Connecticut western news., 1892-08-11
THURSDAY, AUGUST Il, 1892.
RAILRoADING UNDER DIFF1CULTIE

THURSDAY, AUGUST II, 1852. UNDER DIFFICULTIES.
 Affair." on tho IF. R. q N. E. ! THE NEWS of Aug. 4th was in error in stating that .'All the trackmen on the P. R. & N. E. road from Hartford to Campbell Hall left the company's em- ploy last Saturday night because after August their wages were to be reduced 25 cents per day" It appears that the wages of all the trsckmen on the lire were reduced to 12} cents per hour after Aug 1st. The trackmen between Hartford and State Line had been receiving 15 cents per hour, while those west of State Line had been receiving only 13a cents per hour. The reduction of trackmen's wa ges to uniform price of 12a cents per hour made only 10 cents per day reduc- tion In wages west of State Line, and the trackmen reluctantly accepted the reduction and remained at work. But the reduction made a difference of 25 cents per day in the wages of trackmen between State Line and Hartford. re- duction which the men would not ac- cept and consequently those east of State Line quietly left the company's employ on Saturday evening, July 3Oth. Their places have not yet been filled al- though the railroad company has at tempted to substitute Italians and Pc landers but they left immediately on learning the condition of affairs.
 There has been no organized strike among the trackmen but each trackman east of State Line has acted for himself individually and refused to work for 12i cents per hour Said trackmen have made no effort to prevent Italians, Po- landers, or any one else from working for 122 cents per hour. Of course they would have no moral or legal right to prevent others from accepting wages which they themselves refuse, and yet in this era of struggles between capital and labor it is the frequently expressed opinion that these trackmen deserve credit for their manly conduct and for bearance in what they consider griev- ance. While the NEWS has no desire or intent to meddle with the difficulty ex- isting between the railroad company and its employees, still the NEWS would not reflect public opinion should 1t neglect to state that the trackmen have the re- spect and sympathy of the public in this case. It should be borne in mind that said trackmen are skilled laborers; men who thoroughly understand their duties and the responsibility resting up on them to construct and maintain Q roadbed over which it is safe to rapidly transport the precious freight of human lives; men whe have faithfully toiled for years in all kinds of weather and at all times of day and night for the inter. est of their employers and that their fel low men might safely ride over the line
  commerce be kept moving and the neces sities and luxuries of life be brought tc our doors, and yet all the compensation these men received for their hardshipf and skilled labor was 15 cents per hour No wonder they refused to accept 12l cents per hour for the combined labor of kb osr ha lo opI 1,raino
 The Religious Herald from week t, week publishes list of 40 or more va cant Congregational pulpits in Connec ticut, and yet so far as we have learne1 none of the recent trackmen of the P R. & N. E. road have applied for posi- tions as pastors of said churches II many respects they are better qualified to fill said pulpits than foreign laborer just landed at Castle Garden are quail fled to fill the places of experienced trackmen.
 Supervisor Merrill of the P. R. & N E. road resigned his position last weel in preference to going to Castle Gardel and hiring unskilled laborers to talk the places of the recent trackmen. M Merrill helped construct the old Cor necticut Western railroad and has give 21 years of faithful service to the roa through all its vicissitudes and change of ownership. His self respect, his ar preciation of the work performed by tn old trackmen, and his anxiety and re sponsibility for the safely of trainme and the travelling public would no permit him to substitute ''greenhorns for skilled trackmen.
 We are told that since the first C Aug. there have practically been no Tt pairs made on the track, and that man places are unsafe. We hope that fo the safety of the trainmen as we'll as fo the travelling public that skilled track men will soon be secured.
 The opinion has been expressed out side of railroad circles that the railroa' commissioners or some other authorit should discontinue all trains betwee Hartford and State Line until the trac is put in safe condition.
 Philadelphia & Reading Notes.
 Last Saturday night thirty-ive me employed at the PR. & NE. car shop q Hartford were discharged on twent nina3ss' notiss. The whole fosos sn