New-York tribune., 1919-08-19
Details of Conference That Resulted
In Settlement OF Traction Strike

Public Service Commissioner Lewis
Nixon, aided by Governor Smith, who
was at the Offices of the Public Service
Commission all yesterday afternoon,
led in the settlement Of the INTERIOR
ough strike.
ernor, Construction Commissioner j ohn
Fl: Delaney, Patrick j. Connolly, head
of the lnterborough brotherhood;
Frank Hedley, James L. Quackenbush
and De Lancey Nicoll, representing the
lnterborough Transit Company. were
Sc eahing a solution Of the strike, Mayor
Hylan, Corporation Counsel Burr, Dis
trict Attorney Swami and District At
torney Martin, of The Bronx, were busy
at City Hall planning prosecutions for
alleged criminal conspiracy in connec-
tiol with the calling of the strike
On Saturday last the theatre of &C
tion was the councl! chamber of the
City Hall, with Mayor Hylan presiding
at a special public meeting of the
board Of Estimate and other parties III
interest. The result OF that days
work was defiance on the part of Con-
molly and strike on Sunday morning
at 4 O'Clock, according to schedule.
Behind Closed Doors
The theatre of action yesterday was
the twelfth floor of the Public Service
Commission Offices in Lafayette Street
and the proceedings We're behind closed
doors.
Commissioner Nixon early yesterday
got into communication with Con-
molly. and invited him to a conference
at o'clock.
Il and my committee will be there
as you request" Connolly is under
stood to have said, "on the condition
that neither Hylan nor Hearst have
anything whatsoever to do with the
conference"
As matter of fact, the Mayor was
shut out OF the conference, and did not
know of progress made until told by
the newspaper men at City Hall.
When Connolly. Harry Post, William
Fox, John Mangin and four others of
the Brotherhood appeared at the Office
of the Public Service Commission at 9
O'Clock they went to the office of
Deputy Glennon
The door had hardly closed on them
before Frank Hedley, vice-pre sident
ough; Mr.. Quackenbush. the com
pany's lawyer, and Mr.. Nicoll repre-
senting the bondhoders, appeared, and
were shown into Commissioner NiXon's
office.
Other Officials Present
Awaiting both delegations were
Governor Smith, John Mitchell, State
Industrial Commissioner; Senator
Foley. representing Tammany Hall,
and Commissioner Delaney. Governor
Smith used an office fifty feet away,
and personally did not take part in the
talk between Connolly and his delega-
tion and the lnterborough officials
Commissioner Nixon hustled from one
Office to another, spending most of the
time with the Brotherhood delegation.
Connolly's reported statement at the
Sunday meeting of the brotherhood
that the men would have accepted
20 per cent raise furnished a starting
point on his side for discussion of
settlement. The offer of the company
TO allow a 10 per cent raise was the
starting point for Messrs. Hedley.
Quackenbush and Ncoll. Commits
sioner Nixon used these two PROPOSE
tlons back and forth, wearing down
the opposition of the men to an ac-
ceptance, even temporarily, of less than
they demanded, and. on the other
hand, pressing upon Hedley, Quacken-
bush and Nicoll the necessity of show
ing compromising attitude
The Scent Fare Question
Just what was said by Commissioner
Nixon, backed by the Governor, about
or s cent fare, following an in
crease in wages, was not disclosed by
Commissioner Nixon, but there is an
understanding all around that the com
Pany will increase the pressure for an
ineressed fare, and that Commissioner
Nlxon will take 4 decilive stand for