New Britain herald., 1916-08-03
ULT|MATUM FROM
 TROLLEYEMPLOYES
Officers Of Two Companies Must
 Answer by Tomorrow Night
Presidents of Dine Reported United in Effort to Oppose Recognition of Union-Order Affecting All Surface Cars Expected.

New York, Aug. 3.-Despite the eff forts of Mayor Mitchel and the public service commission to prevent a gen. eral strike on all the transit lines of this city, the danger of tie-up is regarded today as imminent. Heads of the various traction companies are reported to be united in decision to refuse to grant the demands of leaders of the street railway mems union for recognition and increased pay. The union organizers are mak- ing every effort to extend their or ganization and the railway officials are preparing for a strike.
 The only hope held out today of avoiding a strike on the many surface lines operated by the New York street Railways Company within forty-elght hours was the slender one that either the company or the union men would yield. The president of the company however, issued a statement objecting to the unionizatiOn of it's employees on the ground that they, as we'll as the company, were responsible to the tity for the maintenance of it's transporta- tiOn system.
 Expect Order Tomorrow.
 Officials of the city, the New York Street Railways Company and the labor union said that by tomorrow a strike order probably would be issued affecting every surface line in the boroughs of Manhattan and Queens
 Representatives of the union, and
 The mayor today had confereices With the heads of the New York Street Railways company and the New York and Queens company declared respectively, together with the union leaders, and neither side would yield on the main point of the issue, the right of the employe to join the union. w. 0. Wood, president of the New 4ork and Queens cOmpay declared Hatly that his concern would not rec ogn1ze the union, and T. P. Shonts, head of the New York Street Railway company although not so direct in his statements, caused the mayor to announce that there ap- peared nothing that he could do to avert the strike at this time
 Both railway heads expressed con- fdencc that the majority of their en- ployes would remain loyal but the union leaders, on the other hand, claimed that the employees of both companies had been virtually all en- rolled in the union.
 If the strike occurs it will involve 4, 1900 employees, tie up lines with 20 miles of tracks operating 2,20O cars and carrying 0,000, 900 passengers a year. This is in addition to the Third Avenue system on which strikes have already partly tied up the Bronx, several routes in Manhattan and the trolley lines in Yonkers.
 The public will have to depend upon only the elevated and subway lines, already ovcrcrOWded.
 Prior to the hour set for the meet ing at Mayor Mitchels office, William B. Fitzgerald, general organizer of the Amalgamated Association of Street and Electric Railway Employees, an- nounced that demands in behalf Of the employees of the New York Street Railways Company and the New York and Queens Railway Company, would be presented to the companies today and that they would be given until 6 D. m. tomorrow to give their an swers. If unfavorable, a strike vote among the employees would he taken, he said.
 The leaders of the union recently organized among the employees today delivered an ultimatum to the rail- way companies giving them until 3 D. m., tomorrow to grant their de- mands and efforts today by Mayor Mitchell to bring about arbitration failed.
 Asbestos Miners Strike