The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-01-10
SEAB0ARD AXE
STILL FAILING
More Officials Send In
Their designations.
MANY MEN DROPPED.
Four Heads Of Departments Said to
Have Resigned.
SECRET MEETING OF THE BOARD
kothin: Could Be Learned about the
Result of the Conference, but
II Is Said Expenses
viii Soon Be
Heavily Cut
SECRET MEETING OF THE BOARD

There were u few fresh developments in
the Seaboard Air Line situation yester-
day. Among these were the alleged ac-
cepLance by the Board Of Directors of
the resignation OF Mr.. L. ST. John, vice
president and general manager Of the
system, the report that several other
minor officials had resigned their posi-
tionS. the rneetins OF toe Board OF Di-
rectors behind closed doors, and the state
;nent that otlcr heads OF departments
were wabbling-
a statement was looked for from Cen
eral Manager 81. john as to why he ten
dered his resignation. but he persistenty
declined 10 say anything for publication.
None of the other directors, including
President Williams, would talk. and the
whole matter still remains unexplained
Some OF the papers published something
about the comparative operating expenses
OF the Seaboard Air Line and its COM
.,etitors. 1t was stated in one paper That
the operating expenses OF the Seaboard
were 20 per cent wtlIlc the operating eX-
s,enses of the Southern were 81 per cent,
and those Of the Atlantic Coast Line %
per cent.
1T was further stated that if the Sea
board coIld get its operating expenses
down to 60 per cent. j dividend could
be declared on its preferred stock
PLAYED DEAD MARCH.
However this may be, it is known that
tie stake-up continues at, q reasonable
pace. for two or three heads Of depart
ments nave already resigned as a result
of Mr. St Johns retiring. In this con-
nection The Portsmouth Star says:
II Is rumored that at to-day's meeting,
c- sCon after. the Official heads of twenty
seven prominent employees will fall ms
changes.
o. B. Bfdwell. freight claim agent and
c. p. Johnson, superintendent OF trans
portation. sent in their designations yes
teyday They are both at Portsmouth :
Axe falling was heard in the draugAts-
mems department at Portsmouth yester-
,iay aud it was also said that some OF the
men ,yilo played with the 5. y. l.. band
stepped around to the tune OF the Dead
liarcl, from Saul" That 1t IS not eS-
;4ctly a cakewalll Tor the band Is seen
nom the fact that its numerical strength
has Shrunk from forty 10 thirty.
\ SECRET MEETING.
A special telegram from Norfolk to The
Times last night says:
The Board of Directors of the Seaboard
Air Line met at Portsmouth about l
o'clock this afternoon. Among those
present We're President Williams and MI
J. W AIiddendort. Mr.. Everett St John,
who recently resigned from the Vice-preS-
idency and general manaSership OF the
system. WAS not present, but remained at
his home liz Norfolk. where lie is tonight,
he did not accompany the President
and Board, who left Portsmouth at night
fail on a south-bound special on Il tour
OF inspection. From the meeting to-day,
which lasted ali the afternoon. all save
the directors were excluded. ana the
Strictest secrecy regarding the proceed
inss was maintained. When the meet
ing adjourned and the magnates We're
proceeding to the train. President Will
iialns was asked what had been done. II
answered that nothing had been done
which would be made public for The pres
ent. All who knew what had been done
were equally uncommnnicative Whether
Nr. st. Johns resignation was accepted
is not known
MR.. BARR TO SUCCEED HIM
There is good reason for the belief that
it was, and that Mr.. James NJ. Barr. who
about Il year ago resigned the Vice-pres
doncy OF the Norfolk and Western at 4
salary of So, 500 a year to accept the third
rice-presidency of the -Atchison, which
he now holds, has been decided upon
his successor. Mrs. Barr likes Norfolk.
and wishes TO make her home here. This
fact, and the persuasion of Mr.. Bars
two daughters, who are similarly inclined,
are -eportcd TO have inclined Mr. Barr to
come to the Seaboard. He is a big man
have a wide scope with The Seaboard
should he come. Which appears TO be
practically settled.
HEADS MODELLING.
+. w. Maupin. fuel inspector; o. Z.
Smith, air-hrake inspector; n r Lusoff,
assistant chief engineer, and Mr.. Waller,
general storekeeper, of the Seaboard. are
reported 10 have resigned to-day Other
heads are wobbling.
An Associated Press telegram to The
Times last night says:
No reliable information is to be had
as 10 what transpired at the Seaboard
meetings. Every day now employees are
being topped of by the dozen. Fifty 10
SeVentX-fVe We're discharged to-day. and
il is said the axe is still kept handy for
use later. The reduction is being made
IN ali departments.
1t is believed that expenditures will be
cut wherever possible.
A BIG SALARY
1t was published by Il Norfolk paper
that Mr.. st. Johns salary was S27,500 Il
year. This could not be verified last
night, but it was generally admitted that
this was comfortable berth for his slc-
cessor. especially as ii WAS well known
that MIR. ST. John built and furnished a
palatial home in Norfolk during his ad-
ministration as general manager of the
Sea board Air Line. and he and his family
became prominent in the excl siye society
circles of Norfolk.
The annual inspecting tour Of the Board
OF Directors of the system viii last about
a week 1t is not known whether there
will be any lively developments during
that time, but il is rumored that some
thing is going 10 be done when the party
returns.
At the office of the Seaboard Air Line in
this city yesterday everybody was quiet
and absolutely nothing could be learned
1t was reported that gentleman who is
connected with the Seaboard in this city
went 10 Portsmouth yesterday TO nose
around and find out how the land lay if
possible but SO far as known he did not
learn anything from the inside
SHOULD HAVE GOOD EFFECT.