The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-11-23
Annual Report of the Boston & RIaIu
Railroad.

Annual Report of the Boston & MaIne
Railroad.
The annual report of the directors of the
Boston & Maine railroad company for the
twelve months ending Sept. 80, 1877, says that
the decrease in passenger transportation and
the low rates of freight from the western
states have seriously affected the gross earn
ings. Another cause was the strike of the en-
gineers which resulted iu an entire suspension
Of freight traffic for week. The effect of this
disturbance remained well into the summer
before traffic in passengers and merchandise
had fully been resumed. The taxes on the
road have been increased in the last fifteen
years till they have become gfievous burden.
In 1860 they were $4,000 per annum, and in
1876 100000. Another large item of expense
the past year was the laying of 2O6O tons of
steel rails at a cost of more than 100000. In
regard to the strikes the report says:
On the 18th of February last, at O'Clock in
the afternoon, all the engineers and tiremen on
the road, to the number of 1874 meD, left their
work upon only two hours notice of their de-
termination so to do. This was in trades-upion
parlance a strike, its sole object and purpose
baing to coerce the managers of your property
to do that which they believed to be detrimep-
tai to your interest; in other words, to dictate
to your directors the terms and conditions on
which they would continue to run your loco
motives. Ii their terms and conditions were
assented to, well; If not, all business on your
road must come to stand-stil until your man
ayers agree to their terms or break the strike
These men did not leave their engines with
any expectation that they would not return to
them again and resume work in the course of a
few hours at the most; backed as they vera by
powerful trades-unlon organization, flushed
with victory gained on other fields, they had
no doubt they would gain an easy victory here.
1t IS not necessary to recount in this report the
history of this strike. The same was fully H.
vestigated at the time by the Railroad Com
n1sslopers OF Massachusetts, as part of their
official duty; and copy of their full and ex-
haustve report upon the subject, made to the
Legislature OF Massachusetts, was mailed to
each stakeholder of this corporation.
The determined stand taken during the strug.
gle, by your directors gained you CONG ete
victory, although at considerable cost. Much
praise is due to our General Superintendent,
Mr.. James I. Furber, for his prompt, vigilanl
| and earnest effort, during the disturbance, tc
bring order out of confusion and protect the
| property OF the company, as we'll as to all Other
employees who remained loyal to the road
While we had generally good men to run oul
engines before the strike, we had no difficulty
IN wen nlling their places, AID those now in
our employ are quite as good as those who lef
us-yea, better, inasmuch as they are bound t
no secret organization, and consequently ar,
tree agents. Not one of the men who volun
tally lett us on the 18th of February is nov
10 our employ; very few of them have beef
able to obtain any employment since. This i
the natural result OF labor unions, in whose in
terests they worked. 1t is hardly probable, il
the face OF this result, that another simila