The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-09-11

| yOul Wages NAltA Tie EUdu 1914 I pay
ing the interest on the MORTGAGE YoJ
must be crazy, Where do you suppose
the money is to come from? Earnings
falling off every day, and operating ex-
penses continually increasing. Pay
raised hey? You may think yourselves
lucky if you don't get a New Years
present of 10 per cent reduction. No
indeed, there1l be nobody's pay raised
| can tell you that
Well. said l, what about our ar
rears, sir; we only got half a months
pay this time, and that was nearly two
months late?
. don't know-I really can't say
won't promise anything at present,
saying which, ne revolved on his heel
and returned to his Office, leaving us in
a state of mind.
I'VE returned and reported a total
failure. Our report was like oil on fire.
Men who had been the most conserva-
tive, now developed into fire-eaters.
They seemed to have lost all hope of
better things to come. Old Harnden
had cleansed their minds of any such
decisions. They demanded that we quit
work at once, in a body, and disable
the engines so that any scabs Harnden
might import, should be unable to run
them.
Another meeting was called at once.
Great enthusiasm and perfect unanim-
ity prevailed. The committee were per-
emptorily ordered to call on old Harm
den again and give him twenty-four
hours in which to start out the pay car
to pay up all arrearages.
The committee met next day at my
house, preparatory to calling on the
general manager and delivering our
body blow. Ezra was the last to arrive.
You fellers seen the latest on the bull
letin board?' he asked as he came in.
No. said l. What is it, anything
important ?"
We'll. / sh'd say so. Mr. Andrew D.
manager vice Mr. William Harnden, re-
tired. Retired mind. They've fired old
Harnden-didn't even let him resign.
After some conversation in regard to
this unexpected move on the companys
part the question was asked, Who
knows this Plummer2'
five heard of him. says Ezra. He's
from out west somewhere. He's a sharp,
bright Teller. and slicker than mink.
He's a new broom, an you can bet your
life hell dig the cracks clean, but what
he'll pay dividends
I suppose We'll have our pay re-
duced, now sure? said the brakeman.
I dunno, he'll make the road pay
dividends rou can bet on that.
Well said an old gray-bearded
conductor, let's go on over and have 1t
out with him. We may as well tackle
him first as last
But / wasn't quite sure that our in
structions warranted us in having 1t
out with him so suddenly. 1 maintained
that we were directed to see Mr.. Harm
den, and certainly that wasn't Mr..
Plummer. l was accused of hair-split-
ting by some of the others, but Ezra
said 1 was right. After considerable
wrangling among ourselves, we decided
to call another meeting, and submit the
question to a committee of the whole.
1t took forty-eight hours to get the
men together again, and when they met
they were red hot.
"Harnden or Plummer it was all one
to them. The man who represented the
no matter what his name,
was the one they wanted their commit
tee to take by the horns, and be lively
about it, If this fellow had come on
here from the west to try any of his
funny business, the sooner We let him
know that we had stood all we were
agoing. to-. the better.
'tAll right The committee were not
at all backward, we only wanted to be
sure of our backing. Over we went
next morning to the office. We were
AS we. entered l noticed the last of
file of clerks passing out at another
door, carrying books. and papers. He
had apparently interrupted his work to
receive, us.
1T was a scowling, ugly committee
that I-marshaled into the gentleman's
Office If he wanted fight, we were the
boys who would give it to him. We
were received by a stout, ruddy-faced
-hO Io1 fcar a6 TIC nv lie
cordial greeting. But remembering his
for Sickness we fortified
ourselves with a determination not to
be blarneyed. He requested us to be
seated, thanked US for having called on
him thus promptly, and asked what he
could do for US, in a tone and manner
that almost convinced US he would like
to do something. @
II felt almost IKE a traitor to my
mates, as 1 realized that my indigna-
ton was rapidly oozing away. However,
l stated our case and made our de-
mand in as defiant a manner as 1
could assume, while looking into those
kindly blue eyes the other side of the
desk He listened attentively, and when
l finished he silently surveyed our
crowd for nearly a minute-sizing US
up, we decided. Gradually his features
relaxed, his lips parted and he showed
his handsome white teeth in a genial
smile.
"'Quite a lively reception you boys
are giving the new manager, isn't it?'
he asked.
There was no reply, our prearranged
didn't seem to fit the occa-
sion, anyhow.
o DO you think it is quite fair-to
me?' he asked. I've hardly arrived
here yet. Won't you give me chance
to find out how the company .stands?'
There WIS an uneasy shutting of
feet and twirling of hats. Then, re-
the probable mission of
this smooth, keen gentleman, Ez blurt-
ed out:
We thought we might as we'll ask
for a raise as to wait for you to cut us
down.
Mr.. Plummer's smile disappeared at
once. His features became very grave
as he said emphatically; L shall never
cut you down; you may take my word
FOR that. I don't believe in that method.
will go farther; While l am manager
IF this company your wages will not be
reduced by anybody l am satisfied
that the road can be restored to a pay
ng basis; otherwise l should not have
accepted the position, and / assure you
hat, though ] am unable to grant your
request just at present, I will bear it
n mind, and hope | may be able to be-
fore long. l know you are not as well
paid as the employees of some of our
but l intend that you shall
De. Now, gentlemen the company has
given me year to show what can
10; will you be equally lenient?'