The Lamar register., 1894-08-25
SOUTH PARK WAGES.
THEY MAY BE REDUCED
Judge HaIIett Decides that They May be
Cut So to Allow the Road TO rAS
It's Operating Expenses


morning. in the United States court
decided that in the matter OF reducing
the wages of the employees OF tne
South Park road the receiver was au'
thorized TO make the reduction II the
road could not be made 10 pay opcrat-
ing expenses.
When the court convened after
few minor motions had been made.
Attorney Hodges arose TO present the
case Of the South Park employees The
petition of the employees was read
aloud and Attorney Hobson replied
with the answer Of the receiver.
Mr.. Hodges then made brief state
ment explaining the position taken
by the employees. I'm the hearing AT
Omaha" said he, ''the fairness OF the
compensation OF employees of this road
was passed upon by the circuit court
The South Park road was the branch
upon which this ruling applied. and IT
wns demonstrated that the South Park
men received less than the average
of employees on other roads The con
dition of this road is similar to that
OF the Denver & Rio Grande, and tes-
timony on this point Is a matter or
record in this court. With the change
OF receivers there is no material change
in the road. and hold that the decis-
ion of the Omaha court still holds
good"
Mr. Hobson. in his argument. said:
81 was present in the Nebraska court
when that decision was rendered and
the judges expressly said that II the
receivers did not cast OF this road they
of their own motion would do so. Ii
was shown that the road did not pay
operating expenses and this has been
done"
Judge Hallett, in rendering his de-
cision. said: THE inquiry at the court
in Omaha was not directed to any par
ticular branch OF the road, but it was
directed TO the whole Union Pacific sys-
TEN. The judges there said that IL the
raod was not paying operating ex-
penses it should be cast of. referring
particularly TO the South Park branch.
This was in effect done and the re-
ceivers were directed TO stop the op-
Grafton of the road. They We're not
allowed to continue its operation for
the reason that il could not pay eN-
penses. 1t is clear that this decision
there made is not binding on the pres
ent condition of things. Ii became a
question whether under n different
management the road could be made
TO pay.
THE conditions are now very ex-
traordinary. and / don't know OF 4
similar condition existing in the coun-
try before. Ii has come TO question
of how much the receiver can get the
work done for. and whether it can be
made TO pay expenses. This must
either be done or the road stopped and
every one dismissed. Ii is regarded as
a great misfortune that the road can
not go on otherwise than that the re
ceiver must pay smaller wages.
1T is not "A question of q road earn
ing large sums of money during pros
porous times and then reducing dur
ing depression. The courts have held
that where large sums of money have
been made in prosperous times this
money shall be used TO pay wages dur
ing a depression. | think that the re-
ceiver should be allowed to make the
reduction and see If the road can be
made 70 pay operating expenses. If
ne can DO more than this. the men
ought TO b paid a fair compensation.
Inc rednetion should be made upon
all alike ana If II cannot be made to
pay us expens@s its operation should
be stopped. III II cannot do this II is
worthless properly. and one that no
one can do anything with
II was decided that conferences
should be held between the .,nnloye-
and the receiver, TO agree upon The
basis the reductions shonld be made.