The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-04-28
Negotiations Abruptly Broken
OFF by Utah Light and Rail-
way Company.
DIFFICULTY AROSE OVER
ARBITRATION SETTLEMENT
Company Will Not Stand by
Proposal Submitted by
Men Friday.

4 scpous hitch occurred in the ne
gotiations being carried on by Mayor
Ezra Thompson on behalf OF the car
men and w. II. Bancroft, president of
the Utah Light and Railway company,
on Saturday, and in the afternoon ne
gotiations were abruptly broken off and
the indications now are that strike
will be declared. The difficulty arose
over the communication from the men
which specified that all future disputes,
which cannot be amicably adjusted,
shall be arbitrated. When Mayor
Thompson took this communication to
President Bancroft on Friday night,
the latter was at the Alta club He
read it, and Mayor Thompson SAYS he
replied: THAT is satisfactory; | ac-
ccpt that, ] viii arbitrate. - Mayor
Thompson naturally concluded that ne
gotiations were concluded and that all
that was necessary was to select the
arbitrators, and so notified the men and
the newspaper reporters, supplying the
latter with copies of the commuuica
tions which had passed between the
company and the men.
But MaYoT Thompson states that be-
fore he left his residence on Saturday
morning he received a call by tele
phone asking him to visit President
Bancroft s office. He did so and had
conference with Mr.. Bancroft and p j..
Williams, attorney for the company. in
which he was Informed that the com
pany could not agree TO the terms as
conveyed through the public press.
These terms were as expressed in the
communication from the men to Mavor
Thompson, and which he exhibited to
President Bancroft at the Alta club
Friday evening.
The New Proposal.
The result Of that conference was
that Mayor Thompson brought away
with him the following letter from
President Bancroft containing a new
proposed basis of settlement.
Salt Lake City. April p. 1907.
Hon. Ezra Thompson, Mayor, Salt
Lake City
Dear Sir-Supplementing my letter
10 you of yesterday, aud referring to the
communication on behalf of the en-
ployees. which You presented to me,
have to advise you that ] have given
the SAID counter proposition careful con-
slderatlon; and in addition to what is
contained IN my communication Of yes
terday-and with reference to the fu-
ture-l am willing to say. consistent
with the policy that [ have always
adopted under such conditions. that
while connected with the Utah Light
and Railway company, | shall, in the
future, be ready and willing at all
times to discuss with It's employees, or a
committee of the same representing the
employees, ans questions of difference
that shall hereafter arise regarding their
relationship with the company, with a
view TO amicable adjustment of any
such differences
eff, as such questions arise, the
company aud its employees may not be
able to amicably adjust the same. such
action will be taken following such dis
agreement as the company may then
deem advisable; but TO attempt to saw
IN advance that all questions that may
ARISE and we may not be able TO annie
ably sdJpust, shall be submitted to ar
bltrs ton, would involve the necessity
OF arranging the terms upon which such
questions should he arbitrated. provide
for appointment of arbitrators, and it
would subject the company 80 the ar.
bltra ton of any question that might be
presented, and [ deem II inadvisable 10
enter INTO any such an arrangement for
the future because future questions can
be determined in the light of the sur.
roundlngs as they may arise than by
any agreement In anticipation of ques-
lions that have not Yet arisen.
Therefore, as | am advised and it
! is my opinion that any such agreement
for the future could not be enforced by
either party, and that being so, the
question of arbitration would depend
upon the pleasure of the parties when
the question arose.
In this connection. ! request if
you can procure IT. final reply to this
/ communication, it being treated as sup
! plement5l 10 my communication of the
26th inst. rs | am under the neces.
! sity of being absent from the city next
week and possibly longer. Yours very
/ truly. w. II. BANCROFT :, ~
] The mayor convened a meeting of
! the men and submitted to them the
new proposa The mon referred Ia
accept it and requested Mayor Thomp.
son to notify President Bancroft of
their refusal, specifying p. NJ. as the
hour at which they would meet Mayor
/ Thompson ia learn President Bancroft 3
reply. Az that hour the mayor notified
them that Mr. Bancroft s last attitude
was final. The mayor expressed his
Willingness to at any time assist the
men in arriving at settlement Of the
controversy. He maintains that it was
his positive understanding that the pro
posaIs Of Friday evening were accent
able to Mr.. Bancroft and be very much
regrets the rupture,
Interview With Bancroft.
On Saturday afternoon Tribune
representative called upon Mr.. Bancroft
When asked with regard 30 the pro
posal and his acceptance. Mr.. Bancroft
sand:
1T was simply n memo, that was all
read it and l said | would arbitratc
am willing To arbitrate anything If
they will designate if. But / cannot
arpitrate that as it appeared in the