Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-10-09
MAY CHANGE RUNS.
Rock Island Freight Men on the
Road Too Long
Hours.
RETURN TO THE OLD SYSTEM
Company Realtxss That Employos Cannot
Stand the Orduous Duties Under the Pres
emit PlAu-BurlinGsOu TO Bald . Nag
nificant Depot MT Oainoy-saenerAl New,
OF tho Haiiwaya


Island railway company will
Il return TO the old system OF
operating freight trains on the
east Iowa division. The runs now
extend from Rock Island to Valley
Junction, a distance Of 1870 miles.
Crews are In many instances on the
road for 81 hours at a stretch. They
return home tired. sleepy-exhausted
from overwork. When business H.
creases, such as it has in tho past
few months, the men are csile1 out
before they hardly reach their homes.
The result is numerous complaints on
the part Of employees. some of whom
say they cannot hold out much
longer under the present strain. All
railroad men say it is surprising to
them that more wrecks have not
occurred. The officials of the COM
pany have come to realize the neces-
sity Of remedyin the situation, and
It is understood change is now
under consideration. Under the old
system the division was apportioned
as follows: RocE sland TO Brooklyn;
Brooklyn to Stuart; Stuart to Coun-
ell Bluffs. Now it is from Rock ISL
and 20 Valley Junction; Valley juno
tion to Council Bluffs. The distance
from here to Brooklyn is i06 miles.
This, it il claimed. is itself q long
run. Ii there is q change it may re-
suit in several Of the employees NOV
ing to Stuart.
The old Burlington union depot ut
Quincy, which has done service for
so years, and which in early yeare
vas considered the largest and finest
depot west OF Chicago. is to g.. At
the time oi the big Chicago. Burliug.
ton & Quincy strike the Burlington
had plans completed to put up fine
new depot, but the strike Caused
postponament OF the company's
plans. For the past mouth the Bur.
iiugton has been quietly buying mp
real estate, having expended $50. 600
in this way. These purchases will
give it ample room for a $3.50, 900 de-
pot, mem moth freight depot, en-
larged switch yards and grouDd for
loop to and from the river bridge.
Il is possible that a wagon road will
be added to the bridge across the
river. The Burlington has bought
property here. too, but we haven't
seen the depot yet.
Osher Railway News.
I. c. Scott, trainmasser OF the
Rock Island, is ill at his home in
this city.
James Msroney, who had charge
o. an engine in the yards at Blue
Island. is running between Blue Isl
snd and Rock Island.
Rock Island division. No. 1O7, Or
der OF Railway Conductors, has np-
pointed the following COMMITTEES 20
confer with the people of this city
with reference to making q PROPOSE
ton at the national convention OF
the conductors at Detroit in Nav,
1899. locking to securing the re-
moval OF tho headquarters from
Cedar Rapids to Rock Island: F. a.
Bledsoe, Thomas Donahue. Charles
Nicholas, j. Dizotell and Carney
Burch. The conductors have one Of
the largest and wea|thiest orders in
the country. Rock Island is favor
lte among the places which would
like to laud the headquarters. and it
Is claimed could secure the prize bv
putting forth little effort. So let's
90 after it right.