Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-02-13

Before the Senate committee on education
and labor yesterday President Hurt of the
Washington and Georgetown railroad company
in addition to what was given in THE STAR
made the following statements:
The road has five miles on Pennsylvania ave-
nue., three miles on 7th street, one and a-half
miles on 14th street and one mile on 14tb street
extended-about ten miles of double track The
conductors and drivers on Pennsylvania ave-
nue. are engaged fifteen hours and ffty-five
minutes per day. The actual running time is
1908; aggregate lay-over time per day, three
hours and forty-seven minutes. On 7th street
the actual time Is fourteen hours and ffty-eight
minutes, Of which ten hours and fifty minutes
is in actual running time. On 14th street time
Of daily service fifteen hours and forty-on min
utes, of which eleven hours and thirty minutes
per day are actual running time. The company
runs ITO cars and the longest time of employ
ment per day is sixteen hours; 1O1 drivers and
sixty conductors are employed at 81
are employed, who are paid the same as the
regulars when they are employed; twenty-one
cars run sixteen hours per day. The first car
goes out at 6:12 am. and turns in at about
$50. The drivers and conductors, he said, have
time during their lay-over to get meals. Those
who live near the terminus get meals at home;
those who do not have their meals sent to them.
Most Of the lay-over time occurs at Georgetown,
where the cars stop in the building. These
drivers and conductors are permitted to leave
the cars and 60 home to meals If they choose.
The company employs one hundred mechanics,
boys at the Treasury work twelve hours per day
and are q day Hin at the Gae
sl.5O. The company employs $50 horses, and
the average period of horses service is four
years. The best horses are bought, and when
they begin to fail are sold.
The driver is held responsible for his car.
Inc driver and conductor, who go out at 5:12
ample lay-over time to go to breakfast. and the
same Car has a wait of forty minutes at George
town at noon. That gives time for driver and
conductor to go to dinner. Mr.. Hurt was ready
to admit that
THE HOURS OF LABOR ARE SEVERE.
The labor is not heavy, but the loss of rest is
very trying. He believed it would be bene-
fetal to reduce hours and thus favor employ es
the company can afford it. The COM
duction because roads elsewhere had done it
recently, and the w. & g. company would not
permit any other company to do better by its
employees than it, When employees lay of they
lose their pay. On Sundays fewer cars are run
and the hours of labor are less. Drivers and
five minutes before their car goes out. 1t a con-
ductor reports to take out the early car at 5:12
a. m. and does not get car until the last goes
out, at GIG a. M, he must wait at the stable TO
get that car and he does not turn in until be-
tween and 2 a. m. next morning. Mr.. Hurt
o devise other The
limited to 100000 capital stock.
Senator Van Wyck inquired if the entire
road was completed in sixty days why prepare
tions for the reduction of hours of LABOR could
not be made earlier than May LIST?
Mr.. Hurt answered that the company could
not in a shorter time get the additional horses
necessary.
FINANCIAL EXHIBIT OF THE WASHINGTON
AND GEORGETOWN COMPANY.
The company had not paid any dividends out
OF the sale OF property. Some property had
been sold and other purchased, but the sales
did not by long ways pay for what was
bought. The company had sold about SAC, 900
worth of property. 1t had put up one building
that cost 100000. Last year was the most
The earnings were used for building purposes.
Had all the. earnings been divided the divi-
bends would have been % or "a per cent.
During the operations of the board of public
works and the frequent changes of grade no
dividends were paid. The company owes
$5O0,OOO, which was invested in real estate.
All real estate above and beyond that has been
paid for out of the earnings. The $500, 900 was
borrowed since the company established itself
expended in the plant and property, and it
would now cost 81 ,OUO,O0O TO replace the real
estate alone. The cars, tracks, horses, &C., are
worth another 81 ,OOO,O 900.
VALUABLE PROPERTY.
Mr.. Hurt said: 1--WE undoubtedly have a valu-
able property. We have made some money. I
am not here to deny that" He said there is
none OF the stock for sale. He should say it
was worth at least 125. He had been with the
company twenty-one years, and had done the
best for the company and its men. He admit
ted that during last summer some cars might
have been run z hours per day; He did not
think any hill-bOy at the Capitol had been re-
quireu to work II hours per day. He said the
company paid so cents per foot for the square
north Of the Capitol, and lots had been sold
there at $1.5O per foot. He expects the reve-
nues of the company will decrease through
competition. He said the herdic line employs
its men about Is hours per day; yet it is not
chartered, nor does it contribute anything TO
keep up the streets.
PRESIDENT PEARSoN'S EMPLOYEES.
President Pearson, of the Metropolitan COM
pany, said that organization was entirely will
ing TO do all that is possibly within its power to
better the condition of its employees. He said
the company would take the matter in hand at
once aud would arrange to do better for its men
by either reducing the hours of labor or increas-
ing the pay; that some of the men would rather
get more pay for the same hours than to work a
shorter time for the pay now given.
THE INQUIRY ADJOURNED FOR TIME.
Mr.. Blair said that as both the companies
were SO willing to ameiiorate the condition of
employees, he thought it well to adjourn the in
Quiry for a time and give them an opportunity
to put their relief measures into effect. Ii they
H. -s.-l-A