The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-05-18
A Whole Department to
Be Abolished
BY THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC.
That of Motive Power and
Machinery to Go.
ABOUT FIFTY CLERKS INVOLVED.
The Work VIII Hereafter Be Done by
the Division superintendent.
Other Railroad News.

If the present ratio of official decapita-
ton continues among the clerical force in
the big Offices at Fourth and Townsend
streets. when the company moves into ite
new quarters at the corner of Moutgome ry
and Market streets the LIST of next Sep
TENDER, it will have a number of rooms to
let
The era OF retrenchmenL has again been
brought unpleasantly before a number of
the employees of the company, and this
time whole department, 1t is said, Will
be wiped out of existence.
The department referred TO is that of
mOtive-power and machinery. of which n.
IL. Foster 10 at present the head, aud by
| the contemplated move about fifty clerks
| will find themselves fOotloOse in a business
/ point of view unless provisions are made
for their employment in other departments,
| which in some instances may be done, but
in a majority of the cases the discharges
will probably be final.
1t is not supposed that the move will in
| any way affect Auditor Foster aside from
! depriving him of his present position. as
! ne is looked upon as valuable man by the
powers that be-" and is also popularity
supposed to have an Influential 'pulP
! with several Of those gentlemen through
/ the ties of close personal friendship.
The adjustment of the department of
mOtive-poweT and machinery does bot i'm
ply that the work done by it will cease.
1t simply involves the transfer Of the work
/ 10 other shoulders, and it is said that here
/ after the Office of each division superin-
! tendent will attend 20 that portion of the
/ work which applies solely TO his division.
! 1t may be, in fact that Mr.. Foster will
/ still retain his title, and with an abbre-
/ Waited clerical force direct the work from
/ this city. but If such be the case it is not
! in line with the information given to a
| CALL reporter yesterday by a gentleman
| who is in position to know.
CleTkship in the Southern Pacific offices
/ has always been looked upon as one of
| the most desirable positions Obtainable in
this city, and in each department of that
big corporation long list of names is on
file of persons who are anxious to enter
the service. The uncertainty as to the
future. which now stares many of the in
cumbents of these positions in the face, is
not calculated to preserve mans peace
of mind, and many of the men are in
position such as to make discharge from
employment at this time positive dis
asteF.
The head officials seem to have gone
over the ground thoroughly and ascer-
tanned just where reductions can be made
without crippling the service to any
material extent. a few men dropped here
and there from each department makes in
the aggregate a large number when one
comes to figure up the various interests in
volved and in the amount of salaries paid
all these men the economy is quite evident
Just when the proposed change will be
inaugurated it was impossible to learn
yesterday, but it is supposed that this and
other similar matters will be put into
effect within the next thirty days. The
company's officials apparently do not de-
sire to let al! the men whom it is proposed
to dismiss 90 at once, but rather prefer 10
drop them gradually, so that the change
will not be so noticeable and that the men
may have a better opportunity to secure
other positions.
p. Sheedy, master mechanic of the coast
division, has been transferred to Los An
geles.
Carlton G. Crane, general agent on the
Pacific Coast for the Vanderbilt lines, has
received information that the New York
Central and Lake Shore lines will, on the
9th inst, place in service fast train be.
tween Chicago and New York, which will
make the distance in twenty-four hours.
as against the recent time of TWEEN ty-seven
hours for the same distance, about 1000
miles. During the Worlds Fair this road
made the same run with the Exposition
flyer" in twenty hours, but subsequently,
increased the time to twenty-seven hours
The demands of travel have, however.
necessitated better time. with the result
mentioned.
The proposal to hold the international
convention of Christian Endeavor societies
here in 1895 may yet fail through because
of an inability to secure satisfactory rates
Regarding the application for special rates
made to the Southern Pacific by Secretary
Bauer. Mr. Donaldson of the passenger
department of the company has this to
say: at is necessary to consider whether
the roads will gain or lose by the special
rates demanded. The rates on interstate
traffic cannot be confined to any particular
class, but must be made open to every
body. So that the roads must do their
regular passenger business at a large re-
ducti0n while providing special rates 10
get new business. And the consequence
of excursion rates extends injuriously TO a
considerable period after such rates cease.
} If excursion rates prevail in July, people
who would otherwise come later would
travel in that month to get the benefit OF
J the low fares. But of course, the CON-
pany would be glad to get the convention
here, for it would bring in great many
desirable visitors to the State.
1.-The Southern Pacific was induced to be.
ieve that there would be a big travel to
the Midwinter Fair. and made low excur.
sion rates accordingly. The result has
been positive injury to the business OF
, the company. The regular traffic has suf-
> fered and the new business has been com.
= paratively small"
All IN THE EAMIF "