New-York tribune., 1916-07-27
Lack of Police Stops
Night Runs on Sur
face Line.
1900 MEN OUT,
SAY STRIKERS
Warn Manhattan - Road
Tells of Gun Threats
Service To-day.


up Southern Westchester County for
nearly a week hit The Bronx last
night. At 7 o'clock a crowded car
lurched through the drizzle up Web
ster Avenue. 1t was the last car to
run.
BY far the greater part of the
huge throng which pours into The
Bronx nightly by way of the subway
and the Third Avenue elevated found
the cars already stopped. Not only
the far corner Of the sprawling bor-
ougb but even such relatively near
by points as University Heights,
Fordham Heights, Van Ness and
Westchester found themselves cut
eff.
Taxis Do Record Business.
Many waited for an hour or more
at the transfer points, hoping that
come venturesome car would appear.
None did. II was a case of walk or
hire an automobile. Jitneys sprouted
like toadstools, and unscrupulous
cbauffeurs went home with heavy
pockets. Before s o'clock some taxi
cab drivers had covered their clocks
rom the sight of inquisitive fares.
Most disconsolate of all were the
shopgirls. many of whom had taken
onlv lunch money and carfare when
they started for work. Telephone
booths were at a premium, and The
Bronx centrals put in busy evening
connecting stalled travellers with
their anxious families.
Union leaders declared that prac-
tjcally all of the 1900 employees OF
the Union Railway Company had
ioined the strike. If the demands OF
the men were not granted by Satur-
day. they said, the strike would be
extended to Manhattan.
"The tie-up is not due to strike,
declared Edward A. Maher, assistant
general manager Of the Union Rail
wav. "We simply took the cars out
o. service because we were afraid OF
violence during the dark hours ana
were unable TO get police protectoE'
Cars will be run at daylight to-mor-
row."
Men TerroriZed, Is Charge.
Mr.. Maher ridiculed the estimate
made by union men of the number OF
employees who had joined the organ
ization. Motormen and conductors
were simply terrorized, he said, be-
cause of raids that lad been made by
armed strikers from Yonkers upon
work cars in the early morning hours
Several car windows had been broken,
he said. and men with pistols in their
hands had told the motormen and con-
ductors what their fate would be II
they refused to join the union.
When he applied at headquarters for
policemen to ride on the front plat
form of his cars he had been told, Mr..
Maher said, that it was against the
rules of the department for policemen
10 do il He was unable to arrange
conference with the Commissioner or
any of the deputy commissioners be-
fore this morning.
policemen or no policemen" he de-
eared, Eve will run cars tomorrow at
daybreak."
In preparation for it, motormen and
conductors slept in the company's
barns last night with pstrolmen on
guard outside.
Threat Accusation Denied
William D. Fitzgerald, general or
ganizer Of the Amalgamated Associa-
tion Of Street Railway Employees of
America, said that no violence or
threats had been Used by the striking
roleymen, although II had been busy
night. Several meetings were held in
various parts of The Bronx and in their
automobile trips from one meeting 10
another union speakers had been
dogged by Superintendent Reynolds Of
Inc Union Railway, he said.
Mr. Reynolds, Fitzgerald added, had
iorced his way into one meeting and IN
the midst of the speaking bad arisen
and declared that no man present
could strike as they were one and all
discharged. He had been elected.
fitzgerald added, and had succeeded in
having the police stop the meeting as
y was over a saloon and it was after
closing hours.
Inc Union saw to it that automobiles
carried the strike order far and wide
through The Bronx and the progress of
me automobiles could be traced in the
ears which vanished into the barns and
olu not reappear. From o'clock until
nearly 10 o'clock, only one car was
seen on the l49th Street crosstown line,
0ioiharily one of the busiest in the
continued on page s. column 8