The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-25
1T WILL BE A LAST RESORT.
Centra's Employees Need Not Be-
come AppFehensi1-e Too Early.

Some of the Central of Georgia Rail-
way Company employees have been very
much exercised over the reports in circu-
lation with regard to probable or pos
sible reduction in salaries all around,
while others have taken a conservative
view Of the matter, and believe confident
ly that the necessity for such a step
on the part Of the company will be avert.
ed
The Central it appears, has been hit
pretty hard of late by various reductions
in rates that have been made by the COM
mission, the last of which is the % per cent
reduction made in fertilizer rates. This
last reduction alone, it is said, will cost
the Central a loss of $4,000 a year IT is
not any one reduction of rates. unless it
is large one, that is so severely felt, but
a combination of reductions within
short space of time, all of which reduce
the earning capacity of the property, and
make necessary a retrenchment some
where. The railroads are compelled to
keep up their road-bed and equipment
they say, and yet to pay their fixed charg-
es, they have got to retrench somewhere.
when their earning capacity is cut into in
this manner.
Vice President John NJ. Egan, when ask
found retrenchment necessary, reduc-
ton of the salaries of the employees would
certainly be a last resort. An effort would
be made, he said to make up the losses
everywhere else before the salaries were
touched. However, he says the matter
has not as yet been given any particular
consideration, and nothing definite has
been done with regard to il. 1t is merely
viewed in the light of a possibility should
the matter come to a point where some
thing Will have to be done. and every other
resource for retrenchment is exhausted.
1t is TO be hoped that nothing will oc-
cur to compel the railroads in Georgia to
reduce the wages of their employees. Ev-
cry emp.oye from the highest to the lowest
is interest ed. Some of the railroad men say
that the continued reductions of rates by
the railroad commission prevent the rail
roads from earning a living, and at the
same time keeping up the property so that
it can be properly operated with safety
and economy.
The railroads have passed through the
depression which mas prevailed since 1893.
When railroad has some surplus money
there Is no talk of a reduction of wages.
New and better rail and bridges are provid-
ed, new buildings are erected, and the best
modern equipment used. 1t is said, how
yer, that if a railroad is prevented from
earning fair return on the money invest
ed, all of these improvements are aband-
oned, and as last resort reductions of
forces and wages are made.
1T is said that the railroads are now re-
doubling their past efforts to bring people
into Georgia for the purpose of bringing
under cultivation many of the lands that
are lying idle, and that they want to leave
nothing undone to place Georgia in the
lead among her sister states.
TO add to the expenses of the Central
there has just been served upon it the
mandamus from the United States SUI
preme court requiring it to pay the Sl2j-
900 or Sl50,000 taxes due towns, cities and
counties on the mainline between Savan-
nah and Macon which have accrued under
the Glenn bill that was recently declared
constitutional. These taxes will, of course.
constitute a first lien on the property and
VIII have to be paid at once. 1t is said,
however, that this will not in any wise
affect the salaries of the employees. The
trend of railroad affairs will be closely
watched for the next few weeks. and
there VIII be none more interested than
railroad employees throughout the state