Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-07-31
IT'S A GO, SURE.
The Rock Islands New Order is
Positive.
Return of the Rock Island COmmi ttee
ana the Result OF the Conference
With the OHiciais-Othcr News Per-
tainIng TO the Road

confer with the officials of the Rock ISL
and road relative to the recent order is
sued by Supt. Fl. F. Royce, extending the
Illinois division and consolidating the
headquarters of the enginemen at Chica-
go, thus depriviDg Rock Island of about
forty families of its population. has re-
turned. Mayor McConochie and Mr. r
Champion got back last night and Mr..
John Ohlweiler reached home this morn>
ing. The latter gentleman was seen by
an ARGUS reporter. I'VE succeeded in
having conferences" he said, with GEN.
eral Manager ST. John, Supt Royce and
General Master Mechanic Wilson. Our
principal conversation was with Mr..
Royce. and after we had presented our
resolutions and explained the hardships
the new order was bound to make for
Rock Island, he informed us that the or,
der was positive, ahd he did not at first
take kindly to Rock Islands idea of pro-
testing. He stated that the company
must run It's affairs on business principles
and could not consider the welfare of the
city of Rock Island in preference to
its own business He assured US.
though. that while the company would
carry out its own ideas as to the
best policy to be pursued in govern
ing and managing its road that the new
order would not necessarily cause the re.
moval of families from Rock Island; that
the men could continue to live here if they
preferred to. and he was not sure but
that it would be more advantageous for
some of them to remain here as the longer
lay overs would be at this end He also
said that the order would have the eff
feet of bringing more crews here than
before.
Later we had an audience with Gems
ersl Manager st. John, and he talked
pretty much the same way that Mr..
Royce did. giving US no satisfaction as to
the repeating or altering of the order, hut
he explained that crop prospects were
poor this year, and that the company,
forseeing reduction in its revenue on
this account, had realized the necessity
of curtalllng expenses. and that the Off
cisls had seen where by this recent move
Of consolidating the divisions they could
largely attain to that end. As
TO the matter of removing
the engine crews from Rock Island
he corroborated what Mr.. Royce had said
In that respect. The mayor spoke of the
possibility Of engine men from this end
getting number of short runs out of
Chicago to Peru, Seneca, Peoria, etc,
and return, thus keeping them away from
Rock Island two weeks at a time, and Mr..
st. John replied. we have thought of
that, and made provision; all the
short runs will be given to old east end
men living in Chicago
Having received these assurances we
could say nothing more on this question,
except to speak of the neglected cordi-
ton of the company's grounds and build.
iDgs from Twentieth street east, and the
officials advised us to lay the matter be-
fore Mr.. Kimbsll, at Davenport, and we
will do it.
1--WE met the engineer and fremen's
committees and they are in earnest in
their determin alton TO protest against
the new order on the question of endur,
ance. They were to meet the officials this
morning. and if they are given no satisr
faction will adopt other means for pre-
senting their grievances more forcibly
We were impressed with the earnestness
and determination evinced by the broth
erhood men, and we believe they mean
business"
The committee does not seem to be
satisfied with the results of the confer
eDces, notwithstanding the assurances OF
General Manager St. John and General
Superintendent Royce that there would
be no necessity for removal of the engi
neers and firemen from Rock Island.
They fear that with the order in effect
the crews will find it so much to their ad
vantage and interest that they will be OBJ.
liged to move to the big city's end of the
run where the headquarters are to be.
About the Rock Island round house
there is nothing new concerning the new
order. Foreman Mirfield is inclined, as
is his nature, to be reticent, but he said
this morning that he had no idea when
the first crew would run through. They
would run out of Rock Island in their
regular order tomorrow as usual, but af-
ter they left Rock Island they would be
subject to further orders.
An old engineer stated last evening
that the plan for increasing the runs of
engines had originated with the c., B. 6
O., which road the Rock Island was i'm
ltating in this regard. That after the
strike on the Burlington, the officials got
to figuring on the number of miles q
freight engine could run without repairs.
and they got it down to a nicely, estimat.
ing that 100. 600 miles could be run by a
good engine without general overhauling
and that $4,000 miles could be made 6
year, and hence an engine could run two
years without general repairs. Thus
they were figuring wholly on the endur
ance of the engine without regard to the
endurance of the men and finding thai
the engine could stand it, decided to pu
it in effect, and now the Rock Island il
doing likewise.
The Davenport Democrat has the fol-