Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-08
j, s, MAIL T|EDUP
BY TROLLEY STRIKE
None Dispatched Over Blue
mont Division Of Old Do
minion Road.
TWO CARS IN COLLISION
ON FALLS CHURCH LINE
Sympathizers Of Striking Trainmen
Suspected Of Having Creased
the Rails.

was the feature today of the compli-
cations and conditions caused by yes
terday's strike OF the unionized en-
ployes Of the Washington and Old Do
minion railway. which has resulted in
an almost complete tie-up Of the sys-
tenn.
The offlces of the second assistant
postmaster general and Of the general
superintendent of the railway mail
service are keeping in close touch with
the situation today, and. II conditions
do not improve shortly. announce that
steps looking to temporary service
for the territory tapped by the road
may have to be undertaken.
Creased Rails Cause Crash.
Two cars on the washington-v Virginia
railway. unionized trainmen on the
Falls Church division of which struck
Thursday. were involved at midnight
last night in an accident at Nauck. Va.
through the soaping of about a half
mile OF track at that point by un-
known persons, and motorman
named Hollis was injured and taken
to the Alexandria Hospital for treat
ment. It Is thought that the greasing
of the track was the work of sympa-
thizers rather than of strikers them
selves.
The soaped track was on a steep
grade and allowed car to run down
and of the rails into field and when
another car went to try to pull it back
the injury noted.
This incident was the nearest ap-
proach to violence in connection with
the strike.
Wy @ s~1
division of railway mail, was ION the
job at $50 o'clock this morning at
the Georgetown terminus in an effort
to find a remedy for the mail situation.
and is making every effort to get the
terminus over. the Bluemont division at
5:25 pm. yesterday was returned undis-
patched to the city post office at sos
pm. The Bluemont division train due
burr b - "a Iii siiss a cisy St nm. iastg night
did not arrive until this morning.
A load of mail scheduled to leave
washington at tbs this morning was
still on board it's car in the station at
noon today.
w. B. Emmert. general superintend-
ent of the road, this morning stated
than an effort would be made to dis
patch a car bearing mails at 1880
o'clock this afternoon.
Trying to Get Men.
Service remains today as the strike
left it yesterday. practically non-ex-
istent Only one train came in today
Emmert said today that the company
Is trying and will continue to try to
get men to run its cars and to render
the best service possible under pres
ent conditions. Fl
IF we cannot run full schedule
then we will run a half, quarter. or
whatever portion we are able" he
stated. but be assured that whatever
the company can do with its crippled
facilities will be done"
From post Office officials it is learned
that there seems no possible prospect
of delivery of mail to the rural carriers
along the route of the road until Mon
day.
Some of the striking men this morning
are alleged to have said that they and
their unionized colleagues are not averse
to seeing the mails go through, and that
the men generally would be willing to
transport them even if they are on strike.
but that this would entail the transpor-
tation of passengers also. which they will
not countenance. These statements do not
agree with the reply said to have been
made by strikers yesterday when COM
pany officials asked them at least to carry
the mails and, according to their state
ments, were refused.
No passengers are being transported
today. Those stranded by the strike in
Washington yesterday got home the
best way they could, either walking,
travelling in jitney busses or getting
lifts in motor or horse vehicles. Despite
the fact that many faced a walk of
miles. the situation was met cheerfully
The last mail train left the terminus at
3.07 yesterday afternoon, and the last
train. CARRYING passengers and some Of
fcials of the road. at 5:45. Both were
in charge of shop foremen.
Pickets Wear Placards.
Conditions on the washington-vir-
ginia road are about the same today
as yesterday. The Alexandria division
is unaffected by the strike and is run
so. with cars coming in little behind
time. Pickets wearing strike placards
were on duty at every station of the
Falls Church division last night and
this morning. and a considerable num-
ber of new men are being employed by
the road in order to Offset the strike |
One Of the officials has stated that the
company now has more men than it
needs to maintain service. |
Rezin Orr, international treasurer of |
the amalgamated association with |
which the new union is affiliated, and |
Grant Hamilton of the executive coun- |
Gil of the American Federation of La
Dor, addressed the men at their tenn |
porary headquarters yesterday urging |
them to stand solid"
Two employees Of the Washington and |
Old Dominion Railway Company are |
special policemen, and. 1t is stated, |
have authority to be armed while on |
duty about the company's property in |
this city. They were commissioned /
special policemen two years ago.
May Be Made Deputy Sheriffs.
Under the terms of their commits
sions, however, they are not privileged
to exercise police power in Virginia.
It is possible that they may be dep
utized by the sheriffs of the two coun-
ties through which the company's carsl
run.
A number of employees of the road are
deputy sheriffs under the government
Of Virginia, and other such county Of
flcials are looking out for the interest
Of the road at various points along the
line.
Oficials of the line state that they do
not expect any violence in connection
with the strike. but that in this man
ner the interests Of the line will be
ioubly safeguarded. 1t is considered
probable that AZ newly employed men
engage in runs into Virginia. such as
that of the mail car scheduled to leave
ut 1870 today. they Will be met by
proper officials and deputiSed.