Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1890-10-10
PRESIDENT KINGS DNO."
The Demands of Erie En-
ployes Have Been Refused.
REASONS FOR THE COMPANYs ACT.

The President Says the Road Pays az High
Wages MS Its Competitors, and Conse-
Quently Cannot Grant an Advance-AlI
the Demands Unfavorabiy Considered.
NEW York, Oct. l0.-The New York.
Lake Erie and Western railroad through
President King last evening made known,
by means of brochure addressed to all OF
its employees it's reply TO the demands Of
its engineers, conductors, firemen and
traiumen made some days ago. These de-
mands numbered eighty-three and related
20 schedule Of pay and regulations to
govern the employees OF the road. They
came from the federated body OF en-
ployes Of the system The demands are
refused. The reply says:
President Kings Reply.
The company is unable to advance
wages generally. It does not expect or
desire to pay less wages for similar services
than those paid upon competing and ad-
Iacent roads, but on the other hand, as IL
cannot obtain higher rates for transporta-
tion il cannot afford to pay rates higher
than those of its competitors. And the
fact is that it's present rates are almost
without exception higher than the average
Paid by them. IN the few instances where
It Is not the case the company will, how
ever readjust its rates.
With the Kinilest or Feelings.
$50 FAR as the management Of the cor
. t4n
discipline OF the company's officials are
concerned those matters are committed by
law to the wise discretion Of the officers
and directors in office when questions re-
garding the same may arise. No one has
power TO make any arrangements or con-
tracts which will be effectual, to deprive
them OF that discretion. The interest Of
all concerned-of the employees no less than
OF all others-require that the law in these
respects should be obeyed and the stability
and efficiency Of the corporation be thus
Insured But the officers Of the company
will continue In the future, as they have
In the past, to faithfully eudeavor TO pro-
mote the welfare Of each and every en-
ploye, as well as the efficiency Of the sery-
ices
The Ten Hour Question.
Ot the demand that ten hours shall con-
stitute days work the reply says: zone
Of the articles Of the schedule proposes that
ten hours shall constitute days work and
overtime shall be paid for at the rate Of
one-tenth day per hour. While this ap-
parently relates to the length Of time dur
ing which employees shall be on duty, it is
in fact a proposition for an increase Of
wages The proposition is not to limit
continuous hours Of work to ten, but is
merely that any time beyond the limit
shall be paid for as extra work.
The Trip System.
'The system Of pay in force is the trip
system; all runs are computed as a day, or
more than day, as the length Of the divis-
ion may warrant II is manifest that many
OF the regular trains occupy much less
than ten hours. The present proposition
Is that for every hour in excess OF ten oc
cupied by a run, additional wages shall be
paid But If the runs are to be paid for
strictly by the hour. il would naturally
follow that for every hour less than ten
wages would be correspOndinglyr reduced .
There May BE Strike.
A reporter saw Chairman Youngson last
night and he did not care to make any
statement. 1--WE shall hold a meeting at
Jersey City Friday" he said, 'and con-
slider the NATTER
"What do You think Of the refusal to
grant your demandsgn
Il have nothing to say nown
rs 1t true that the Erie pays higher
wages that competing linesF'
mo; 1t pays less .
You said some time ago that the men
would insist on their demandsg'
If We did not intend to insist on them
they would not have been formulated p
and then Mr. Yonngson withdrew.
The committee is said to have full power
10 act In the present case, and it may not
10 so for several days, and then again it
may. The men are reported to be in no
mood for tritiing, and some Of them think |
that the company is playing a game OF !
bluff.