New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-14
Erie Threatens to Use
Citizen Crews ON All
Trains as Commuters
Run Many ''Specials''
Pa. r. r. Agrees
To Arbitration
Staten Island Tied Up
Tight; Long Island Hit;
Nixon to Hold Inquiry

With the railroads in and around
New York in a greater muddle than
at any time since the beginning Of
the trouble, there was little indica-
tion last night that the unauthorized
strike Of railroad workers was near-
ing an end.
After representatives Of the strik-
ing railroad men and officers of the
railway brotherhoods got together
for the first time to discuss the stu
alton the workers unanimously voted
at meeting in Jersey City last
night to remain out
The executive committee had agreed
at the conference with the brother
hood chiefs to place before their as
sociates the proposition of returning
to work pending the consideration
of their demands by the Railroad
Labor Board just appointed by
President Wilson.
Commuters Man Trains
The proposition had been accepted
by the Syracuse trainmen. and
Timothy Shea, president of tia
Firemen and Engineers, was hope.
full that the local men would follow
their example.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany agreed yesterday to a PROPOSE
tion made by the Bureau of Media
ton and Arbitra ton of the State
Department Of Labor and Industry
to have the general managers of the
railroads meet representatives Of the
strikers, provided the latter can
speak for all the men who are not
working and that representatives. of
the brotherhoods shall also be per-
mitted to be present. Reports from
the Middle and Far West are that
there has been general improvement
in the situation.
Two hundred switchmen and train
men, employed by the New York Cen.
trail Railroad at the West Albany yards
walked out las. night. They decided
however, after short meeting to re
turn to work at once.
Sevcnty-fve switchmen, who walkes
out of the Waterbury, Conn. yards yes
terday agreed, at meeting last night
to return to work at once. This actor
followed the disclosure by the uniol.
officials that credentials shown by two
mysterious strangers, who circulated
among the men Monday. claiming that
they represented the Brotherhood of
Railroad Trainmen, were bogus.
An army of aroused commuters is be-
ginning TO make itself felt. Citizen 4
crews ran three "indignation specialist
into Jersey City yesterday and took y
four out Officials Of the Erie and
Lackawanna roads announce that SIX
teen of these "indignation specials"
all manned by residents along those
lines, viii be run in and out Of Jersey
City to-day.
J. J. Mantell, manager of the Erie
Railroad and spokesman for the other
roads, has issued an ultimatum to the
strikers threatening to employ citizen
volunteers wholesale if the situation is
not improved within the next forty
eight hours.N
Nixon to Hold Inquiry
Public Service Commissioner Lewis
Nixon directed last night that hear
ing be held and an investigation made
into the causes of the strike. The hear
ing will begin tomorrow morning at
10:30 O'Clock. Every railroad corpora
ton entering the city will be served
with the order to send resentatives
to the hearing.
Traffic on all the freight and passen-
ger lines of the Baltimore & Ohio sys-
tenn on Staten Island was totally sus-
pended. No trains of the three lines
running from St. George to Mariners'
Hsrbor, South Beach and Tottenvilir
have run since 2:30 a. m. yesterday.
More than twenty-five thousand com
muters will be driven to the inadequats
trolley lines which thread only a small
part Of the island.
The railroad service for commuters
was given an additional jolt with the
suspension of the steam trains on the
Long Island lines. 1t was stated, hows
ever. that efforts will be made 10 get
electric service to the portion Of the
100000 commuters on Long Island
affected.
Milk is continuing to arrive reg.-
larly and plentifully on all the lines.
while the coal situation is consider
ably eased by the concentration Of the
forces of the Erie system on keeping
this commodity moving rcgularl~.
Fresh Food Dwindling
Fresh food products, however. ar.
dwindling rapidly. with prices rising
The strikers have agreed to discuss
the question of hauling fresh fooo
stuffs into New York with DR.. Rovel
s. Copeland. Commissioner Of Heaith
They will confer in Jersey City th.s
morning.
WnrCor. a,~. .:-A.u. A, a.