Evening star., 1916-08-06
METROPOLIS HELD IN GRIP
OF GREATEST BLOCKADE
Delegation From Brotherhood Of Lo--
comotive Engineers to Confer on /
Extending of Tie-Up.
MAY INVOLVE STEAM ROADS
Menace Of General Strike to Include
Elevated and Subway Lines Grow
ing Hourly More Threatening.
Jitneys in Use.

NEW YORK, August 5.-Sur-
face car traffic ceased in the
boroughs of Manhattan, the
Bronx and Richmond at 8 o'clock
tonight. At that hour the city
was in the grip of the most
serious transit blockade in its
history.
Brooklyn was the only borough
in the greater city not affected
by the strike of motormen and
conductors. Only fraction of
the normal number of cars was in
operation in the borough of
Queens, although the railway
company that operates the lines
there was more fortunate than
the other public service corpora
tions affected in retaining the
services of a large number of
loyal employees.
The menace of general
strike that would include the
elevated and subway lines was
growing hourly more threaten
ing tonight. Union organizers
declared employees of the COM
pany were reporting constantly
at headquarters to be enrolled.
William B. Fitzgerald, the gen
eral organizer, declared that
by the middle of next week
every employe of the Inter-
borough would be a member of
the union.
Engineers Seek Conference.
A new element of danger. SO far as
the travelling public is concerned, was
when William D. Mahon, president of
the Amalgamated Association of Street
and Electric Railway Employees. de-
clared that a delegation of the Broth
erhood of Locomotive Engineers. rep
reSenting the men working on the
railroads running into the city, had
called upon him and asked for a con-
ference. They were invited to con-
fer tomorrow afternoon with union Of
hcialS.
1t was announced at headquarters
that this probably meant the members
of the brotherhood would walk out in
sympathy with the carmen if it were
found necessary and thus tie up the
steam and electric roads running into
New York. Mahon and his associates
were much elated over the new devel-
opment.
Discontinued for Night.
At s o'clock tonight orders had been
issued by every street railroad in Man
haitian and the Bronx and on Staten
Island (Richmond) to discontinue serv-
ice for the night An hour later not a
surface car wheel was moving in the
three boroughs. The management of
the Manhattan and Bronx lines said
they would attempt to resume service
tomorrow morning. but no effort will
be made until Monday to operate cars
on Staten Island.
One after another the New York
Railways Company, the End Avenue
and 3rd Avenue Railroad companies.
the Union Railway Company. which op-
crates in the Bronx, and the Richmond
Light and Railroad Company notified
police headquarters that they had sus-
pended service. The number of pas
seugers carried daily on. these lines is
estimated at 100000.
Steady Stream Of Jitneys.
Within an hour after the hating of
traffic steady streams of "jitney" We.
hicles were flowing through Broadway,
5th avenue and other streets running
north and south, as well as through the
crosstown thoroughfares. Hundreds of
taxicab and auto truck
owners did a thriving business. In
most instances the fares were not ex-
orbitant.
For crosstown rides the regulation
charge was 5 cents. while longer trips
uptown cost from 5 to 20 cents. Fifth
avenue busses and sightseeing cars
were crowded to capacity.
Throngs of half-holiday excursonists,
returning from nearby beaches and
pleasure resorts. waited vainly for sur
face cars and then philosophically de-
,cended into the nearest subway station
Or climbed the stairs to the elevated
platform. This traffic. added to the
usual Saturday night throngs on the
overhead and underground trains,
caused serious congestion. Extra trains
we're operated and additional platform
guards and ticket sellers were requisi-
toned.
Strikers Work on Trucks.
On many OF the large automobile
.rucks fares were collected by striking
conductors. some of whom wore their
railway uniforms. Others were in
charge of taxi cabs and hacks. They
explained they had pooled their earn
ngs and bought second hand convey.
lnces, determined to benefit as much ~