The morning call., 1894-10-17
Railroad Employees Feel
Very Anxious.
MAY BE THEIR TURN NEXT.
Four Hundred Clerks Have Been
Dismissed.
FREIGHT AUDITOR UNDER FIRE
The Officials Believe That the Two
Land Departments Are to Be
Consolidated.


than uneasiness. it is anxiety. For many
Of the officials and clerical staff know only
too well that desks are to be vacated per-
manently.
With the impending change, which is
excused on the grounds of economy. comes
feeling that positions once declared
superfuous will never again be restored.
and consequently the working office force
of the railroad company will be something
like half what it was in its palmy days.
The officials who feel this way are we'll
aware of the fact that economy is not
bit more necessary now than formerly,
because the Southern Pacific Company
has more than it can do at present to
handle its freight business, and for this
season passenger travel is well up 10 the
average. AS to the freight interest man
ager OF that department stated yesterday
that there are not cars enough in Califor-
MIA TO carry all the fruit and other prod
ucts eastward, and as soon as trains of
empty cars return they are instantly
loaded and sent back to Eastern points.
This TACT Is encouraging enough to main
tain the regular Office staff instead OF
cutting it in two. With regard 10 passen-
ger business it was likewise given out,
though this season is always dull. there
was little room for complaint as travel
has been really good, all things consld-
cred.
THE depression" said high official,
''has compelled the reduction of positions.
so that great many places have been dis
continued and merged into the work Of
other men. The Southern Pacific Com
pany has employed about 5000 men alto
gether. Taxing four persons 10 a family
as basis that would represent 100. 600 per-
sons dependent on The Southern Pacific.
During the strike 200 men were dismissed
from the clerical staff in this city in one
day. But since then cutting has been kept
up steadily, so that at least 400 men have
been discharged from the offices in San
Francisco. In many of the departments
here there are more desks idle then occu-
pied. Where 1t will end 1 don't know. nor
does any other man in the building except
the few who are making the changes
This work, believe" said another
official, sis inspired from the East"
Without mentioning names his insinua-
tion could not be misunderstood by any,
body familiar with railroad affairs. He
meant that c. p. Huntington is doing the
work. And meantime Colonel Crocker Is
travelling round the world, far beyond the
reach of old retaners who might desire
ever so much to plead for his interpositon
with the powers that be- Huntington has
secured the Searles- Hopkins interest 10
his movement for cutting down expenses,
and with Seares as his friend he holds
absolute power over the destinies of the
Southern Pacific Company's management.
Time was when Senator Stanford was in
control. The Senator remembered men
w no befriended him or in any way stood
with him in his railroad work, and these
he rewarded well with good positions at
Fourth and Townsend streets. But the
wheel of fortune has turned around and
Huntington is king of the situation. There
was no love between the managemeDts.
So wherever Stanford man Is found his
position is precarous nowadays. The same
informant, who is in a position to know,
but who spoke with an understanding that
he should not be named. continued:
''As the upheaval comes from the East
have not the least doubt that Stauford's
appointees will fall by the wayside. How
ever, there are men in the Offices whose
services might be dispensed with and still
there would be no need for replacing
them"
The main subject for comment yester-
day among the railroad men was what will
be done with the freight auditors Office,
which is msnaged by G. j. Wilder. The
Investigating Committee" began its Ia
bors yesterday in Wlder's effice and very
soon the dismissal of several clerks and
assistant managers may be announced.
The high officials comprising this COM
mittee. as it IS called by the railroad
clerks. are Il. E. Huntington, G. L. Lam
sing, controller and secretary of the
Southern Pacific Company; Richard Gray.
general freight agent; John c. Stubbs,
third vice-president.
Only Mr.. Lansing and Mr.. Gray are in
town, out they began thei r Investigations
without the two other members. For five
or six weeks these gentlemen have been
quietly making a searching investigation
into the various offices and departments,
and the results of their labors have been
announced from time to time accordingly
as men in high positions were dismissed.
But the removal of clerks has not been
mentioned, though hundreds of the young
and even old men have been dropped.
A rumor was afloat in the building yes
.erday that the Southern Pacific and
Central Pacific land departments are to
be consolidated. with w. II. Mills as
general agent. About two months ago the
same rumor was current. This time,
however. il is more positive, and some of
the wisest and oldest officials elieye with
very good reason.
w. III. Mills went to Los Angeles last
week with FL. E. Huntington. The nature
of the trip Is kept very quiet. though
pretty generally understood to be for the
purpose OF investigation with view of
cutting expenses of operation. Mr.. Mills,
however, went TO look after land matters
on the Southern Pacific. AS he is agent
for the Contra ] Pacific this is regarded as
very significant Another peculiar fact is
that both land Offices were given rooms
in the building at Market and Montgomery
streets month or more since at the time
when offices were given the various de-
partments. Within week or so, how
ever, the Southern Pacific land office was
given the chief engineer and no provision
was made in its stead.
The Southern Pacific land business has
been So dull of late that about half the
office staff was dismissed, leaving only
four or five men aud the agent. Jerome
Madden. in control.
The Central Pacific business has also
fallen off in like proportion, and for these