The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-08-15
A Baltimore and Ohio Railroad En-
pIoye speaks His Mind on the Late
Reduction OF Wages on that Road
He Also Refers 10 vice President
Keyser's Recent Remarks.

He Also Refers 10 Vice President
Keyser's Recent Remarks.
PETROLEUM, w. VA, August IA.
Editors OF the Register.
You say you will be much obliged If
some clear. headed man among the
strikers will read with care Vice Presl-
dent Keyser's speech aud give to the
public, through the columns of the REG
IsrER, reply from the rsilroaders stand
point, &c, &c.
| consider this very liberal on the part
of the good old REGIS'ER, more so from
the fact that it is the first time since
| have h.en ralrosding that such
an opporLuaiiy has been offered. | have
long thought | would like to ventilate
my feelings upon this question,
but feared the attempt because
newspapers had to great extent
been brbed into silence upon railroad
questions. Now that the good time has
come rs above mentioned. l intend TO
do my level best, think Mr.. keyser did
his best aud did well for the material at
his command. The question is composed
of two sides. MIR. kcyser only let us
look 1T one side, and mere glance at
tat. He knew not how much light it
would bear.
He tells US among other things that
the company has been forced down, upon
through freight until 1t does not pay
running expenses, hence they must fall
upon the operatives and make them pay
the running expenses of the company At
the rate of 10 per cent. from the original
contract entered into between the Bslti
more and Ohio railroad and said en-
ployees.
Not long since we saw statement that
the Baltimore ard Ohio company was
ready to pay its stockholders the regular
five per cent. semi-annual dividend. How
can they divide when the company earns
nothing? Who earns the money to
maintain the abundance OF red tape be-
longing TO this great company? Here
are men, lots OF them, getting one hun
dred aed fifty dollars per month, house
rent and fuel furnished into the bargain,
Tor running one horse station, when we
all know there are thousands OF good
men. fully competent, who could be mad
for less than one-balf of $3.50. ! es,
he (keyser) tells Us that they have
reduced this red tape ten per cent. too.
Five hundred dollars from the salary Of
any one officer, above supervisor, Is not
rs much rs one dollar from the wages of
the trackman. Mr.. Keyser tells US if
the terms proposed by the company do
not suit US, to 90 oil and let others take
our places. This he considers fair and
forthwith concesls the proposition from
the light OF observation. He knows that
many OF US were induced to leave our
mother country under fair promises from
this very company to perform its work.
/ Is our trade; We know no other, and
the company has violated her obligations
with US so often that We are for the most
part IN deb. When we got Sl.45 day,
PAYABLE At the end of the month, We went
in debt tor that amout When we got our
months earnings we paid the old bill
and ordered another for the same
amount. In lew days the company,
SAY 81 .35 from this date, then Mrgrocerer
has to enter snail balance against us
This has been the case for ten years,
more or less, until these balances have
become considerable. Now, when any of
us want to quit what is coming to US
from b. " 0 T. K Co is attached to
,tisly this balance. We have made this
rad with our own hands, we have created
FIR her vast revenue, we have made al
h stockholders rich, we have maintained
Mr.. Neyser and his kind in idieness.
Now to-day he tells us We have no right
to demand bread Tor ourselves and
little ones. On the wages now paid Us
with six in n family We have fraction
over five cents per meal for what we eat,
t. say nothing about clothes, house rent,
&c. When we ask for more, Mr.. keyser
tells us To stand aside and give others u
chance. Ii We say no. then down comes
the Indian fighters with their leglOns.
To maintain our rights in these prem
ises, the government does not furnish us
pop.gun. We may have transgressed
the law, but are we the only ones? How
i it with this great Baltimore and Ohio
Company? They have no regard for the
Sabbath. They refused to pay their
taxes, and 1t was only done after
much litigation and tor less than
was actually due the State OF West
Virginia. Now mark the difference
$4,000 mile lor carrying the mail. We
keep up the mail route and want tor 1t
esd.
\ splice block is in use on this b. "
q. which is of no benefit. 1t has been
t.led and condemned by other good
roads. The b. y D. pay the patentees n
big royalty on this block, because one
OF the cOmpany's officers Is halloween
in the block We ask them TO abandon
the humbug and avoid unneces-
stry expense. There are other things
worthy OF mention, such rs allowing
agents to charge commission on goods
in EDITION TO the regular freight. This
Wa the WAY the company paid their
AGENTS for dong the business for them
wlen the people kicked against it. Then
and not until then, did they abolish the
Infamous practice. We mention this to
show the utter contempt this great COM
pany entertain for law, order and equal
Justice toward all men. \ lew years ago
TINS company refused to haul the mail
because the postottice department was op-
posed to paying the hign price asked by
this company; the result, ii our memory
serves US, was that the government had
L come TO terms. The Adams Express
Is doing no business along the line OF the
Baltimore and Ono road because they
charged more for cars than the express
was able to pay. This was the first strike,
and early this year the Baltimore and
Ohio were the strikers. Yet Mr.. Key
Ser tells US he Is opposed to strikes and
that it should be suppressed At the
S ate's expense. The Baltimore and
Ohio Company forced the Express out
of business. Why not let the Express
PIT their cars on and csrry express goods?
1t is a poor rule that works but one way.
"Poor's Manuel tells Us that the Ba'ti-
more and Ohio railroad stock is ST. 1872
500; annual rate OF dividend, ten per
cent amount actually paid for each
separate year of 1875, 1876 and 1877 in
dtvidrudS 81 5T5 Bis SO IL i Main as