The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-31
WAITING TO SEE Mr.. PLANT.
CHIEF ARTHUR SEEKING con-
FERENCE WITH HIM.

Dir. Plant Wires That He Has BUSH
ness Engagements in New York
for Two Weeks Ahead-Mr. Arthur
Wires Back Urging an Appoint
ment at an Early Date-The Engi-
neers' Committee VIII stay Here
Until an Agreement is Reached.
Chief Arthur and the committee of To-
comotive engineers Of the Plant system
are stiI in the city, and may remain here
several days longer. The engineers are
now seeking a conference with President
Plant. and are in hopes Of securing one
with him in Savannah very shortly.
They have been in correspondence by
telegraph with President Plant since their
arrival IN Savannah. Mr. Plant has replied
courteousiy to their kilograms, but the
last telegram received from him yester-
day afternoon stated that he had pressing
business engagements which would keep
him in New York for the next two weeks
Chief Arthur replied, requesting a def
mite appointment at as early a date as
possible and at any place which he might
name. The answer to this telegram.
which is expected to-day viii determine
the further movements of the engineers.
reporter that he is simply waiting.
How long do you expect to waltz" he
was asked.
Until we get an agreement" was the
reply.
do you insist upon a contract?"
I'VE believe he replied, that con-
tract is best, both for the men and the
company. With a contract the men feel
that they have something TO fan back
upon, something to appeal TO- in case of
difference with their officers. They know
what rights are assured them ana they
are governed by il. For these very rea-
sons it is better for the company. Con-
tracts have often proven OF advantage
TO the railroad companies in holding the
engineers in line when there was trouble
with other employees. The engineers Ielt
that as long as the road fulfilled its obh-
cations to them they were IN duty bound
10 stand by their contract. A contract
has never proven a bad thing and II has
often been good thing.
one of the engineers was asked II their
interests had been at all affected since
Superintendent Durham annulled their
contract. He replied that there had been
good many changes, AFFECTING all
classes of employees since the contracts
were annulled The schedule
of pay on some OF the road divisions has
been changed from per diem basis to
mileage basis, and on other divisions the
schedule was changed from mileage
10 per diem basis. The object in making
the changes was to effect reduction In
the pay of the engineers. The usual re-
suit of the mileage basis is that an en-
gineer has to run more miles in order
to make the same money as when paid
by the day."
The engineers committee, which is here
acting with Chief Arthur is composed
as follows: Chairman, w. T.. Futch or
the Brunswick and Western division
Brunswick; Secretary NJ. w Cahill OF
the Savannah, Florida and Western DE-
vision, Savannah; G. S. Hazel of the
Charleston and Savannah railroad, Sa>
vannah; S. b. Parker, savannah Florida
and Western, Waycross. j. II. Donahue,
South Florida railroad, Lakeland; D. L.
Haddock, Florida Southern, PalatSa; f.
l. Hall Alabama Midland, Montgomery.
This is the same committee which came
to Savannah to see the local superintend-
ents last August.
1--WE did not come here to see superin-
tendent Durham then" said one of the
committee yesterday, and the impress
sion created in the minds of a good many
people that Superintendent Durham ran
away from us because he happened to
leave the city on the day of our arrival,
was wrong. We had not notified him of
our intention of coming here. We met
Superintendent Durham at Waycross a
month ago and discussed the matter with
him. He at first said that he could not
make the same contract with us as the
one we had before, and finally said that he
would not sign any written contract. As
he was firm in this position. this finished
our business with him., and we informed
him that we should carry the matter to
President Plant. We did not come here
expecting to see Mr.. Durham, but to ar
range conference with Mr.. Plant. We
have no business with Mr. Durham I'M
less he requests a conference"
The engineers expressed the hope last
night that date for a conference would
be fixed by Mr.. Plant to-day.
There about 250 engineers employed on
the Plant system, about sixty OF whom re-
SIDE in Savannah, including both those of
the Charleston and Savannah and Savan-
nah, Florida and Western railways Be
ing strongly bound together by the broth
erhood they are enabled to WELD consid-
cradle influence