Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-23
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
Union Labor criticises Electric
Railway Superintendent.
DISCHARGE OF EMPLOYEES
Condemnatory Resolutions Adopted
and Spirited Speeches Made.
APPEAL TO COMPANY PRESIDENT
Funeral Services Over Remains Of
John W. Atwell-General
and Personal.
DISCHARGE OF EMPLOYEES
APPEAL TO COMPANY PRESIDENT
Special Correspondence of The Star.


ALEXANDRIA, VT, June 90. 1907
| A mass meeting of the citizens of this
city was held in the opera house tonight
under the auspices of the trades councils
of this city, and that structure was filled
| to its capacity when the alleged wrongs OF
the Washington. Alexandria and Mount
Vernon Electric Railway Company against
! organized labor under discussion.
| Superintendent J. Colvin of the railway
| company was denounced in the most scath-
ing terms by every speaker who occupied
| the rostrum.
| The meeting was presided over by Mr..
| r. NJ. Prettyman of the local trades coun-
| Gil, who introduced the speakers. Among
| those who made addresses were Mr.. +. {.
Roberts of Washington, Mr.. Sam De Nedry,
general organizer of the American Fedora
| ton of Labor, of Washington; capt.
| Crandal Mackey, commonwealth attorney
of Alexandria county. and Mr.. William B.
| Fitzgerald of Binghamton. n. y, member
| of the national board of the American
| Federation of Labor. All the speakers
| were heartily applauded.
| At the conclusion of the meeting resolu-
| tons were adopted denouncing the road.
| The resolutions set forth That the citizens
| of Alexandria, in mass meeting assembled,
| view with disfavor the action Of Superin-
| tendant Colvn of the Washington. Alex
| andrta and Mount vernon Electric RAILWAY
| Company in discharging thirty-three of our
| citizens employed by the company for par
| ticipating In the formation of labor union
| and in his employing outside men to fill the
| vacancies made.
| That a copy of these resolutions be sent
to President King of the railway company
| and published"
| 1t was also provided that a committee be
| appointed to have the wrongs and in
| justices done the men rectifieG. The COM
mittee will be appointed later
Sentiments Of the Speakers.
The first speaker of the evening was Mr..
F. c. Roberts, who stated that the pur-
pose of the meeting was. to insist that
workingmen be allowed to organize as
they see fit. SIN order to destroy the hopes
| and aspirations Of the men who Joined
| the union the superintendent of the road
dismissed the men who Joined the union.
| said the speaker. He also stated that the
superintendent was making strikebreakers
out Of the men he was employing from the
| surrounding country. Mr.. Roberts de-
| clared that Superintendent Colvin wanted
| to break up the union. and that it was
| up to the men to see that he does not &C
| Complish his purpose. In concluding his
| remarks Mr.. Roberts said Mr.. Colvn would
| regret fighting organized labor.
A general announcement of Superin-
| tendent Colvin was the principal discus
| sion OF Mr.. De Nedrey. Mr.. De Nedrey out
lined the superintendent action toward
| the committee of organized labor which
| recently waited upon him. He said Mr.. Col
win denied knowing anything of the exist
ence of the union. Mr.. De Nedrey said
no one but members Of the union are being
| discharged. which he declared to be very
remarkable.
1T is because Mr.. Colvin expected them
| to ask for better wages and better hours
| later on that he dismissed Them said Mr..
| De Nedrey. Up to the present time, how
| ever, he asserted, no such demands had
NJ.
| said he did not want strike, but he
wanted the men treated fairly. Organized
| lat or, said he, Is not aggressive but is
| defensive.
Mr.. Mackey Expresses Sympathy.
The next speaker was Capt. Mackey, who
| said he was present through sympathy for
| the discharged men, and also in the in
terests of Luna Park where only organized
| labor is employed. The speaker declared
himself in favor of organized labor.
Continuing, he said: May 3. 1907,
fifty-seven employees the Washington
Alexandria and Mount Vernon Electric
Railway Company out of about seventy
| five joined the union, and within few
days afterward some of the oldest men
| In point of service We're discharged" Mr.
Mackey declared that all of these men
were discharged because they had joined
| the union. He also stated that up to the
| present time thirty-three of the union
employees of the road have been dismissed.
Mr. Mackey declared that Mr. Colvin was
an enemy to organized labor. He also
stated that this morning he called up,
over the telephone, Mr.. r. Walton Moore
of Fairfax county. attorney for the rail
way company. and informed, him that if
the trouble was not settled It would pos
sibly result in the closing of Luna Park.
In concluding his remarks Mr.. Mackey
stated that the labor union would go over
Mr. Colvin's head and see Mr.. King presi-
dent of the railway company, and he eX-
pressed hope of settling the trouble.
The concluding remarks of the evening
were made by Mr.. Fitzgerald, who stated
that he had during his career met many
railway officials, but that Mr.. Colvin was
the poorest specimen he had ever known.
He stated that Mr. Colvin was car in
his own mind Organized labor, he said,
stands for arbitration and peaceful settle
ments. not for strikes.
Funeral of John w. Atwel.
Funeral services over the remains of
John w. Atwell, whose death occurred this
morning at his home, 432 South Columbus
street. will be held at his residence Monday
afternoon at O'Clock. The interment will
be made in Union cemetery. The deceased
was eightyone years of age. His wife and
three children survive him Mr.. Atwell was
native of Maryland and was a black
smith by occupation At the time of his
death he held position as foreman of the
blacksmith shops of the Southern Railway
Company here
General and Personal.
Sanford Fair, resident of the first ward,
died this afternoon at his home. JOB Prince
street. The deceased was about seventy
yclrs of age. His wife and several children
survive him The funeral arrangements
have not yet been completed.
George Newcomb, who resides at ST.
Asaph, Alexandria county was struck by
an electric train over the Washington.
Alexandria and Mount Vernon railway at
Four Mile Run this morning. and badly cut
about the head. His injuries were dressed
in this city.
Arrangements have been made for an Or
gan recital at the Methodist Episcopal
Church South, which will occur Friday
evening, next. The recital will be given by
Dr. J. w Bischoff of Washington, assisted
by Miss Minna Heinrichs. vioinist; Miss
Mabel C. Latimer. soprano: Miss Nellie
O'Hare, alto. The organ in this church has
recently been rebuilt and several new pipes
added. The work was done by Mr.. Riley of
Washington.
The Alexandria Association base ball
team this afternoon scored another victory
by defeating the Washington Athletic Club
of Washington, by score of 10 to 2. in a
well-played game on the old fair grounds.
The finance committee of the city council.
after examining the accounts of Mr.. P. F..