The daily gazette., 1877-07-28
What They Demand.


Ohio have put their demands IN writ
ing, and they think that the figures
ought to be higher than ever before.
La fact, they demand higher wages
than the road ever paid. When the
war broke out in 1861 engineers were
getting from $l.33 to So, iremen Sill
to ST. rs and breakmen 81 to $l.33. The
wages ag inst which they struck were
S3.25 to $2.93 for engineers and $l.35
to ST. so Tor tiremen and breakmen.-
This is a little less than In 1861 for the
eneineers, about the same for the fire.
men and ten per cent. more for the
breakmen' They demand So so to So
for engineers and SO as minimum for
tiremen and break men, which is about
oBe-thiid more than in 1861. Vice
Presidents Kings answer though court
eOus and polite, is not entirely candid.
He refers 10 the panic of 1873 and the
consequent falling off in traffic, and
says thai the Baltimore and ONO Com
paDy was the last company which com
petes for the great trade of the West
which made the reduction of ten per
cent. This is intended to convey the
idea that the b gilmore and Ohio had
since the panic been the last to reduce
the wages of its employees. This is
fallacious. During 1873 they could
make ten or eleven days week at 50
day by extra work. When the panic
came a reduction was made, putting
the regular pay at $3.50, taking off
extra time and the extra half day for
Sundays. La August further leduc-
tion of twenty per cent. or hfty per
cent. was made and the tiremcn got
ST. 70 and ST. so. This shows that The
reductic has amounted to over fifty
per cent. since 1873, and the work has
been increased by lengthening the
trains and reducing the number OF
breakmeu.
The Vice President says:
The officers of the company are sure
that it is only necessary TO submit
these facts and figures to satisfy every
reasonable man in the service that the
wages you propose cannot be paid
Since the panic of 1873 not only have
the rates OF through freight and other
traffic been reduced by severe and
active competition, but the quantity
in the aggregate has diminished. Es-
pecially is this true in regard to the
coal trade, which for many years has
been the leading article transported
over the compaDy's lines.
The consideration OF this branch OF
the subject brings me to call your al
tention TO the motives VIII CHI governed
the company in employing a greater
number of men than were required in
the handling of its affairs. Only a
limited amount OF business could be
secured. 1t would have been quite
as satisfactory to the company to have
kept In the service only the number OF
men needed for the work, but it was
regarded as m ore humane, in view OF
the great scarcity of work generally,
TO distribute the limited amount of
business amongst the greatest practi-
cable number.
Whist it is subject of regret that
these motives have been misunser-
stood, and in great degree produced
the present troubles among our train
men, it is satisfactory to know that
these difficulties can be readily adjus-
'ed in such manner as to protect ma
terially the interest of the company
and of those it employs. Fully i'm
pressed with this belief hope there
will be no difficulty in the way of your
returning to work,so that the running
of freight trains may be at once re-
sumed.
The experience of the last ten days
must satisfy every one that If freight
trains are stopped lon the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad, the city of BATH
more is not only deprived oil the great
commercial advantage which she has
heretofore enjoyed, but the ehtire
community is made to feel that all
business must be seriously crippled,
and 4the lprice of families supplies
greatly increased.
You will thus see that the resump-
ton of the running of freight train S
on the B lltimore and Ohiu Railroad
is matter in which all our citizens OF
every calling are virtually interested.
Respe ctfully yours,
JOHN KING, JR., Vice President.