The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-02
TO CONFER AT wAYcROss.
President Plant to Meet the ErsI-
neers There To-day.

President II. b. Plant OF the Plant sys-
tenn went down 20 Waycross last night,
and Will meet the engineers OF the system
there to-day. He was accompanied by
General Superintendent b. Durham.
AR ID. +. Jack, assistant TO the presi-
dent. was in the city yesterday. stopping
at the DE Soto. To a representative OF
the Morning News he stated that Mr..
Plant would meet the engineers at Way
cross.
"1Ir. Plant will not meet a committee
from the brotherhood" Mr.. Jack said.
"but viii merely hold an informal con-
ference with the engineers. as he stated he
would do. 20 which any engineer of the
system, whether he is member OF the
brotherhood or not. Will be admitted, and
Mr.. Plant will hear from any of the engi-
neers who desire 10 speak I understand
the demand for a contract has been aban-
doned, and believe the engineers merely
desire to lay their case before the officials
Of the road. I cannot tell as yet just what
the nature Of the conference will be-"
The engineers have practically given up
the fight for the last week or more. They
saw that the contest was one in which the
odds were against them. and they wisely
decided not TO push matters to a crisis.
This is shown by the fact that Chief Ar
thur returned TO the west from Augusta,
and did not come to Savannah to meet
Mt. Plant. as he intended doing when he
left here over fortnight ago.
That Mr.. Plant was prepared for trouble
has been evident to the engineers for some
time. Strange men have been riding up
and down the road, learning the route.
They were even placed on the engines with
the engineers. 1t could hardly have been
very pleasant for the brotherhood engi-
neers 10 have men riding with them in
their cabs, whom they knew were stand
Ing ready to take their places should they
decide TO quit work. 1t Is also said that
as soon as IL was published that there was
a prospect of trouble with the engineers
letters and kilograms from engineers from
all parts of the country began pouring into
the superntendent's office, offering their
services.
The engineers were generally advised by
their friends in other departments of the
road that it would be the hight Of folly
for them 10 quit work now when there
are so many capable men idle throughout
the country who would make haste 10 fill
their places. The recent failure OF the en-
gineers and other employees of the Geor-
gia railroad TO obtain any concessions from
General Manager Scott of that railroad
also had its effect. In fact, the tide has
been going steadily against the engineers
for the last three weeks.
Mr.. Jack was asked about the report
sent out from Atlanta some time ago to
the effect that the Plant system had pur-
chased the Marietta and North Georgia
railroad, and that new system designed
to compete with the Southern was contem-
plated.
II know nothing Of it," Mr.. Jack replied.
THE publications were the first 1 heard
Of il. I don't know what we could do with
the road, even II it were made a present
to us"
With regard to the street crossings over
the Savannah, Florida and Western, Mr..
Jack said IL is likely some conclusion will
be reached within a short time. Mr.. Err
win has the matter in hand for the sys-
tenn, and he will be here about the middle
of next week, when the question will
again be taken up with the city.