The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1877-07-29
MernIng Star and Catholic Messenger.
EEw ORLEANS, sUH,sAx. JULY 20 1877.
THE RAILROAD STRIKE.
THE GRIEvANoEs OF TIE EMPLOYEES.


into the worse they appear. The men al
tell the same story, and do it in a way thai
is apt to impress tbs bearer strongly. A
reporter of the american, with view OF
getting something like q fair statement o
the employees side of the question, sin-
gled ont a conductor, brakeman, an en-
gineer and fireman, who are yet In the
employ of the company. aud recognized as
eober, reliable men. Their statements did
not vary, and were afterwards corrobora-
ted by dozen or more employees They
state that notwithstanding the large num-
ber of men dismissed from service by the
company during the past year, there are
yet more men employed than the business
of the road justifes. This causes all the
men to lose several days in every week. as
they cannot get constant employment.
The method pursued by the company in
the working of the men is about the great
est grievance. This method 10 economical,
and in carrying 1t out the employees say
they are treated just rs the rolling stock or
locomotives, the company falling to make
the slightest concession in their belalf.
AL this trouble grows ont of the fact That
the company, while hauling good amount
Of freight astward, has not enough freight
westward to load their empty house cars.
The heaviest freight business of the road
in any one day 10 thirty i've trains in each
direction, but those westward bound are
largely made mp of empty cars. This has
led to the practice Of increasing the num-
ber of cars in freight train, and conse-
queptly an increase of labor for the fremen
and brakemen.
rILINa ON WORK.
Freight trains now have about eight
moro cars attached than was the custom o
year ago, and q brakeman often has over
twenty cars to attend to. The number of
men on trains has been leesened, 80 that
now there are only four men on train,
the conductor, the brakeman, the engineer
and the fireman. To quote the expression
of one of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
engineers, "The Northern Central, which
the Baltimore and Ohio calls q one-h horse
road, has six men on every freight train
and the engineer and fireman" The in
creaee of cars gives the fireman nearly one
third additional work to keep the engine
supplied The longer the train the great
er the danger of accidents. Oo down
grade, owing to the momentum, after the
put on, Q train will frequently slide mile
or more before it stops.
HARDsHIPs ENDURED III THE TRAIN MEN.
In the winter time the percentage of &C
cidents to brakemen is usually Bishap
every other day, and one death q month.
During rainy weather, especially, brake
man becomes so benumbed that he is very
liable to tumble of. In two instances it is
said, brakemen, sitter loss of rest and under
the depression Of reduced wages, etc. have
purposely thrown themselves under the
wheels. Nearly all the men talked with
naid that at one time or another when mel
ancholy they had meditated about stepping
over the bumpers aud meeting instant
death As for 6remeD, their case ie no bet
tar. They have to go out on the engine at
ali times while it is in motion and oil it up.
A misEtep or an inch of leaning backward
ID deatb. With the thermometer up in the
nineties they CONTINUALLY face furnace
hot enough to melt glass.
STARVATION WAGES.
During the past two years the wages of
he Gremen, always the least paid of the
trimming employees, has been reduced loo
per cent. Formerly they were paid day
and halFs wages for Sunday now 1t lie
the same as any other day. Formerly they
made S55 month each on an average now
they do not average 800 q month. Former
cauPe they were held on the road, they
were paid at reduced rate for their time ;
now, If it takes forty hours to make halt
trip they only get one day'spay. Formerly,
when they could not get train to work on
back they were given passes to return with;
now they are not given passes, and have
often to wait several days at Msrtinsburg,
the whole trip. A days work is to run
from Baltimore to Martinshurg OF from
Martineburg to Baltimore. The distance is
q hundred miles. II every thing goes right
the run can be made in six hours, to which
must be added an hour for firing up before
starting aud an hour cleaning the engine
after coming in. Whatever happens on the
road causing delay to freights Ia loss to the
employees. Ii it takes forty Eve hours
from Martinsburg to Baltimore it only
counts one days pay. Formerly the com.
pany employed "hostlers," who attended
TO cleaning the engines now the firemen
have to do that work. Last summer when
the 4" hOstlers'' were put off q committee of
fiIemen waited on President Garrett to
state their grievances. He would not see
them, and the next day they were all dis
charged. The brRkemen, who used Co get
$40 per month, now get about $40.
The conductors, who used to get 600. now
make about $50. The system of Z" fret in
frat out" ie considered great grievance by
the men. 1t amounts to this About 2 A.
n. possibly q dozen freight trains, all close
together, will arrive at Baltimore, and the
first man in will have to take the fret train
ont 1anarallv without raAE or nnanln and