Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-04-23
President Bancroft Addresses
Letter to Chairman Pratt in
Streetcar Controversy.
AN ADDRESS TO THE PUBLIC.
Union Officials Issue One Setting Forth
Their Reasons for Demanding
Higher Rate of Pay.

An offer to arbtrate differences be-
tween the employees and the company
In the present difficulty between the
carmen and the Utah Light g. Railway
company officials, was made yesterday
afternoon in letter from w. H. Ban
croft to Chairman Pratt of the execu-
tive committee OF the carnnen's union,
and the men brought forth their bid
for public sympathy in a letter adj
dressed to the public, setting forth the
complaints which cause the present con-
troversy.
The address is signed By officers OF
the union, and is as follows:
TO the Citizens of Salt Lake City
and the General Public:
The street railway employees OF this
city deeply regret that it becomes NEG
essary for them To again become the
cause OF SO much agitation and uncer-
tainty owing TO the fact that We have
been unable to negotiate an amicabIe
adjustment OF differences that exist be-
tween ourselves and the Utah Light IL
Railway company, 1T is our desire that
the peace and serenity OF our beautiful.
quiet city be preserved, and while we
have worked copscientiousy and faith
fully to that end without thus far hay
ing obtained any satisfactory assur-
ances OF our conditions of employment
and wages OF the future, therefore wo
feel constrained 10 place oIlr side OF the
situation fairly before you for careful
consideration. believing you Will be
wall ~ he M
and the helplessness OF our condition
II we were to accept a contin uance
OF the conditions under which We labor
AT the present time in trying to pre-
serve QUE dignity as worthy citizens
and loyal defenders of our homes and
the best interests Of our citys welfare
We believe that an injury TO the great
body OF employees Of street car men
becomes, In a measure, "a detrlment TO
The public welfare for we come In close
contact with the home life Of all OF the
people, daily having In our charge the
responsibility of the safety and well
fare, as we'll as even the lives OF the
women and children who ride upon the
cars on In a moment OF absent-minded-
ness plunge in front of the cars while
crossing the busy streets.
RESIDENTS HERE.
We are, for the most part, lifelong
y.
homes and our interests are conferred
here, Whatever Is beneficial to our
city's welfare is beneficial 20 us, that
which is disastrous to our city's best
interests, is injurious to us. 1t was
because OF all of these interests ana
love for our city's reputation and prog
ress and in favor of peace that we ac-
guessed I'm the acceptance OF the COM
pany's position toward us nearly one
year ago, We gave up every request
lhai was originally presented TO the
company by our entire organization and
We accepted the situation In absolute
silence rather than to invoke serious
trouble.
Our International repres enratiye was
at that time denied an audience with
me ON Gals OF the company though no
worked energetically for peaceful set.
tlernent OF the existing controy ersy and
1t was largely due TO his advice and dl
Iecuon that strike was ayerted
though the company declined to In amy
way cooperate to that end
Again In presenting renewal of our
former requests for better under
standing as to our relationship with
our employers and contracting our Ia
Dor FOR another year. she com pany has
again taken the same ar btrary stand
toward granting us recognition or con-
eedlhs a single request that we have
asked for They have absolutely re-
fused 10 meet our committees ofiicIaI-
W they have positively declined to
meeI our personal representatives un-
der any circumstances. they have EN-
phatically refused to make any con-
tract In writing: they have refused To-
grant the wage rate asked for and in
stead have offered a slight increase of
wage 10 the motormen and conductors,
while they state positively they Will
take away the pay for overtime for
shop and barn employees, thus actually
forcing reduction in wages to that
class OF men, in other words, rob Peter
to pay Paul the slight proposed in
crease which In the first place was
unworthy OF serious consideration.
WAGES LOWER.
The wages of car men here are much
lower than that paid In cities where
like conditions prevail. Butte is the
nearest comparative city to Salt Lake
IN population and cost of living. The
difference, II any, is in favor OF Butte
when it comes to the cost OF living.
Men OF family can live IN Butte ~ per
cent cheaper than they can in Salt
Lake City. Salt Lake city has larger
pop ulation, 10 say nothing OF the float
ing element who pass through here as
tourists, thus swelling the conapany's
Golfers, while al the same time u In
creases the work. and responsibilities
OF the car men here, making their
work more arduous than that of the car
men in Butte. The car fare In Butte
In 8 cents, the same us It is In this
city. yet tho car men OF Butte are re-
Ceiying maximum wage rate OF IS
cents per hour, while the maximum
rate of the car men OF Salt Lake Is but
21bs cents an hour, or IN cents an hour
lower than the Butte scale We are
only asking maximum wage ratio OF
20 cents an hour, which Is is cents an
hour less than what the car men Oh
Butte are now being paid.
IN San Francisco, the lowest wage
rate LIS 81 cents per houri ] cent more
than what VIC ask for our highest rate,
Oakland pays graded scale ranging
from 80 cents to 40 cents an hour. IL
is true that Los Angeles and Denver
have a lower wage rate, but conditions /
exist In both places which subscribe
10 the lower wage rate which prevails 4
DEAFNESS CANNOT BE CURED
by local applications, as they cannot |
reach this diseased portion of tho ear |