The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1916-04-10
DOMINION men
AGAIN AT WORK
Strikebreakers Dis harged
and Old Employees Return
Pending Conference.
DISCUSS DEMANDS TODAY
Workers and Employers to Meet Daily.
Washington and Virginia
Men to Stick.

Ten thousand persons breathed a sigh
OF relief yesterday morning, when for
the first time since Thursday morning
at II o'clock. the cars Of the Washington
and Old Dominion Railway Company
were operated.
Had conditions continued such as
existed Thursday evening, Friday and
Saturday, the plight OF persons living In
the territory traversed by the tracks of
the road would have been almost desper-
ate as the sudden downpOur of rain and
snow made the roads impossible on foot
or in steel tire vehicles.
Pending settlement Of the grievances
between employees and officials, at con-
ferences to be begun today, the motormen
and conductors. who paralyzed the system
on Thursday by a "walk-out." returned
to work at 8 o'clock yesterday
Cars on all divisions OF the road moved
out OF the barns on schedule time yes
to-day. All employees who went out on
the strike, returned to work in their
former capacities. Men employed since
April 1, were discharged Saturday night
immediately after the first conference be-
tween officers and employees.
Striking employees of the Washington
and Virginia Railway Company yester-
day asserted that the wrecking OF two
cars at Nauck, Va, late Friday night.
was caused by the employment of in
experienced men, and not by creased
rails.
The strikers also alege that the crew
operating the first car to be derailed,
which occurred at 11:3O p. m, had been
on duty since $50 a. m. A request to be
relieved. they said. made by the crew at
$50 p. m. had been refused.
Few still on Falls Church Line.
Though more than IS per cent of the
old employees on the Falls Church divisS
Co, Of L. Al tn aFf
been locked OUT or walked OUT with
the declaration of the strike, schedules
on the division were maintained yester-
day with only a ffteen-minute delay on
each trip.
Union employees of the company stated
that new members are being signed up
daily. Three employees of the Alexandria
division are said to have left the COM
pany yesterday. New men, however, were
Immediately put in their places and the
schedules maintained without interrupt
ton.
The striking employees declared that on
Wednesday, Immediately after the pre-
sentiment Of the demands, a notice was
placed on the bulletin board to the effect
that the company would give the men
until Friday to individually present their
grievances. On Thursday. however, they
said, they were met at the door by the
trainmaster. who asked:
DO you belong to the unionT' On re-
ceiying an Affirmative reply, they claim
they were told their services were no
longer required. Thirty-two men are
said to have been locked out Thursday.
More than twenty others are said to have
left the employ OF the company since that
time.
The men yesterday expressed renewed
determination to fight to the end, when
news OF the settlement of the strike on
the Washington and Old Dominion be-
came known.
To Meet Employers Today.
The first meeting OF the conferees Of
the Washington and Old Dominion will
be held today in the main Offices of the
company, Thirty-sixth and NJ streets
northwest. at l o'clock The conference
will adjourn at ( o'clock.
Under the agreement entered into Sat
urday. the conference will continue dur
ing those hours daily for ten days, or
until an agreement is reached.
Among the more important demands of
the men are recognition of the union
and settlement by arbitration of all
grievances between officials and en-
plOyes arising in the future, adoption of
tcn-hour work day with pay for all
overtime, increase of wages for conduc-
tors and motOrmen in the steam freight
service from 50 to 81 per day. and of flag
men and brakemen from $3.50 to $40
The men also demand one hours pay
for sanding and coaling engines: pay for
doubling in, and be assigned positions ac-
Cording to seniority rights. increase of
pay for motornen and conductors in pas
senger train service from IL cents per
mile to cents per mile. and pay for time
lost on account of accidents.
The committee representing the en-
ployes is composed of NJ. F. Patterson,
chairman; Ernest C. Putnam, Walter s.
Shertzer, W. II. Foote and o. F. Carson.
The company will be represented at the
conference by President Colin Living
ston and General Manager W. B. EN-
inert.