The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-27
oRoWLs FROM THE EIErITED ROAD.
Employees Dissatished About their Pay
Better Time and Les. Noise.

Great and general dissatisfaction exists
among tho employees OF the Metropolitan Elo-
vatcd Railroad When the road was opened
nrst-class pay was promised. and 1t was under
stood that rs far as possible men Oi experience
only were to he selected On this account many
men gave w positions paying them much bet
ter than they are now pnid. They admit TINT
they have been deceived. Conductors and
hrakcmcn have not averaged as rule much
moro than half they could have earned on a
street ear. and not half when the price Of thcir
uniform ia deducted. The routine was changed
on Thursday. each train making twelve trips
With two ears instead Of thrc" cars. ns formerly.
Taking this ne n basis the rate oil pay is as
follows allowing that twelve trips day nro
made: Conductors. 90 cents n trip. or s2iO
n day: brakcmen, Is cents a trip. or $3.50
day; engineers 1880 n day; flrcmen.
$3.50 day: gatcmcn, tl.70 for ten hours /:
ticket men. 81 for ten hours; car cleaners from
o T. VI. to A. NJ. 90 cents. The morning con-
ductors and brakcmon report ut 5. 80 A. NJ and
the evening men ut | 80 7. NJ, tho last or owl
train leaving the down town station at ~ 80
A. VI. 1t is. however. impossible to estimate on
even these trifing sums. Each conductor.
brakeman. engineer. and fireman has a train.
Should anything happen to it-and something
rs the train Is delayed. II the conductor is sick.
the brakeman is thrown off until he gets well
barring the slight chance he has as substt-
tute. conductor or brakeman who gets
of to take meal also, loses round trip
In explaining these details several en-
ployees expressed themselves very plainly on
the subject. Two or three old railroad
men men We're very bitter about a 1nii3r i1s
and that for winter will cost more. veteran
complained that for the last month, owing 70
$40 only and pointed out conductor and
brakeman that yesterday had made q 40 and
than n surface car drivers wages, The CON
ductors are. now guaranteed u rs day and the
! brakeman = .25 day. with, Of course. moro up
| to $40 and also respectively. II they get u
chance to earn it, But they wish a monthly
| salary. that they may know on what To rely.
The ticket men and gatemen complain that the
How 70 lessen the noises OF the Metropolitan
Elevated Railway is a problem with the officials
! The chief engineer and his assistants are
already been made. The first. resulting in
| deadening the sharp. piercing racket. was tried
several days ago. Il consisted OF u loose cur
| tain Of felt. attached to a wooden frame. and
hanging from the lower edges OF the ear. An
other experiment was made by making the
bottom Of the cars water tight with felting. and
| filling IN the space between the two floors with
water, This space had herrtoiore acted as a
sounding board. but when filed with water the
sound was considerably mufiled.
| The latest experiment consists In wedging in
| the outside groove OF the innor rail a closely
| fitting piece OF wood. This II is thought also
| aids In deadening the sound.
| Yet another experiment is to be tried as soon
rs the material Is ready. between Twenty
| seventh and Twenty-n nth streets. The iron
rails will be taken up and relaid on a lead sur
| face. thus disconnecting the iron rail from the
wood work. Other experiments are in contem-
platon. and the engineers are confident
The company has made up a new and
oore convenient time table. Hereafter trains
| will be run with an interval OF two minutes.
making the trip 10 Fifty ninth street in
| twenty minutes. instead OF twenty-seven. rs
heretofore. The trains consist OF two coaches,
instead Of three The increased speed was no.
| tced yesterday 10y passengers. and the racket
| from II train at full speed was sharp and
piercing. The beneficial results Of reducing
the number Of cars in train made themselves
| apparent to the officials and they are contem-
! plating the feasibility Of dropping an addition
al coach between and ~ at night when the
| travel Is 50 much reduced.