hut tho eff
| foctiVcncss of the movement WAS not
| determined until during the forenoon.
| 1t was then estimated that about so
per cent of the employees. who number
| 200. had responded to the strike all.
| The company tool; advantage nf the
time which would pass before the full
| effect Of the strike would be felt to Sc
| urc the services Of ncn-union motormcn
and conductors. The street ear service
was however mcaerc and it was
thought that the people of New Bed
| ford would be considerably inconV"ni-
cnccd until either the strike was called
OFF or the company had succeeded in
hiring more non-unionists.
\ rowd of boys and young men
caused a disturbance near the strike
headquarters during the forenoon by
throwing vegetables through windows
Of ears which were manned by nom
unionists and in some cases passengers
on the cars were hit. The police soon
cleared the district and no further dis
order was reported at that time.
The principle for which the strikers
arc fighting is Il recognition Of their
union by the street railway companies.
The officials will not have anything to
do with their employees as union,
however. and 50 the struggle is on.
There are no signs Of disturbance and
none is expected. To offset the effort
Of the street railway companies to con
tinuc their service the strikers have
chartered bargcs in which they arc
transporting passengers to various
points in the city.
A crowd of boys and young mon sta
> toned themselves at the corner of Ken
yon street and Acushnct avenue. oDpo.
site strikers headquarters Tucs LAY
morning and the cars passing those
points were aeSaicd with a volIcy %
rotten tomatoes. cabbages. apples an,
potatoes. Although thrown cvidentl!
) at the car men a number Of the mis-
: slcs went into the ears and Strucl
passengers. Police say that they have
not enough men 10 cover the diStric
ana request was sent to the center 70
: more officers.
At 80 o'clock it was. ESTIMATED tina
fully onc-half of the usual number o
| cars were in operation.
, President Henry II. Grape OF TIL
Union Street Railway Co.. issued no
| ticeS during the day addressed to a
employees Of the three systems undC
the control of the Union Co., that a
who should report for work before to
morrow morning or who could furniS
good excuse for not doing so would b
assigned to cars as usual. All Others
tie notice said, would be considered a
having left the employ Of the company
: The New Bedford-OnSct Line Sutfcre
, | the least Of any. There are only cigh
union men employed on this divisio
, and one of them declined to stop worn
:. Preparations were made by a mum
+ Der OF individuals to operate barg
, lines in case of more complete tie u
, of the cars.
: Strike syinpathizcrs continued to as
! | scmble around headquarters during tn
dav. hut with the exception noted ear
" in the forenoon there was no fur
Their trouble. The noon hour passc
quietly.
The strike did not affect the opera
t ton of the Fall River Line of cars Tn
strikers asserted this afternoon tina
they expected the assistance of the Oh
t Colony employees, who they declared
IL would not deliver cars on the Middle
@ boro Line to non-union motormcn an
o conductors.