Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-18
MAY MEAN BIG STRIKE
LONG ISLAND ROAD FACES DIFF
FICULT PROBLEM.

NEW YORK, June 17.-Trains of the
Long Island railroad practically cease to
run today unless the demands of the col
lectors and brakemen for wages on a
mileage instead Of a time basis are
granted. This is the threat OF the Broth
| erhood of Railroad Trainmen, the chief of
! which has prepared and delivered an ulti-
matum to the railroad company.
That the company is fully aware of the
serious character Of the situation is evil
denced by the complete preparation it has
made to meet the conditions of a strike.
The railroad is now operating between
seven hundred and eight hundred trains
daily on all it's divisions. Before the first
of next month it has been planned to put
into operation the summer schedule which
carries about l 200 trains
To meet the worst conditions strike
would bring about there has been pre-
pared an emergency schedule, carrying
less than one hundred trains a day for
all divisions. The effect on the tens OF
thousands of workers in New York who
live on Long Island if they have only that
many trains for their accommodation may
easily be imagined.
Refuse to Work.
Flagmen, gatekeepers and messengers
employed by the Long Island have been
approached tentatively by the officers to
discover who of them may be depended
on to take the place of the collectors and
brakemen who are expected to go out to-
day In the majority of cases these men
have declined to take the place of strikers
The ibrakemen and collectors confidently
believe that If their demands are not met
and they go on strike the other classes OF
trainmen will follow them in a few days
In making a demand for payment on
mileage basis the brakemen and collectors
declare they are only asking fulfillment of
a promise made to them several months
ago, when the engine drivers and firemen
forced the Long Island road to pay them
on the mileage basis. One hundred and
fifteen miles constitute days work 1or
the engine drivers and trainmen now. Col
lectors are really brakemen acting as as
sstants to the conductors in the collection
of fares and tickets.
Runs of Different Lengths.
On. the Long Island system there are
runs Of different lengths on the various
divisions. Brakemen and collectors on the
Montauk division make one run between
Long Island City and Nontauk, or in the
opposite direction, a distance of 80 miles
daily, and this constitutes a days work
for them. This labor Is light compared to
that of the men who man trains on the
Whitestone. Brighton Beach and Port
Washington divisions, who make from eight
to twelve runs daily, and handle large
crowds every morning and evening except
Sundays. Men on these trains also cover
more miles in day than those on the long
runs and have to work great deal harder
on every run.
At present the brakemen am collectors
on all runs are paid at the rate of S1.95 to
$2.15 per day. They are reported to be well
organized, and the number of those who
will leave their trains the moment a strike
is declared is estimated at 600. This would
constitute practically the entire force of
brakemen and collectors regularly employed
by the road.
Additional men have been engaged for
the operation Of the summer schedule, but
they would be expected to do only the sim
plest work of brakemen, while the more
experienced men who now threaten to go
on strike would be distributed among the
increased number of trains SO that the
number of less experienced trainmen on
each would be reduced to a minimum.
No statement whatever on the subject OF
a prospective strike could be obtained from
officers of the company.