New-York tribune., 1920-04-30
Strikers Fail
To Dim Lights
On Staten Isle
Nixon Blames CITY for Not
Ending the Walkout and
Declares the Bus Service
Is Wholly Inadequate
Mass Meeting Tonight
Mayor Again Accuses the
Commissioner of Being
Higher Fare Advocate

AAASlACI rare AuNOCdtc
Efforts to plunge Staten Island in
darkness by calling out employees of
the power house of the Richmond Light
and Power Company in sympathy with
the striking trolley men, met with fail
ure yesterday. Meanwhile, the full
powers of the Public Service Commits
sion were brought to bear on employees
and officials in an effort to settle the
strike that has tied up all trolley serv-
ice on the island and forced $4,000
commuters to use busses or walk TO
reach the steam roads.
Both parties to this dispute must
adjust their difference at once" de-
clared Public Service Commissioner
Lewis Nixon, who characterized the
city's part in the strike as an outrage.
"The city could. if it would, cooperate
with the men and stop this strike in
twenty-four hours. But the city is not
even providing sufficient numbers of
bhsses to take care of the public"
Operating at Loss
Four strike leaders, officials of the
company, the newly appointed receiver
and several other persons interested
in the walk-out attended the hearing
yesterday with Mr.. Nixon in an effort
to adjust the difference between the
company and it's striking employees. 1t
was testified at the hearing that the
company did not look with disfavor
upon the demands of the men for in
creased pay. but that the financial con-
dition of the company would not per-
nit raises. C. W. Huntington, pres-
dent of the company, said as much in
his testimony.
1T was declared by Mr.. Huntington
that the company has operated at a
loss for several months, and that the
lines would have to suspend operations,
as did the Midland line, were it not
for the income from the lighting plant
OF the company.
The city took hand yesterday in
the walkout. Accusing the Richmond
Light and Power Company. which
joined the request for receiver, of
quitting cold" Grover A. Whalen,
Commissioner of Plant and Structures,
announced that the city will use every
means in its power to get possession
operation. MIR. Whalen will ask the
Board of Estimate to-day to exercise
the municipalities police power and
: take over, not only the trolley lines,
but the company's power plant as we'll,
which lights streets of the borough and
nearly every house on the island using
electricity.
Receiver Blocks Mayor
1t was pointed out by business men
of Staten Island, however, that the
city is forestalled by the appointment
of a receiver, and not a few declared
that the request of the company for
Of forestalling Mayor Hylan in his
plan to operate the Islands trolley
system municipality. When the Mid
land line suspended operations. it was
declared receiver was asked for be-
cause of the fact of law that under
those conditions the city could not
take over the franchise for at least
ninety days. 1t is said that the re-
quest by the Richmond company for
receiver may have been from similar
cause.
Meanwhile, considerable grumbling
and dissatisfaction was heard on
Staten Island over the attempted opera
tion of municipal buses. 1t was said
there were not sufficient number of
them and that those provided were not
large enough. Fifty-five buses are now
in operation on the island, but fully
cnc-third of those committing to Man
haitian disregarded these and walked
to the nearest station of tn Staten
Those to feel the effect of the walk
out most acutely are persons who have
hired or bought bungalows between
Midland and Sputh beaches, summer re-
sorts. 1t is estimated that $4,000 bunga-
low people had arranged to live on the
shores of the island during the sum-
mer, and the bungalow season usually
starts on May l. In the case of Mid
land Beach the nearest station since
the suspension of the Midland Beach
trolley line is three miles away on the
Tottenville division of the Rapid Tran
SIT Railroad. The fare is l5 cents on
charged by the Midland.
Mass Meeting Tonight
A mass meeting has been called for
Tonight in Columbia Hall, West New
Brighton, at which the causes and
issues of the strike will be thrashed
out by Staten Island business men.
FRANK A. Verdon, millionaire ship
builder, will preside.
Among those who attended tho meet
ing were Captain John J. Kuhn. re-
ceiver of the company; Bertram Geadie.
X. l.. Rand. vice president and gene raj
manager; G. W. Huntington, president:
terrence B. Farley and Max Mueller.
counsel for the commission; James F.
Donnelly and NJ. NJ. Fertig, of the Cor
poratlon CounsePs Office; Michael Fir
aeYan, president of Local 726 of the
American Association of Street srd
Electrical Railway Employees, and the
committee of five representing ihe
strikers ~
The hearing proceeded amicably un