The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-08-06
Great Street Railway Strike
Spreads. and Service Is Prac-
tically Abandoned
WORKING ON SUBWAY
AND ELEVATED MEN NOW
Prospects Are That Whole
Transit System " i'll Be Tied
Up Soon If Settlement Is
Not Reached

street car strike now affecting all sur
face lines In four boroughs became
more serious today. Toward evening
the situation reached a critical stage,
The disorganized schedule maintained
on vome lines during the day was
abandoned entirely
At noon the strike spread to the
! systems of the Second Avenue Rail
way In Manhattan and the Richmond
Light and Power Company in Staten
Island. The Brooklyn lines are as yet
unaffected.
the day were:
l. Employees of the subway and
elevated lines at three secret meetings
drew up demands to - presented to
the companies. Refusal will precipitate
a strike, II is declared. Company
given until Wednesday noon to an
swer. -
2. Incipient riots occurred in sew
, erai parts of Mania ttan. but police re-
main in control. More than nifty ar
rests made for minor ofrenses. Great
est delay to traffic caused by driving
! wedges into trolley slots.
3. Five thousand police guard street
lines throughout the four boroughs.
Twenty-Five hundred more. are held In
reserve. The police training camp at
Fort Wadsworth was terminated and
400 men ordered back to duty
Warns Men to Maintain Order.
4, President Mahon. of the Car
mems Union. leaves for Detroit, piac-
ing management OF strike in the hands
of Organizer Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald
warned strikers to avoid difficulty
with the police and told them TO keep
away from saloons and preserve
order
5. Richmond IAght and Power Com
pany refuses demands of men. Two
hundred and seventy quit work, com
pletely paraiyzing service In that
/ borough.
g. Employees Of Second Avenue line
joined strike. thus making the tie-up
effect every surface line in Manhat-
tan.
with every surface line in the
grasp of the strike the city faces
complete he-up. In transit facilities
next week Union officials are now
centertng their activities upon organ
izing the men on the subway and
elevated lines. Three secret meet
ings were held during the night.
They were we'll attended by employees.
Demands were drawn up and these
will be presented TO 1nterborough
officials with the announcement that
failure TO answer by Wednesday noon
will be the signal for general walk
out. General Manager Frank He'd
ley, of the New York Railways Com
pany. made a desperate effort to
maintain service on the lines of his
company during the day. However.
less than half the regular number
OF cars were in operation. The one
line reporting an increase in the
number OF cars in operation as the
day progressed was the Eighth Ave-
nue.. Along the Amsterdam and
Broadway lines fair service was
maintained. but even this was spas
modic. The Lexington Avenue line
was badly hit Along Madison Ave-
nue. and on the cross-town lines the
number OF cars was adequate to care
for the traffic.
Many Cases on Intimidation.
During the day hundreds of cases
Of alleged intimidation and other dis
orderly acts were reported at po-
instance, however. those responsible
for the trouble quickly departed when
reserves were sent to the scene
Most OF the actions complained
OF were the massing Of Persons In
front OF cars. preventing their NOV
ing. and attempts to drag motormen
and conductors from their platforms.
General Manager Hedley made re-
peated requests during the day that
one be assigned to each car Chief
Inspector Schmittberger said this
was not possible. as the department
In already taxed with enough work.
President Shonts made a similar
demand upon Police Commissioner
Woods He said that at present when
the single policeman is standing with
the motorman the conductor is ap-
preached, and vice versa Commits
doner woodc finally said that II two
policeman were found necessary on
each car they would be assigned. but
he admitted such an order would
strain the resources Of the depart
ment TO the limit.
Mahon Makes Statement.
In a statement issued late In the
afternoon. President Mahon. OF the
Amalgamated Association. claimed
that two-thirds OF the 1000 employees
OF the New York Railways Company
had quit work and that the remainder
would Join the ranks Of the strikers
In the course OF few hours.
He continued: Mr.. Hediey said
he had 1000 strikebreakers That
probably explains why some Of the
cars are moving. but. take IL from
me. this condition cannot last long.
because the men who are running the
cars are not skilled men, and for the
further reason that the regular en-
pioyes remaining at work will be-
with US very shortly.
This Il no new experience to me-.
On other occasions have seen cars
running after q strike has been called.
One more word and Tn through. II
Mr.. Hedley and Mr. Shonts had been
willing to Give their employees ONE
half the wage they are now paying