The Washington herald., 1909-02-18

A meeting Of the chauneuTs who re
signed their positions with the Terminal
Taxicab Company yesterday morning was
held last night in Knights Of Labor Hail,
II First and 3 streets northwest when
plans FOR the future we're discussed The
meeting was behind closed loors. and
little information was given out
Besides the former Terminal drivers,
many chaufeurs employed by the Federal
and Willard companies attended, and Of
fered their moral support
One OF the drivers who handed in his
resignation yesterday morning said last
night that. should the other taxicsb com
panies in the city attempt 10 take the
trade formerly handled by the Terminal
company. the chauffeUrs Of these COM
panies would meet in conference snd de-
eide on some action, probably resulting in
2 strike.
Traffic as UsnsI,
Although hfty-hve ChaUTeurs resigned
yesterday morning. officials OF the com
pany say they are little Inconvenience,
The Terminal drivers handed in their
designations because OF the new wage
scale put into effect by The company.
which. Instead Of paying a salary Of
p cents an hour. offers . per
cent Of the gross receipts. with ,he pro
vision that the men furnish their own
gasoline The company contends that
the men can earn a reasonable amount
on this scale, the men say they cannot
make sufficient 70 live on.
Thomas W Mattingly. A member OF
the committee that has handled the mat
ter for the chaUaeurs said LAST night
that the men contemplated no action 70
prevent the operation Of cabs by men not
members OF their organization He said
most o. the drivers were seeking position
elsewhere and viii not return 20 work
FOR the Terminal concern unless the Old
wage scale is put into effect
We contend thar We cannot make
living under the percentage system"
said MattugIy I'VE figured and fig
make more thsn a few cents over
men who think they can make money
under the new scale. they are perfectly
welcome 20 Try. 50 far as We are con
oerned- We have no opposition 70 offer.
Our men are seeking position elsewhere.
- Merit System.
officials Of the company declared YES
tersay that the new scale. % Der cent
II all collections. the men 10 paw for
their own gasoline. was made necessary
by the conduct Of some OF the men who
made use OF the cOmpany's time and
gasoline 70 take their friends riding. The
custom Of 'skylarking," said an Official
could not be controlled by the company.
snd The new scale was adopted as a merit
system.
Al so o'clock yesterday morning the
committee representing the men. com
posed Of John H. Bel. chairman Gar
ence Z. Rullman. Thomas W Mattingly.
and Albert A Boaz. called on General
Manager Tickling and asked that general
order No. q. the one affecting The wage
scale. be rescinded- Mr. Ficklfnr refused
The men showed six books OF the most
reliable men IN the conpany's employ TO
demonstrate that they would be unable
70 earn living under the new scale
Manager Tickling maintained that they
could and said men in New York and
Boston worked on g percentage basis.
NO agreement was made and the men
walked ont OF the ONCE.
A few minutes later the men fled into
Inc garage and handed in printed resigns-
lions 10 Supt Marshall.
Nothing was said by the strikers. and
everything was done in a cool and mat
ter-of-fsct way. After leaving their rasig-
nations the men went 10 the conapanv's
ONCE. at Vermont avenue and I, street
and turned IN their coats and badges
They then dispersed.
General Manager Fickling said veste--
day he did not regard the situation AZ
SERIOUS, so far as the company * con-
ceTneo- He said seven cabs were IN
operation, and IN a few DAYS the re-
malnder Of the thirty-six cars used bv
Ihe company would be on the streets In
Inc meantime. ne said. the company IS
operating about forty single and double
livery teams Only calls covering traffic
handled
Plenty OF Chaufeurs.
The manager declared he would have
no trouble in getting chauffeurs. saving.
Oar new chaufeurS VIII come enti-AI,
from this city Every day we receive
zrom fifteen to twenty applications for
Jobs. and it VIII be no more trouble 70
Instruct our new men how to run the
cabs than IL was to break II those we
have lost"
A member Of the drivers committee
esid last night.
see no reason why We should be re-
IeTrec TO as strikers We are America,
citizens Il I work for man and he =
not pleased with my work or with me
ne VIII discharge me. and no question f.
raised II 1 am dissatisfied with my en-
ployer why should I not resign? That
Is - Ve have done We could nor MAKE I
2 uving on 'Irc new scala, 50 ne handed
n OUT designations. and are now looking
Tor positions somewhere else"