Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-04-13
Perth AMB0Y and EAST CRIPPLED BY STRIKE
But SITUATION IN WEST Is BETTER MEN RETURN
Trains Few and Far Between
Here---Men Hold Meeting,
But No Demands Made---
Coal Still Being Shipped
From South Amboy.

OOdl OtliI DelIly SIlIppeU
From South Amboy.
With the closing down OF tn,
Central Railroad of New Jersey pas.
senger service yesterday noon ant
the staten Island Rapid TRANSIT serv.
Ice today. the strikers have about
completed the work of isolatine
Perth Amboy and points on the New
York Il Long Branch railroad from
New York City. The Pennsylvania
railroad has been unable to keep vi
any kind Of service between points
on the New York & Long Branch
railroad and this city and New Yorl,
and although there are a few trains
on the Central Railroad of New Jer.
sey. they are few and far between
and one never knows when the crews
will desert them. Freights are at q
standstill, while strikers hold meet
ings at which nothing is accomplish
ed. A committee of strikers visited
Mayor Frank Dorsey today informing
him about the increase in prices in
foodstuffs in this city since the strike
and asking his aid. Morning papers
from New York were delivered tC
this city and points south as far as
Matawan by motor truck.
Although the Central Railroad OF
New Jersey late yesterday afternoon
and last night succeeded In running
a few trains from New York in order
to bring home commuters, service
as a whole was demoralized. 1t was
not known when train would be
run and persons travelling in either
direction from the Central station here
were forced to wait until n train ap-
reared, IL being impossible to tell when
one might come along.
When the 1921 Central Railroad of
New Jersey train from Matawan in
charge of Conductor Bennett, which
arrives in Perth Amboy at 1885 each
from East Long Branch. the engine
crew refused to run the train into
Jersey City or to continue the run to
another station unless given protec-
tion of soldiers. When this ultimatum
was delivered to the officials word
was sent to Matawan to place the
train on a side track. This was done
and two other trains continued to
make the run to Jersey City. One of
these trains was in charge of Con-
ductor Cline and is known as the East
Long Branch express. When 1t was
known that Cline and his crew would
make the run orders were issued for
train to make all stops between Mata-
wan and IcliZabethport. The crew sent
word back that unless they could run
as express as usual. they would not
complete the trip and would sidetracll
the train at Matawan. Word was sent
back to let the train proceed as an
express. A train in charge of Con-
ductor Ridgeway followed the express
and made all stops After these two
trains had proceeded on their way,
the crew in charge of the 1921 decided
to run to Jersey City, which they did,
the train being over an hour late.
At 1880 o'clock today it was learned
at the Central station here that the
strike had spread to Point Pleasant,
the southern terminal of the New
York and Long Branch Railroad and
there is little. chance of any train:
from that point running this after
noon.
The hostiers, or men who take care
of the engines have Joined the "out-
laws" and refuse to coal the engines
of the Central railroad. The firemen
refuse to do this work and the trains
are at a stand still. The Pennsylvania
train supposed to arrive in this city
at 1904 o'clock this morning, did not
run. due to the fact that some one
dumped the fire out of the engine and
no one would build a new one. No
PENNSYLVANIA trains have run on this
line today except one train from Cam
den.
All trains making the run through
this city were ordered when they left
Jersey City to stop here. but some OF
them ran through Perth Amboy al
express speed, paying no attention to
the orders. From the present condi-
tions it would seem that the employ
es who do operate trains. do SO as
they see fit, and not as ordered. One
train arrived at the Pennsylvani9
station here yesterday afternoon al
2:15 o'clock. This train was in charge
of crew consisting of clerks in the
Offices of the company. 1t turned
back to New York City. This was
the first train to arrive at the Penn
sylvania station here since Saturday
night. No other trains have arrived
here since that time.
1t was reported at the Central sta
ton today that Mayor Dorsey had
hired Columbia hall for the use OF
the striking train crews employed at
the Lehigh Valley and Port Reading
coal docks. Mayor Dorsey when in
formed about this report said that
he had absolutely nothing to do with
the hiring of the hall, and did not
know who hired it. The first he knew
of the strikers meeting there was when
he asked the committee which come
before him today. where he could find
them and was informed they would
have headquarters at Columbia hall
The strikers from the coal docks
here have secured Columbia hall
where a meeting is planned for to-
night. At the present time no trouble
has developed in this vicinity. al
though at other points along the lines
now affected by the strike some trou-
BILE has taken place. The employees
of the Pennsylvania railroad coal
docks at South Amboy are still at
not Join the strikers.
Timothy Griffen, who has acted as
chairman of Brotherhood Trainmen
No. 800. when seen this morning
stated that his position as chairman
expired as soon as he left the service
of the company. Mr.. Griffen stated
that there was really no leadership
here. but that any work being done
was the result of individual service
being rendered.
In regard to a report that he had
urged the men to return to their work
Mr.. Griffen made a complete denial,
saying that all of the men are over
twenty-one. and therefore are their
own bosses.
Confer on Food Supply.
Mayor Frank Dorsey, following IL
short conference with William II.
Griswold. the federal food admins
traitor for this city during the war,
this morning arranged for another
this afternoon at which time
the action taken by food merchants