The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-01

great trunk lines and their radations extending to
every important business centre Of the countryr The
minor stockholders o. these roads have
troll or managing interests In tho road than pcrncss
switchman working for eighty cents per day.
a KAiLEoAp AxisrocRAor.
Around us has grown up purse proud railroad aris
tocracy who, having tho technical form OF the law
their sde snap fingers tho face general
community and successfully defy all opposition,
from what IL may. Well may these orig
inal employees, but finally owners, OF railroads stand
by and see few millions OF property destroyed the
interests OF the entire community sacracd when they
SUI have reserve OF millions. But how. may be
asked, have these railway managers diverted the
revenues OF railroads, 10 say nothing OF engaging in
even An outside legitimate busincssf They have d.
vcrtcd them through the channels OF "fast freight
lines" and their dcsiguatores are iegonexpress and
sleeping car companies, railroad hotels eating
houses, passenger insurance companies. telegraph
companies, &c-and until these managing rings
broken up and practical competent, honest men arc
substituted therefor shall continue TO have
trouble. do not wish to be understood claiming
that nil railway managers dishonest, as I am
personally acquainted with aumber who re gentle
men in tho trucst Of tho torn. whose conduct
during the recent conflict marked contrast with
that Of Garrett, Scott and Vanderbilt.
MR.. vAsDERBILr CRITICISED.
Mr.. Vanderbilt, in his statement published In the
Now York HERALD, says Where wc ran eighty trains
day year ago we arc running only thirty now; we
still employ as many men oefore;" whcn leaves the
Impression that he Is paying a large orco OF that
he has no work for, whom the truth is 1t costs him
moro to Keep one hundred engineers tnan does atty
and the Same applies to all train They receive
no pay unless they run, ana there is road In the
tho employees as tho Now York Central. and Mr..
Vanderbilt knows II Complaint alter complaint has
been made TO him. and the last time committee of
engineers went him he positively refused thcm
IN audiopce, and two OF Thorn ,hoir West
Albany were discharged
Within the past three years q. H. Burrows supsrip,
tendent of the western division, has discharged
large number oil good engineers without tho least
provocation whatever ana when they would call to
him he would greet them with vocy OF oaths and
turn them of tho Same N II they dogs do not
CLAIM that tho did wrong, for thore arc
some who not only disgraced themselves hut their pro-
iession, and not worthy Of being retained the
service, but ohter Is justified In abusing men or
dschargng them without heating. as n mans repu-
tation is at stake whom dismissed and he has right
to know what II IS for. The fact Is these have
worry little regard for workingmen vanderbilts motto
dividend" Having spont twenty years OF my life on
the New York Central road know something Of its
management, and ever since Mr.. Vanderbilt assumed
control OF it 'curtail reduce has been the order
Of the day
remember little incident that occurred ~ West
Albany during the administration OF tho late Dean
Richmond, which demonstrates beyond n doubt that
kindness win accomplish more than brute force. The
laborers were strike and had driven the other
workmen from the shops. The master mechanic pro-
cured lot OF muskets and had them his Office
Mr. Richmond, wno visiting the shops passed through
the ONCE and, discovering the guns. remarked. 'wba
you dong with those muskeis heref" Tho master
mechanic replied. ITO protect the compsny'E prop
erty" ''Rcmove them al once and pay your mon for
their work." was Mr.. Richmond's reply That is the
THE TIMES.
Twenty years ago engineers wages were 500 and
fremen $50 per month, conductors from $40 to 500,
brakemen $50 One hundred miles or less consid-
cred days work. Board a shilling meal or from
So to So SO per week. Good tenement houses could
be had for IRON SO IS per month and all the other
necessaries OF lie proportions II man sick,
unable to work. his wages woro allowed-he knew what
he receive the end of month II he performed
extra service he was compensated TOR 1t. Dur
ing tho panic OF 1857 they not reduced
thought they were receiving too
much. Tho companies prospered, and why?
Because they operated In the interests Of the eg
innate But how Is /. now? The entire system
is changed and feel II my duty to explain the sys-
tenn in vogue upon q majority Of tho roads in the
country OF paying their trainmen the officials in
their statements convey the idea those
with the system that the well paid and have
cause for complaint when the fact Is tho 1rcmcn
and brakemcn previous 10 the last reduction
wero not receiving than enough to pay
expenses aud some months did not receive
sufficient 10 pay their board, although ready
for duty every day. They arc only paid for tho
actual miles rum at tho rate of three and half cents
per mile for enginoors and one.haif that amount for
nremcn, no matter how many hours are consumed in
making the trip tho division how long they arc
on duty; and horo at tho present time one-ha
the engineers, hremen ana brakemcn In the country
who do not receive any wages under this system
than they did twenty years ago. whom it did cost
half as much 10 live.
THE CAUSE OF TIE STRIKE
II to be the aim Of railway officials to get all the
work they out OF tho men for the lowest possible
pay Where they used to haul thirty cars in a train
they required TO haul iorty five fifty, and
very frequently engines overloaded and II the en-
gncers happen to complain they are told, 'slf you
don't like II get OF will put another man on" 1t
is this kind OF treatment coupled with the last reduc
tion that caused the general uprising among the train
men, and so long that spirit is manifested by the
officials toward the employees we shall continue to
have strikes l would say 10 railway managers, DO
honest ana Just toward each other and to their en-
pioyGs Cease your suicidal policy Of cutting rates
and submit all differences that may arise bctwe you
and your employees that you cannot adjust to board
tiau cd Of I'D
ono TO DO chosen by each party ana tho
two 10 select the third, and their decision
to be final. In my opinion IL Is the
only fair way OF settling disputes aud prcvcn-
tive of strikes. We as an organization have always
been willing to pursue hat course. II the men now
engaged present conflict by force OF
stances compelled 10 succumb 1t will not tho
cause nor remedy the evil Tho class OF men generally
found tako the place OF the engaged in strug-
gle for what they contend la just arc generally
of doubtful character who hitler and tthcr SOL