The Washington herald., 1916-03-06

With switchmen, pitmen, traekmen,
shopmen, clerks, former carmen, and a
few loyal employees serving as motor
men and conductors, the two railway
companies yesterday worked hard to
maintain q schedule.
Cars on all lines were delayed in start
ing out early in the morning. Passengers
were compelled to wait as long as fifteen
and twenty minutes for cars on some
lines, and consequently, the cars were
crowded to the doors Hundreds OF per-
sons walked to their destinations.
There was little disorder at any of
the car barns or along the various routes,
despite the fact that the strikers as
sembled in large groups. Police made
no attempt to dispense the assemblages.
The strikers resorted to frequent dem
onstrations. Passing cars were -hooted
and the conductors and motormen 1eer-
ed. Cries of 'Scab" were raised Is the
cars appeared.
At all of the car barns the strikers
were represented by committees, COM
posed OF six or seven members and head
ed by committee captain. These COM
mitteemen led the demonstrations and
also sought to persuade loyal employees
to quit work. They were relieved from
time to time, picket schedule having
been arranged.
The strikers declared that most of the
car crews employed yesterday were COM
posed Of employees Communicated from
other departments and also of new en-
ployes. They said that the number in
Cluded switchmen, pitmen, trackmen.
shopmen. clerks and once-discharged en-
ployes. They also declared that many Of
these men had not had the experience
usually required of motormen by the COM
panies.
The companies have a rule to the effect
that motormen must have at least
seventy-two hours OF actual experience
years experience before being permit
ted to run car by himself. The Public
Utilities Commission has approved this
rule, but the rule still is merely a COM
pany regulation, and there is absolutely
no penalty for violation.
The strikers also declared that because
of the numerous new motormen there
have been countless violations of the
law. Members of the strike committees
declare that they have numerous in
stances of breach of the speed law, of
failure to halt at fire stops and of SINH
lar infractions.
The captains of the strike commit
tees were kept busy all day. They
kept records in little notebooks of the
number of cars operated, the head
ways, the number of employees, and
the number of alleged violations of
the law.
Little Delay, officials Say.
Statements of railway officials and
strike leaders varied considerably as
to the effects of the strike on the traf-
fic service. Officials said that the
schedules were but little altered. and
hof h. 49, % \
but slightly.
Referring to the Eleventh street
line of the Washington Railway and
Electric Company, an official at the
barn at Eleventh street and Florida
avenue said:
"On Sundays we usually run eight
cen cars. Today we are running ten
Usually on Sundays We employ forty
regular men. Today we have thirty
working. OF this number about a third
are regular employees, another third
are extra employees. and the others are
new men.
IT should estimate that about so per
cent of the employees at this barn are
on strike. The strike resulted in a de-
lay OF about an hour this morning in
getting started.
Tells of Clash with Striker.
young man in civilians clothes with a
motormans number tied to his black
derby derby entered the Office.
IT hit him a good crack" he said. IT
don't know whether killed him, but hit
him hard enough to knock him out. Right
in the face. too. He tried to get on the
car after hooting at me, and 1 let him
have it."
What is your name?" asked The Her
aid reporter.