The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-04

Chairman La Rue of q communication he
had in his pocket on the subject of clipper
rates. 1t referred to the arguments before
the commission last week, when Mr..
Smurr claimed that the great advance in
clipper rates to Liverpool more than Offset
the benefits Of the freight reduction made
by the Southern Pacific Company last
November. The writer called attention to
the great reduction in ocean freights
within the past thirty days. This was 10
shillings or 81 80, and the writer predicted
that before January l next there would be
a further drop of 81 30, making 81 in all
The suggestion was made that the railroad
be asked to make proportionate cut in its
rates. Commissioner La Rue refused to
disclose the name of his correspondent,
claiming it was private letter to him per-
sonally.
This brought from Smurr the query,
"Has the decrease enhanced the value of
the farmers grain?'
La Rue-There has been no change in its
value Between the upper and the neither mill
stones the farmer has little show of being bene-
flied by anything.
Smurr-Wen, that is the fix we are in We
are also continuously between two milIstones-
the demand for lower rates on the one side and
wages on the other.
Assistant General Manager Curtis was
here asked by Chairman La Rue to explain
what he meant the other Gay when he tes-
titled that notwithstanding the devices that
had to be adopted to reduce expenses the
company had not reduced wages.
Curtis-There was no material reduction.
We are always trimming here and there.
La Rue-You have been reducing the force,
not the price, of labor?
Curtis-We are trying to reduce expenses all
the time.
La Rue-Has there not been change in the
pay of engineers?
Curtis-There has been read ustment of the
pay OF engineers. Trains run faster than be-
fore. Shipments East require fast time. In
consequence, the hours of duty are shorter.
The reduction was on this basis. New men are
also employed for less wages than the old ones
are getting. If we find others are paying less
than we for the same class of work we cut our
rate OF wages. There has been no general re-
ductlon, such as 10 per cent all along the line,
or any per cent. None of the changes are ma
ter1al compared to the millions paid out
La Rue-Didn't the reduction of the pay of
the engineers and trainmen apply to all parts
of the State? This communication is directly
to the point (handing Curtis the communica-
ton signed ''The Workmen'O
curtis (after reading, and with considerable
hesltancy and uncertainty]-I don't remember
when that was done, Ipresume it was done at
and were reduced to 81 for day of ten hours
The cut affected 100 to 40 men.
La Rue-If they worked eight hours they got
only 81 60, or at the rate of 90 cents an ho1r?
month, as stated, but that was when business
was slack and the force was on short time. The
men thought 1t the fairer way to reduce their
time OF employment, rather than to reduce the
force.
Stanton-Does general reduction in wages
affect the general Office?
Curtis-There has been no general reduction;
II general reduction is made everybody would
have to stand his share of it.
La Rue-It has not been the custom to reduce
the salaries OF the higher officers as labor has
been reduced2
Curtis-They are few in number. There are
only eight Their aggregate yearly salaries are
$344,4S1 AZ, or an average of $13 rs per day,
while the total sum paid for labor in year is
about $12 900, 900.
Denis Kearney, who has been a keen
listener to the proceedings of every session
of the commission, here begged permission
of Chairman La Rue to ask Mr.. Curtis only
one question.
La Rue-All right; but only one.
Kearny addressing Curtis)-I would like to
know what President Huntington's salary is?
Stanton-So would /.
La Rue-I would also like to know.
Curtis-I don't know. don't know that he
is on fixed salary.
Stanton-Would Huntington's salary be re-
duced in proportion to the other salaries re-
La Rue-won't the books show what his
salary is?
Curtis--It would appear in the books of the
New York Office.
La Rue-Would it not show in the books kept
here?
Curtis-No. The financial operations are
conducted at New York.
La Rue-Where was the financial statement
to be presented by Mr. Lansing compiled?
Curtis-Mr Lansing can answer that. | am
not the bookkeeper
Kearney addressing Chairman La Rue)-
Raise the wages of the men to So so and raise
the rates. Ipropose to argue on this line be-