New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-02
All but 40 of 700 Tugs Out
of Commission, Says
Union Manager.
BORROWED BOATS
AID INCOMING LINERS
Dalzell Refuses to Treat with
Engineers Through Organlza-
tion-Some Deckhands Out.

River and harbor shipping WAS oauiy
crippled yesterday by the strike OF ma
rine engineers and fremen. with only
about forty of the 700 tugboats usually
operating in the harbor in commission
incoming ships were delayed in docking
and thousands OF dollars worth OF
freight was piled up on piers and idle
barges.
Although officials Of the Marine En-
pineers' Beneficial Association declared
up to the last moment that they dld
not expect strike, most of their men
quit work at o'clock yesterday morn
ing. r. l.. Delehanty, general manager
Of the union, estimated the number OF
boats tied up at $50. These, he thought
included those of all the railroads ex-
cept the New York Central and the New
York. New Haven e. Hartford
1--WE do not insist on a recognition
Of the association" said Mr.. Delehanty.
The tug owners can deal with their
engineers separately if they want to.
Just as long as they meet our schedule
of prices we don't care. | will not tell
our immediate plans now, but we VIII
insist that our scale be adopted
Large Companies Crippled.
The large towing companies were all
badly handicapped. Among the SUI
ferers were Fred 3. Dalzell g. Co, h.
r Barrett & Co., John +. Moore g. Co.
and the American Mutual Company.
Fred B. Dalzell, Of the Dalzell Com
pany, said yesterday that his men had
received all they asked Cor, but that he
would never treat with them through
the union. Five of the company's seven
tugs were running, he said, but, pend
ing a final adjustment, the engineers
and fremen received raises OF from 30
70 $40 a month.
CAPTAIN r. j. Barrett said engineers
of his company wanted lunch served on
board when they had 70 work overtime,
and asked TO be freed from other WORK
on the days they washed the boilers.
/ Cantain Barrett said that he offered 20
meet part Of the engineers wage scale,
/ but would never accept their full de-
mands.
Spasmodic sympathetic strikes OF
deck hands were reported by some COM
panies. but they were largely unorgan-
/ lied. The most important was OF l,OOO
men employed by the New York DocB
/ Company at Erie Basin. They want
their present wage of 25 cents an hour
raised TO 80 cents, and refused u
cent compromise. Their action served
TO add still further to the confusion
pervading the freight piers oh Brook
Ign.
Passenger Liners Late.
Several incoming passenger liners
were DELAYED in docking. The Brazos,
/ from Porto Rico. made her pier with
/ the aid of a Clyde Line tug, the United
Fruit liner Sixaola was locked by tug
loaned by the Atlantic Coast Lumber
) Company and the Red Cross liner
Stephano was helped in by one belong
ing TO W. S. Holbrook, who said nc had
reached a settlement with his engineers.
The Fabre liner Patria had to dock with
practically no assistance.
The continuance of the strike may
delay subway construction IN various
parts of the city. George II. Clark,
chief engineer of the Holbrook, Cabot
& Rollins Company, pointed OUT yeSIei
day that the dirt scows used in the
disposal of excavation material would
be tied up if no tugs are available.
Officials of the big oil companies in
Bayonne, particularly the Texas and
Gulf oil companies, fear that the sail
ing of their tankers for foreign coun-
tries will be affected by the strike. The
departure of several tankers scheduled
to leave Constable Hook to-day may be
delayed unless additional tugs can be
found to take the ships from the Kill
van Kull TO sea.
The arrival of four large transat-
lantic liners tomorrow will test the
seriousness of the situation. Among the
ships due are the Scandinavian-Amer
can liner United States, the Espagne,
Of the French Line; the Anchor liner
Tuscania and the Ryndam, Of the Hol-
lsnd-America Line.