The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-05
THE AK FALLS In Topeka
Three Hundred Employees at the Santa
Fe Shops Dismissed
YOUNG AND UNMARRIED ZEN

Mostly Are Selected, in Order 10 NJ AK e
the Hardship as Light as Possible
One Hundred and Fifty Have Only
Reeu in 1EeCOmpany's Employ Four
Months.
President E P. Ripley's az of economy
has fallen in Topeka, and as result 800
men, employees of tha Santa Fe shops, are
thrown out of employment
When the large whistle at the machine
shop announces at o'clock this evening
that the work of the day is at an end, it
will also sound a farewell to 200 en-
r ployes of the car shops and 100
employees of the locomotive department.
The reduction is made under the
direction of the different foremen, no es-
pecial rules being observed with the eX-
ception that the men dropped are to be
the younges in point of service. and that
a preference is 10 be given to married
men.
The car department includes the car
penter shops, paint shops, planning mill
and repair yards. The largest portion Of
the two hundred men will be taken from
the repair yards, over one hundred
and fifty men have been added in that
part of the service since last October.
All branches of the machine shops, the
roundhouse and water service compose
the locomotive department, and the one
hundred men will probably be drawn
proportionateiy from the different lines
of service At present there are 1909
men employed in the Santa Fe Shops in
this city. Tomorrow there will be only
1850 meuat work. The three
hundred men discharged Will
receive payment for their ser
vices during the five days of this
month in the shape of discharge checks
at the office of the superintendent of ma
chinery this evening. Their wages for
the month of January will be paid at the
treasurer's office in the general Office
building tomorrow.
This reduction was decided upon by
President Ripley in conference with
General Manager Frey and Superinten-
dent of Machinery John Player while on
their tour of inspection, and the order
wired to Topeka. Such a move has been
expected since the new management as
sumed control of the road. as President
Ripley stated some time ago that the
present earnings of the road were made
quate to meet the expenses, and reduc-
tons in the working force were absolute
ly necessary. Whether the cut will be
temporary or permanent depends upon
the future business of the road.
Should a profitable market be found
for the thousands of bushels of cora
stored in this stale, increasing the freight
traffic which at present is extremely
light, the force would necessarily have
to be increased to maintain the standard
of the rolling stock. On the contrary,
should freight traffic remain as light as
at present for any length OF time, further
reduction might possibly be made.
a reduction in the shop force has also
been ordered on the Chicago and west
ern divisions of the road, which also
takes effect at o'clock this evening. In
comparison, however, to the cut made at
the Topeka shops, the reduction ia slight.
Thirty men are to be taken from each
division. On the western division ten
men will be drawn from each of the
three shops located at Pueblo, Denver,
and La Junta. On the Chicago division
the shops are located at a mum Der of diff
ferent points, and the cut will hardly be
percsptibie. Reductions in the working
1orce at other division points where
shops are located are looked for within
the next few days.