The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-29
RELIEF ron THE EMPLOYEES.
Six Railroads Now Have Benefit As
sOciatfOnS.

There are but FIVE other railroads than
the Plant System which have put In oper-
alton relief departments. They are all
great systems being the Baltimore and
Ohio, Pennsylvania Railroad, Pennsyl-
vania Company dine west of Pittsburg
and Erie. Chicago, Burlington, and
Quincy. Philadelphia and Reading. These
with the Plant System, operate about one
seventh of the countrys total railroad
mileage and represents a fifth of
its railroad employees The first
relief organization was that of
the Baltimore and Ohio, which
dates from 1880; the Pennsylvania the sec
ond being adopted in 1886 In three of
these companies, including the Plant Sys-
tenn, membership by employees is compul-
sorry; in the remainder ID is voluntary. The
departments are maintained by the rail-
roads without expense to the members, as
part of the company's service. and the
railroads act as trustees of the funds of
the department, paying interest on the
moneys held in trust, and, still further,
guaranteeing the payment of all benefits
promised by the departments and making
up deficiencies. The cost to railroad hands
for membership in these departments runs
from rs cents to 1915 a month, the amount
of benefit being determined by the pay
ment made Death benefits run from $3.50
to $500. Sickness is provided for by free
hospital and surgical service on nearly all
these lines, with sick benefits for a period
of not more than ifty-two weeks at from
40 cents to 81 per day. When accident &C.
ours to an employe ION duty the rates
of benefit are stiil higher, and continue un-
til recovery, even If the period of sick
ness or convalescence continues after the
ffty-two weeks have expired
With the exception of the Philadelphia
and Reading Relief Association, the assist
ance given to those whose sickness lasts
more than year is paid for by the rail
road companies out of their own corporate
funds. During 1895, for example the
PENNSYLVANIA Railroad relief department
contributed $36,63255 for this purpose
While pensions upon approximation are
not guaranteed, except by the relief de-
partment of the Baltimore and Ohio, it is
generally stipulated that net surplus in
the funds Of the departments shall be in
vested for the purpose of creating pen
sion fund for superannuated and per-
manently disabled employees. The savings
fund feature of some of the relief organ
izations is another interesting and i'm
portant branch of the work.
Some idea of the results of the railway
relief departments may be gained from
the statistics available. Five of these
great corporations, exclusive of the Plant
System, had in 1895 a membership of near
ly 100000 members, who paid in as dues
s1,S45,112, while the companies themselves
paid in>from one-sixth to one-fifth Of the
total receipts of the departments, in round
figures about $350,OO0 Death benefits were
Raid to the representatives of 164 men
killed averaging from $3.50 to $3.50.
The Statesboro and Egypt Railroad Com
pany is to be the name of a new corpora
ton for which charter will soon be
asked The road 1t proposes building will
be 81 miles long, running in a southeast
erly direction from Statesboro, crossing
the Central at Egypt, and connecting
thence via Springfield, the county seat of
bingham to some convenient point on
the South Bound road in bingham. The
proposed capital stock is $l50,000 in shares
of 800 each. The incorporators, all cti-
zens of Statesboro are as follows: ]. W.
diff, r. Simmons, w. C. Parker, w. r.
Smith, s. T. Chance, s. f. CLIFF, H. S.
Bitch, ]. A. Brannen, ]. G. Bitch, b. T.
Outland, ]. A. Fulcher, c. A. Lanier, ].
W. Wilson, r. L. Samples, j. L. Olliff,
W. D. Davis, D. P. Averett, j. B. Lee
H. 1. Olliff, and L. ]. Mclean.
Mr. S. H. Dare has been appointed
commercial agent of the Plant System at
Montgomery, Ala, in place of Mr.. S. B.
Patton, transferred.
Mr. E. w. White, heretofore commercial
agent of the Central of Georgia at Gin
cinnat, o., has been appointed general
Western agent of the same road, with
headquarters at st. Louis, No., to succeed
Robert c. Hicks
\ Mr.. Ziba Bennitt has resigned as COM
mercial agent of the Central of Georgia
a Memphis, Tenn. Mr.. A. Nelfer, solicit
ing agent at that point, has been appoint
ed his successor.
The Hampton and Branchville road
which now runs from Hampton to Maud
inton, S. c., % miles, is to be extended
from the latter point to Georges, II miles
w. II. Mauldin Of Hampton is president
Spain took GOO years to build 16 miles of
railroad in the Philippines. Spain will be
astounded at the rapid expansion of the
railroad systems in those islands when
they are under American control
Master Mechanic Roberts of the Arkan-
sas and Central division of the Iron Noun
tain has perfected an automatic air blow
off cock, which is being used on the en-
gines of the Gould system with satisfac-
tory results, engineers being able to clean
out their boilers on the road without any
trouble.
The earnings of the Central of Georgia
Railroad during the second week in Au-
gust were ST. 500 against $sS,5SS during the
same week last year. The total earnings
from Jan. /, 1898, TO the end of the second
week in August, were $S,07S7G3 against
81, $40 during the same period in 1897.
Mr.. w. C. Chears, thes traffic represen-
tative Of the Georgia and Alabama at
Atlanta goes to Montgomery on Sept. /
as general agent for that company.
The embalming of Bsmarcks body
has called attention to the fact that an
Italian savant. Epsio Marini, has carried
this grewsome art even further than the
Egyptians. He has worked out three diff