The morning call., 1890-08-20
WANT MORE PAY.
S. p. Freight Conductors and
Brakemen Ask for 1t.
Western Division Men Claim That the Com
pauy Is Discriminating Unjustly in the
Matter of Remuneration.

Inc rumOrS lnat 10r the past Two weeks
have been going the rounds in railroad cir
cles, to the effect that the freight conduct
ors and brakemen of the Southern Pacific
Company would ask for an increase of pay,
were verified yesterday, when two commit
tees, representing respectively the brother
hoods of conductors and brakemen, waited
upon General Superintendent Fillmore and
held what may be termed preliminary
conference.
1t was preliminary because the commit
tees were not represented in full, and, con-
sequently, were not empowered to act for
their respective organizations. Tomorrow
at II o'clock is the time appointed for an
other conference, when the committees will
be fully represented and an answer is ex-
pected from the General Superintendent.
DISCRIMINATION CHARGED.
The discomfort. which has been brewing
for some months, manifests itself principally
among the freight conductors an brake
men employed on the Western Division,
who claim that the company is using unjust
iScrlminati0n in favor Of employees on
other divisions.
In view of this fact the conductors will
ask that their pay be increased to 500 per
month, and the brakemen will also ask for
an Increase of $40, making the pay So per
month.
III this is granted they will be placed on
an equal foo ting with employees on othei
divisions, who, though receiving the same
monthly pay as men on the Western. are
allowed In addition extra pay on mileage
| computation, a system from which it is I'M
| possible for them (Wes;ern Division en-
! ployes) 10 derive any benefit whatever.
One of the Oldest conductors on the West
ern Division yesterday explained the matter
as follows:
A CONDUCTORS EXPLANATION.
I'm addition to their regular pay of SS5
per month, freight conductors on all other
divisions are paid for extra mileage, but on
| our DIVISION, although the same rule regu-
| latlng mileage is i'll force, the runs are SO
| arranged that men cannot make this extra
! pay, from the fact that the division is short
! and the work all local.
| In this way we claim that the company
Is showing Partially to the men on other
| divisions, and only ask that we be given
| the same opportunity for earning money as
| the others get.
MUST DO THREE CREWS WORK.
To illustrate: a freight train in three sec
| tons reaches Lathrop over the Visala Di-
! vision, which Is of course handled by three
crews. Upon arriving at Lathrop these
three sections are put behind one engine
and hauled over the Western Division from
LathrOp to Oakland in charge Of one crew.
| On other divisions it is the same and thus
| one crew On our division is required to do
the work expected of three elsewhere"
will the men strike in the event of the
companies refusal to listen to their de-
| mandsY" was asked.
Il cannot answer the question. / have
heard no talk OF strike. Personally | am
| not In favor OF such move, and do not be-
lieve that such an expedient will be neces-
sary."
A RATE WAR.
The Morgan Steamship line, which is a
| part OF the Southern Pacific system in the
| East, has been Tor several months past en-
gagged in lively rate war with the Mallory
| line, owned and operated by rival steam
| ship company. Both lines have extensive
| trHffic arrangements with the railroads and
issue through bills of ladng for the Pacific
| Coast.
The quoted rates have been purely NOM
lnal, the actual figures being fixed, in nearly
all cases, by the shippers rather than by
| the steamship company, and so bitter has
been the feeling between the companies
| that any rate las been accepted rather than
| the rival should secure the freight.
As in all rate wars, the companies have
been dancing for tie amusement of the
| pubic. Heavy shippers, especially dry
| good buyers, have taken advantage of the
I situation by making large purchases and
| hurrying along shipments in order to Sc
! cure the full benefits of the cuts. A few
months of this convinced the managers of
! the rival lines Ihat they were playing
| losing game, and on August 18th they de-
| cided to declare the fight off and entered
! into traffic arrangement, which will take
| effect September 1st
PERSONAL MENTION.
! W. II. Mention Of the San Francisco and
! North Pacific left yesterday for Sonoma.
Jack Wright Division Superintendent of
the Southern Pacific at Sacramento, is in
| town.
The regular weekly excursion over the
| Northwestern left yesterday for the East
| E. Is. Braden of the Northwestern re-
turned yesterday from a visit to San Quen-
| tin.
w. II. Snedaker. General Agent of the
| Rio Grande, has returned from trip to
| Los Angeles.
c. f. True, Excurrion Agent of the Mis-
| souri, Pacific, has gone to Sacramento.
Frank High, General Agent of the Chi
| cago and Alton, has gone to Los Gatos for
| his health.
G. W. Luce, Pacific Coast General Agent
of the Texas Pacific, is expected here soon
| from Chicago.
The coupon ticket agents will leave
| Ogden for this city tomorrow.