New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-02
Y0NKERS CAR LINES
TIED Up BY STRIKE
Men Assert President WhitrIdge
Broke Agreement by Hiring
an Outsider.
AIDED SICK MAN, HE SAYS
Official Waiting List of LOO lg'
nored and Union Members
Refuse to Work with
New Appointee.


strike started on the lines Of the
Workers street Railway yesterday at IL
o.cIock. and after that hour every body
had 10 walk. Many persons In New YORK
who had intended spending the day WIN
friends beyond the Van Cortlandt Park
station of the subway were disappointed
when they found no green car marked
Getty Square" awaiting them at -+-d
street and were compelled 10 walk TIE
rest Of the distance. Residents 81
YonkeIs who had hoped Ia get INTO Ne"
York by way of trolley and the subway
were equally disappointed wheh lhey
found that they would he compelled 10
take a train on the New York central IN
order To reach the city.
The men wished the public 10 believe
that il was all the fault of Frederick
W. Whitridge. president Of the lines ana
10 that end issued yesterday afternoon a
statement in which they put the matter
sduareIy NJ to him. They said he had
caused the management of the ROAD 10
violate an agreement of five years stand
ing.
Alr Whitrdge said last night that no
agreement had beci violated 80 iar as lie
knew. II was told that certain man
who was in poor health needed job mat
took him in the open. he said. and |
sent the man TO the general manager or
the Yonkcrs road. with request that lie
be put to work
1T now appears that when the man pre-
scented himself FOR work the men refused
10 instruct him because he had no union
card. \ delegation of the men came down
to see me on TUESDAY and talked with
me ] told them that / saw no reason
why the man should not he put TO work
and asked them 10 go back and think the
matter over. ! did not consider that
trouble was threatened. and thought 40
more of the matter until to-day, when !
was informed that the men had gone On
strike. My acts have always been IN the
open. and surely it would seem that /
should have a right to put TO work any
one whom ! should see tit. | admitted
that men living in Yonkers should have
the preference for places. but maintained
the right 10 hire whom | chose"
Hen Point to Agreement.
At Yonkers the story j. somewhat dii-
ferent. The men say that during the five
years the YOnkers road was under the
direction OF Receiver Leslie Sutherland
a working agreement had been IL force
IL was agreed that where Nonkers men
were available they were 10 get tho pref
erence for employment. ana that tho man
al the head OF the list was always 10 be
called first.
When the company was turned over 90
the Third Avenue Company by the re-
celved last summer. Mr.. Sutherland was
continued as general manager and Vice
president OF the company. The men de-
manded a signed agreement with the new
company containing these conditions. and
Il strike was averted In october only
after Mr.. Sutherland. with the consent OF
MIR. Whitridge. gave the men his personal
word that he would see that the cOndi-
lions remained in force as long az he re-
NAMED with the company.
Sunday Samuel Markiewicz. an assist
ant inspector OF the Third Avenue Line
was sent to Youkers with orders TO pre-
| sent himself for work AZ a conductor or
motorman. Ills name was not on the list
awaiting employment and he WAS not a
resident OF YOnkers
President Charles Lang OF the Yonkers
union was directed TO break in the new
man, and refused on the ground that 1t
was q violation Of the working agreement
Vice President Holden and three other
officers OF the union were all directed To
break I'm the new man and all refused.
| They were then ordered 10 report TO Mr..
L., IL
afternoon. and when they did so they
were told that the verbal agreement with
Mr.. Sutherland would not be recognized,
that they must either break In this man
or leave the employment OF the company.
\ special meeting Of the union was
called for { o'clock yesterday morning.
The men decided that they would stand
by the agreement with General Manager
Sutherland and 10 refuse TO break III
MaIkiewicz.
Markewicz presented himself again
Yesterday. and was told 10 80 out with
Motorfnan John Smith and Conductor
Frank Shannon on the Nepera Park line.
Smith and Shannon refused TO show the
new man anything and were discharged.
| Conductor Samuel Holden was then di-
! rectcd To take the new man, and on his
refusal he was discharged. President
| Charles Lang Of the local union and Mr..
! Fitzgerald. national organizer Of the
Amalgamated Association OF street and
! Electric Railroad Employees, who had
been awaiting this step, then demanded
| that Markiewicz be withdrawn and the
three discharged men relnstated. This
| being refused they gave the order for
the strike.
Say Whtridse Was Arbitrary.
President Lang. of the committee rep
! rDsnnIiur The mon. gave out q statement