The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-12-12
0heGtttelIiqencer:
sunday ua.irond work.

huudnS HattrORu WORK.
The New York Sabbath Committee
have collected from correspondence
with 124 railroad companies large
amount of valuable and interesting
statistical information on the extent OF
Sunday railroad work in the United
States, and have recently published
the results, together with extracts from
letters of the Postmaster. General and
the Presidents of the principal railroad
companies bearing on the subject. We
present some of the facts which are OF
general intercs: to the public.
THY EXTENT OF SUNDAY TRAVEL AND
IUSDAY WORK on I2I IsAILRoArs ~
THE UNITED STATES.
Number OF cOmp9uIes which run no
Sunday passenger or freight and cattle
Trims W
Number OF companies which run sun
day passenger Or freight and cattle -
Sumber al SnnG1v nSS;cn:eT Train run
by those 80 COmpanieS........... Ia
Number OF sunday frei Sht aud cattle
trains run by the above cOmpRuleS.." 52
One railroad officer estimates the TO.
tai number OF men employed in the
United StateI on Sunday railroad work
at 1000. In our large cities thousands
OF men arc employed III running The
horse cars. and are deprived of their
weekly rest and the privileges of wor-
ship, 10 The injury of their efficiency.
ARE SUNDAY TRAINS PROFITABLE?
The question whether Sunday trains
ar. source OF profit was answered by
sixteen companies in tho Affirmative,
by thirty-eight in tho negative; the rest
left it unnoticed. The answers justify
the conclusion that as II rule Sunday
trains are directly or indirectly un-
profitable. especially il the Wear and
tear of men and material be taken into
account.
The General Superintendent of the
Morris and Essex Railroad IN. J)
writes: "I can only suggest that Sun
day work, as a rule. does not pay"
The Boston and Providence RaiIrond:
Secular work on Sunday is profitable
to nobody-corporation or iudivid-
unlS."
The Cleveland, Toledo and Erie Rail-
road: sunday trains are run at loss,
except as we are forced to run them In
competition"
The St. Paul aud Pacific Railroad,
(Eirst DivisiOp): "What shall it profit
a man II he gam the whole world and
lose his own sOui7"
The Rome, Watertown and Ogdeus-
burg railroad: Never can be TO any
road, for both men and machinery
need day of rest"
III. Fleming, the Superintendent and
Chief Engineer OF the Mobile and Ohio
Railroad: MY experience, extending
l0I,
management OF railroads. is that CPssH.
tion OF labor on Sunday produces II
good moral effect upon the employees
and laborers."
w. w. Gard, Superinie eudent of Pitts
burRh. Cincinnati and ST. Louis Rail
road: "In my opinion, Sunday trains
and Sunday work OF all Liuds should
be discouraged. 1t is acknowledging, and
men engaged six days oil the week need
Sunday for rest"
Il. Il. Phillips, President of Michigan
Southern and Northern Indiana Rail
road: 1--WE are satisfied that (leavinG
all moral considerations out of the ques.
tion) it is for the interest of the Compa-
ny TO allow our employees the rest of
the Sabbath. It is our intention 10 re-
duce our Sunday service TO the lowest
possible amount"
L. +. Drake, President of Minnesota
Valley Railroad: I'm all business mat
ters and employments the rest OF the
seventh day is needful for the mental.
moral. and ply sicaI necessities ofman.'
Frederick Watts, President OF Cum
berland Valley Railroads: my expe-
rienCe is, that nothing more highly con-
duCes TO the health and working pow
ers of the employees than their rest
from labor on Sunday. And in my
judgment, there is corresponding ad-
vantage to the ComPan ny. itself"
These and other testimonies OF expe-
rienced railroad managers tend TO show
that, Irrespective of moral and religious
considerations. n general reduction
Sunday railroad work to the measure
OF strict necessity would be advanta-
geous to the companies. The document
concludes with II moderate, yet carnes;
plea in favor of "a reduction on ecouom-
ical, moral, and patriotic grounds.