The sun., 1907-08-15

for commercial purposes at those points
where the Western Union bias no separate
telegraph once. In each instance our CON-
tract stipulatcs that no more than o certain
number Of messages year should be sent
from the railroad offices on such and such a
line. II for any reason the number Of mes
sages sent grows larger than the stipulated
limit the Western Union must make new
contract with the railroad or establish an In
dependent telegraph once there. .
Now In the present situation the Western
Union has no intention Of going outside Of
it, contracts with the various railroads; we
will not attempt, for instance to send a
suit case full OF kilograms TO some small
town and have them put on the railroad
wire there. Our fight is not with the Order
Of Railroad Telegraphers, but we intend TO
hold the railroads fully accountable for
their share OF the contracts.'
Mr.. Brooks said that he had received
yesterday a copy Of q circular letter which
on the New York Central lines by A. H.
Smith. vice-president and general manager
OF the railroad company. Mr. Smith called
their notice to the fact that a contract
existed between the Western Union and the
New York Central, and urged the railroad
telegrsphers TO remain neutral and handle
such usual teieeraphio business as had
heretofore been handled. the same being.
under contract, Now York Central matter.
Mr.. Brooks said that the contracts the
and the telegraph company cannot make
the demand on some roads for the trans
mission OF commercial matter. This lets
out the Lackawanna. l.. B. Foley, super
intendent Of telegraphs for the Lacka-
wanna. explained the contract with his COM
pany. He said
LACkAwANNA NOT WORRYING.
I'VE have a safety valve in the present
threatened complication In the spirit Of our
contract. which 10 that the Lackawanna
wires are primarily for the railroad use, and
only when commercial traffic does not con-
Anything above the stipulated volume of
commercial business can be refused by the
railroad
-The Western Union company might ask
us to take messages at the railroad telegraph
station at Market street, Newark, but 1t
Newark operator could handle.
I'VE receive no paid messages in the
New York operating room Of the Lacka-
wanna and consequently no commercial
as they might be In normal conditions in
the Grand Central Depot OF the New York
Central. We have heard no protest from
our railroad telegrapherA at small stations
where there is no Western Union ONCE,
They do only the normal business required
of them by the Lackawanna. which in
cludes receiving and sending a certain
number Of commercial kilograms.
I'VE pay all our operators on our own
wage scale and We carry our own pension
lists. l do not believe that in case Of a
strike Of the railroad telegraphers that we
should lose our men,"
At the offce Of the Erie Railroad it was
denied that the company had any trouble
with its telegraphers. An Official speaking
for the Superintendent Of telegraphs
said that the railroad was not seeking to
force an issue with It's employees over the
question Of commercial messages at the
present time. He added that according
to the contract with the Western Union
when the transmission of commercial
messages would not interfere with railroad
o. M. Shepard, general manager Of the
New York, New Haven and Hartford Rail-
road, stationed at New Haven. said over
the telephone that up to the present the
Western Union had not turned over any
business that does not belong on the COM
pany's wires and that there had been no
protest from the railroad's telegraphers.
He said that the railroad did not care TO
raise an issue with its telegraphers at
present.
The Postal company 10 not in any way
involved in the issue between the railroad
telegraphers and the Western Union. The
Pennsylvania system is the only one to use
over that line The Postal uses the Penn
sylvania wires for its own private business
Il was denied cmphstically yesterday
by well known members OF the Order OF
Railroad Telegraphers in this city that the
railroad telegraphers had even considered
the question OF strike in sympathy with
the commercial telegraphers. They would,
however. refuse to take any commercial
messages in this city while the strike lasted.
A member Of Central Division 8 said:
IAN the reports OF a sympathetic strike
OF the railroad telegraphers are simply
poppycock. We have no grievances and
like the other railroad brotherhoods we
made agreements with the companies some
months ago, and these contracts we will
not break. The Order OF Railroad Tel
egraphers cannot order a strike unless in
the proper form. II would take some
time to bring about strike IL we intended
to strike. which we do not.
Some Of us were asked to take COM
mercial messages, but we declined to take
them and the matter was not pressed by
the company. We will not take any com
mercial messages while the strike lasts
and I am quite certain no company will
make that an issue In this CITY,