The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-04
RAILROAD NEWS.
Piece Work May Cause Trouble
at Santa Fe Shops.
WOrkmen Are Generally OPP
posed to the SJ stem.
FIFTY MEN HAVE QUIT
Many More Are Expected to
Give Up Positions.
Wages Said to Be Reduced
Fully One-Third.

The Santa Fe company may have all
kinds of trouble on its hands, as a re-
suit of the introduction of the piece
work system in the shops here.
There is hardly a mechanic at the
shops favorably disposed toward the
piece work system Already some me-
chanics have given up their positions in
different departments of the shops in
anticipation of a reduction of wages by
its Introduction Other men say that
they will quit work as soon as the sys-
tenn is put into operation in their de-
partments.
It is believed by the men that the
piece work system is introduced merely
as an experiment by order of the execu-
tive officials of the road. The men say
that John Player, superintendent of
machinery; Geo. Hancock, assistant
superintendent of machinery, and Ben
Johnson, master mechanic, are very
much opposed to the piece work sys-
tenn.
The workmen make no attempt to
conceal their opposition to piece work.
They are talking against it, and some
are backing up their arguments by Civ
ing up their positions. Six men quit
SATURDAY. These men are good work
men and nearly all of them have left
the city to find work in other places
The wOrkmen do not intend to inSti-
tute strike. but if the opposition talk
of the mechanics in the boiler, machine
and blacksmith shops is a criterion, the
company may expect a walk out OF
many of the best men when the piece
partments.
If the introduction of the piece work
system will have the effect predicted
by the workmen, the Santa F'e shops
in this city are in a fair way to be
come tramp shops such as was the
condition about twelve years ago, when
the wages paid were below the aver
age. At the present time the shops are
filed with good skilled wOrkmen, many
of whom have families and stand well
in the community
The men in the car departments say
that their wages have been cut from
one-third to One-hfth, by the piece
work system, and to earn even this re-
duction, they have to work much hard
er. The piece work system serves to
get the greatest possible amount Of
work out of the men in the least pos
sible time, and at the rate Of working,
not a minute is lost. The men are un-
der a continual strain in their endeavor
to make every minute count.
1T is a we'll known fact in railroad
circles" said a prominent railroad man
this morning, that the Santa Fe rail-
road is at the present time turning out
of its shops, the best work at the low
est possible cost of any time in the his
tory of the road. And the cost cOmpar-
ed to that which other roads are pay
ing for similar first-class work, is low
err
TT is false economy" said another
prominent railroad man. in speaking of
the piece work system being introduced
into the shops here, ''and if this system
was introduced at the beginning OF
spring instead of the beginning of win
ter, the Santa Fe shops would have an
exodus of skilled mechanics, the like of
which was never seen before in To-
peka."
An order was issued a short time ago
in the car sheds. which has caused
great deal of dissatisfaction among the
WOrkmen. It is to the effect that all
wOrllmen, working under the piece
work system, will be expected to come
back without DaV on SATURDAY. after
noon and clean up the scraps and re-
fuse which has gathered during the
week. The men say that the present
scale of wages will not allow them to
do this extra work, which takes some
times two or three hours This work
was formerly done by paid workmen.
The officials are introducing the piece
work system slowly into the different
departments. as they fear trouble
should an attempt be made to put it in
to force generally at one time. By the
first of the year. it is expected that the
different departments Will all be work
ing under this system.