, 1873-12-28
THE ENGINEEBs' STRIKE.

week OF puDllG 0UL0EIGLy. /
The ENGINEERS STRIKE.
On Friday, strike Of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS oc-
CURED on tho Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne + CHI
oago, tho Pittsburgh, Cincinnati Il st. Louis,
tho Cleveland i Pittsburgh. tho Eric d Pitts
burgh, and perhaps other roada belonging to tho
Pennsylvania Central combination. It waa re-
ported that tho striko Ind extended to tho Chi
cago & Northwestern and tho Illinois Contrnl; but
this turns out to DO an error, difficulty having
occurred between either Of those companies and
their employees. .:..~ -.
Engineers arc employed at varying rates, from
S275 to $3.50 per day, according to the skill Of
the enginoer and tho character of tho service.
Tho labor ia arduous, aud involves much ro-
sponsibilty. It ia constant strain upon mind
and body. It will be sepn that the wages Of |
these mon range from s21 to 927 por weok, for
arduous labor md in a most responsible posi-
ton, hut tho work is not regular or continuous,
the "timo =" made by engineers not oxccodIng an
average Of nino months In d year. When tho
railroad companies ,wero struck BY tue panic
they adopted two plans Of economy. One Was
. reduction Of their aggregate forco Of hands,
and tho other reduction Of 10 per cent OF the
wages Of tho remainder, including tho ongineors.
Assuming that the average earnings Of these men
aro $50 per month for nine months In tho
year. their total wages is S720. This tho Com
pnnies proposed to reduce to $685. or IN agcrage
Of s54 per month. We think that the protest OF
the engineers against this reduction WAS. justi-
| fable. No man whoever rode on O. railway-car
can bo brought to understand that 500 per
month tho year round is excessive wages for tho
man on tho engine upon whose skill, intell-
gencc, sobrioty, aud sloeploas vigilance depend
the lives Of the passengers and tue property Of
tho Company. Nor do wo think that tho railroad
companies can expect tho sympathy Of the pub
lio In a contest with the engineers upon the
nakod question Of the difference between m
average pay Of eco and sb4 per month to the
locomotive-engineers. It ia immaterial that the
company can find men to run their en-
gines at even lower wages than they offer.
Tho public havo right to demand that tho trains
runlby these companies shall be controlled by
!, competent nen, ny mon whoso intelligence,
fidelity, and experience arc worth at least 800 a
month the year round. We can understand the
necessity Of tho railroad companies in reducing
tue rates Of wages to the large force OF men in
their employ j; but in this reduction there must
I he, Of necessity, some discrimination. ono-hal1
, the porsons In the service Of the companies arc
, 1aborers aud clerka. For the proper discharge
= at the duties Of these no special fitness ia re
aured, and there ls but little responsibility. II
!. tho caso Of tho engineers there is @ wide differ
: onco. Upon them depends tho safety Of ever.
!. train. They arc essential to the operations 0
tho roal Tho horrible sacrifice Of lifo ut th
Sag, in August Inst; and the pocuniary loss t.
tho company, ought to be q warning to all rail
:, road companies TINT, whom thoy sona trains out
II they should bo put into the hands Of mo-
IL OF intelligence, ability, and experience. soyo
10 hundred and twenty dollars year, or an avo1
=. age Of 600 month. will not bo regarded by th
ID public as 80 excessive that even under the pros
T. sure of q financial panic tho wages Of engineer
r. ahall be reduced to S54 month. The Chicago
70 I Burlington &: Quincy Railroad acted wisoly i
m excepting tho engineers from tho reduction {
ID vaeeB aud tho other companies will And tAs
a one WG9k u 141AAD9o HAAA Aa+A4ASs
r. greater loss than oan ,ovor be made good by ii
ho proposed reduction Of the pay OF engineers.
id II the Ponnsylyania Company wore not 80 hea
a. iy wator-loggod with stock dividends and 9TH
D. fictitious liabilitlos 1t would bo abun|anty ab
IT. to 60 through tho present crisis without rodu
OF Ing tho wages Of its engineers. And It Is ia
To- auogtton ia ask, whether it is right to sadd
1a- upon tLom the cost Of paying dividends Oh moo
ng shine capltal when times become 30 hard tn
no 1t caunot boeaddled upon pasHongors and freigl
st, -=%-%.@----@ --=%-.%.@----@ ..
at Woman'a rlghta evidently prevail In Ashante
,od It Ia stated by correspondent of tho Lond
It'll Daily Ne,os that it Ia only tho women who are
ur- any real use in the British baggage.train. I'll
,ir- make capital carriers, aud crowd forward to
ter llat. Each Of them, although carrying box
mo ammunition on hor hoad, and baby
,lty her hips, koopa vol up with tho Il
ned Of march; and tho only condition made by til!
ave is that their anclont prarqgaiye Of whipping
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