Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-02-02
Opposing the Helfer Assscsaal On.

Opposing the Relief Ass0cfoti on
The applications 70 Join the new re-
lief association inaugurated by the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company wers
distributed among the employees In thii
city ON Monday, AMI In . very shorl
time large number of them were re-
turned, the men refusing 10 sign them
some OF them even going so far rs C
say that they will give up their situa
tions rather than be coerced into @
measure which they claim imposes un-
just restrictions upon them.
Others say that they already belong
to as many beneficial organizations af
they can support, and that no they have
been connected with these orders for
years they do not feel like dropping
them now for the purpose Of joining
another. An objection urged against
the scheme is the fact that those work
ing In the shops, with the clerks and
others exposed TO very little danger are
required to pay the same tax MS the
engineers, hremen and others who are
liable TO an accident at any time.
CHICAGO, Feb. IAN interview Is
published here with one of the en-
ployees Of the Pennsylvania Railroad
respecting its proposed insurance asso-
ciatiob. He said 1.-THE men are
against the scheme because they say
the insurance costs them too much. In
this scheme II q railroader dies q
natural death his family gets only $500,
and II he Is killed on the road 81, 500.
They think the benefits should be the
same in either case. Then, again, 1t
costs each mem Der $50 q year In dues,
while mem bership in an outside bene
fetal association only costs Sl3 per year.
81 left the Baltimore and Ohio Road
because they compelled all their en-
ployees to join similar association,
with SA year dues. The dues were
taken out Of our wages each month,
and We hsd to stand IL or quit. l quit.
The company seems 10 think that get
ting the men interested 10 such project
would lessen the tendencies TO strike.
At the last Sunday meeting in Pitts
burg, Superintendent Robert Pitcairn
presided. II Ia evident that the com
pany is In earnest. What the outcome
will be don't know. We shall prob
ably submit
JERSEY CITY, Feb. ALTHOUGH the
new relief fund or insurance scheme:by
the President OF the Pennsylvania Rail.
road Company went into effect to-day
there was no trouble or any sign of the
threatened strike. This was explained ed
BY a statement Of one OF the employees,
who said that rs the men had until the
10Th instant to accept or reject the pro-
positions laid down in the circular
there was no reason to expect trouble
until after the 18th, and that only when
the company should force their EN-.
ployees 70 become contributors to the
fund.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 1.-Ohicers OF
Pennsylyania Railroad Company state
that, 30 far as they are advised, nc
feeling OF dissatisfaction exists on the
part Of the employees az TO the intro
duction OF the new insurance scheme
recently recommended by the board ol
directors of the company. On the con.
trary, they say their advices from
prominent points along the line art
that applications for admission to the
relief department are being numerously
signed.
In many OF the shops and offices heard
from to-day the applications have beer
signed by every man in them. The com
pRny desires 70 correct the impression
that there is anything compulsory in the
scheme.
Every employee, they say, will b.
left TO decide for himself whether to &C
cept the terms offered by the COMPANY y
or not The officers state that they have
not been advised of any meeting hav
ing been held by employees to protest
against the terms of the insurance
scheme