The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-02
SLIGHT CHECK TO ICE STRIKE
900 MEN ARE PUT TO WORK,
CHIEFLY AS GUARDS.

100 More WIN ne at work To-day, but More
Than 1000 Are Said TO ne Out
independents Gobbie Up Some OF the
Big CompAny's House to House Trade.
In spite Of the efforts of the American Ice
Company to break the strike Of the Ice
wagon drivers yesterday little ice a
delivered by the wagons OF the company
below Thirty-fourth street. Manhattan. or
in Brooklyn or Queens. About 200 strike
breakers were put to work. Each ago
sent out had a driver. a helper and n
OF the new men, sworn in a a guard.
Two hundred more men are expected :
be put TO work to-day. but. according to
Business Agent Ferretti OF the Ice Wagon
Drivers Union. 1900 went on strike in
Manhattan and Brooklyn. and 200 men
unaccustomed to handle ice would not get
over much ground.
The depots inc bridges are guarded by
the regular uniformed police. About fifty
police were detailed to the district covered
by Station A. the distributing centre for
which lie the bridge at the foot OF East Ninth
street. This district takes in from Four
tenth street to the Battery east OF Broad
way. and also takes in Broadway below
Houston street. Usually about forty-five
ice wagons a day are sent out from this
station at this time OF the year. Yesterday
only seven or eight Of the company's wagons
went out.
The new men were inclined TO be afraid
Of the work, and nearly all Of hem wanted
to be sworn in as special policemen so that
they would rave nothing to do but sit on
the wagons and try to look fierce.
Everything was quiet in the district ex-
cept in the morning, when a long line OF
vehicles not belonging to he company
called for ice. The strikers had a rallying
place at Avenue d n Ninth street. but
kept away from the company's depot. Supt.
Van Cliff of the depot said:
Il never remember this place as quiet,
not sven when there was no strike. The
only sign OF the strike here is the absence
Of the usual hustle. The same conditions
prevail at the other bridges and stations
The agents OF the Ice Wagon Drivers
Union got into the houses at l4i West Twen-
ty-second street and ia West Nineteenth
we're lodged, and talked about twenty-five
OF them into deserving.
Independent dealers who rave plants of
their own are profiting by the strike. Their
were busy yesterday getting new Gus
toners in the house to house trade. This
is an important end Of the business. and il
the strike lasts any length Of time the COM
pany will lose a good deal OF its trade. These
independent companies have ice bridges
In Rivington, Stanton. Fifth. Sixth, Elev-
enth and Eighteenth streets on the East
Side. and in Pike, Jay, Charles, ~Gsnsevoort,
Eighteenth and Twentieth streets on the
West Side. They supply among other places
Bellevue and the New York hospitals.
II was stated at some OF the depots that
the strikers had appeared and said they
were very sorry they had quit. They were
ordered to strike. however. and considered
they were bound to obey.
President Wesley VI. Oler Of the American
Ice Company said yesterday that he did
not depend on the men coming back.
though their excuse for striking was so
fimsy that the rank and Ale Of the strikers
would return IL they were not afraid.
The men re are getting are suited to the
work and carefully picked out from among
the applicants." he said. w are not
asking the police 10 guard the wagons.
but are getting men sworn in ourselves to
guard them. and all hat we are asking
the Police Department to do is to guard
the bridges and depots. We are supplying
the hospitals and charitable institutions
with all the ice they need. Undertaken
and all others who require ice urgently
are being supplied. The hotels are getting
all they need and every facility is placed
at the disposal Of those who come TO the
bridges for their ice. We will put 200 more
men to work tomorrow and more men as
we select them. 1t Ia not true that the
icemen are on strike at Coney Island
On the whole, ice was scarcer than ever
yesterday in some parts Of the city. espe-
cially in Brooklyn. Some OF the small
butchers in Brooklyn were COM planning
of the di ficulty OF getting ice. The same
complaints were made at some of the milk
depots.
The bargemen who went on strike at the
Franklin street depot returned to work
yesterday. The bargemen we're not in the
union and efforts are being made to or
ganize them.
A crowd Of striking drivers rna1e an
attack on Albert Jones Of PAS West Forty
fifth street, Manhattan. while he was
driving one OF the wagons at Fulton and
Washington avenues. Brooklyn. yesterday
morning. The strikers hurled stones at
Jones, who escaped without injury. When
several regular policemen appeared the
strikers beat a hasty retreat.
The Ice Wagon Drivers Union held a
mass meeting last night in ~Ssengerbund
Hall, Schermerhorn and Smith streets,
Brooklyn. which was attended by a number
OF ioremen Of the American Ice Company.
When the meeting was over IL was an
nounced that all the foremen OF the COM
pany will strike to-day. II was also an
bounced that arrangements lave been
made 10 take them into the union. Some OF
the foremen arc now in the union.