of theirs to any extent, were paying higher prices than their real competitors, who were more remote. In view of these facts, he said that the firm could not consent to submit the wage list to arbitration; that the factory was open to any one who might apply for work, and there would be no discrimination against the old employees.

The workmen were found equally firm in their determination not to yield to any arbitrary list made up by the firm, without, as they thought, allowing the employees sufficient consideration. They thought also that their willingness to submit to arbitration and the refusal of the firm should count in favor of the workmen. Under this state of facts the Board could do nothing but wait for such a change of feeling on one side or the other as seemed likely to come in the course of time.

The Board has communicated with the parties, from time to time, either directly or indirectly; but, at the time of writing this report, no material change has manifested itself in the attitude of the parties towards each other.

WEST END STREET RAILWAY COMPANY-BOSTON.

On December 24 occurred a noteworthy strike on the part of employees of the West End Street Railway Company, in Boston. The facts and grievances are so fully set forth in the statements published by the respective parties, that not much in the way of comment will be necessary.

On December 1 M. L. Young, president of the conductors', drivers' and motormen's union, presented to the corporation, for consideration, a proposed agreement, which was as follows:

ARTICLE 1.

All revenue work in car service shall be described as regular cars, extra cars and special (or chartered) cars.

ARTICLE 2.

No more than ten (10) hours' work to be performed within twelve (12) consecutive hours will be exacted from conductors, drivers or motormen in any one day, except as provided by law.

All time to be calculated from the time they report for duty until relieved or car put up and accounts deposited.

ARTICLE 3.

All work done by regular men shall be laid out on the basis of ten (10) hours' work, to be done in not more than twelve (12) consecutive hours, and men shall be paid at the rate of two dollars and fifty cents ($2.50 *) per day for all work as described in article 2.

In all cases wherein the work of regular men, owing to accident or unavoidable delay, exceeds ten (10) hours, such overtime shall be paid at the rate of thirty (30) cents per hour, in addition to the amounts above provided, as follows:

For ten (10) minutes or less, five (5) cents.

For over ten (10) minutes and less than twenty-one (21) minutes, ten (10) cents.

Men doing full schedule work, which shall not exceed seven and one-half (71) hours, on regular night cars, shall receive two dollars and fifty cents ($2.50).

Extra cars shall be paid at the rate thirty (30) cents per hour, any fraction of one-half hour to be called onehalf hour. Any work done in five consecutive hours to be paid one dollar and twenty-five cents ($1.25).

ARTICLE 4.

All special (chartered) cars starting previous to ten (10) P.M. to be paid at the rate of thirty (30) cents per hour. Conductors, drivers and motormen of such cars starting between ten (10) P.M. and five (5) A.M. shall be paid one dollar ($1) for the first two (2) hours or fraction thereof, and at the rate of fifty (50) cents per hour thereafter.

This demand was soon changed to $2.25.

ARTICLE 5.

All men on cars starting before three (3) P.M. who report within one hour after their car has gone out shall be placed at the foot of the extra list for that day only. On cars starting after three (3) P.M. such men shall be placed at the foot of the extra list for the balance of that day and also for the following day; and in either case shall be charged with a tardy report, and for the fourth tardy report they shall be charged with a miss.

Three subsequent misses shall be treated in a like manner; but for the fifth within one year (said year to begin January 1) he shall have the standing only of a new man employed by the company, beginning at the bottom of the extra list.

A division superintendent may, within his discretion, accept an excuse from an employee for the first or any subsequent miss.

When conductors, drivers or motormen are placed at the foot of the extra list for missing, as provided in this article, they shall report (at the station to which they have been ordered) each day while so rated at seven (7) A.M. roll-call and remain until six (6) P.M., unless detailed or excused. Each failure to do so will be called a miss, and will entail an additional day at the foot of the list.

ARTICLE 6.

All extra conductors, drivers and motormen shall report each day at seven (7) A.M. roll-call at the station to which they are regularly assigned for work, and remain there until six (6) P.M., unless previously detailed or excused. Failure to do so will place the offender at the foot of the extra list for one day.

Extra men will find it to their advantage to report before seven (7) A.M. roll-call, and men so reporting after five (5) A.M. shall be listed and receive work in rotation as they report, holding such position only until seven (7) A.M., after which time each man will take his regular position on the list.

The division superintendent may detail in rotation extra men to report at any station prior to seven (7) A.M. Men especially detailed for early work shall have precedence for work given out before seven (7) A.M.

Failure to report on time will subject the offender to the same penalty as provided for extra men missing at seven (7) A.M. roll-call.

Work to be given out to the extra men on the following plan:

When there is but one central station or headquarters for the assignment of extra men in a division, the man longest in service in that division shall be the first man on the list, and shall be assigned to the first vacancy occurring each day, unless already detailed or excused.

When there is more than one central station or headquarters for the assignment of extra men in a division, men shall be rated by stations, at each of which the man longest in service in that division shall be the first man on the list, and shall be assigned to the first vacancy occurring each day at that station, unless already detailed or excused.

All extra men shall be allowed to exchange cars or places on the list at each station, holding such place of men exchanged with until change of time, when each man shall receive his rating at station according to length of service in the division.