Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-09

TIE RAILROADS !
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Inc We Sc question is now engrOsSing
the attention of all railway managers,
says tae thi1aSo Inter Ocean. While the
earnings of all roads for several years
pas nave been phenomenal, it is stated
that only one road-the Louisville g.
Nasni.lle-Aas adVancel the wages of
all is employees to the standard or 1891
In 1852, or the following year, nearly
every railroad in the country made Il
cat CT 10 per cent in the wages of al,
employees, and most of them promised
chat wages would be restored as soon as
earnings became normal.
In the last three years most of the
roads have raised the wages of one or
more classes of emp.oyes to varying eN.
tents. but as a RUE wages are lower
than they We're ten years ago. Now
There is ii general demand by al Classes
of employees for more wages. Grievance
committees OF 'rne various organizations
OF railway employees have been confer
ring Wa the railway managers, ana
fe y az eenllntS on wages have >e' n
REACHED. The managers seem wiling to
Sranl advances in wages when shown
llIat a competing line is paying more
for the same service, but no road is VIII.
ing to take the initiative in making y
general advance in rates to correspon
of hard times
The disaffection of railway employees
with ,heir wages is more apparent in
the cas- than in the west, but it seems
to eX $: everywhere. II the effort of the
eastern employees to &c, higher wages is
succs ssfu il is certain that the western
roads will also have to increase wages.
On the inCs of the Pennsylvania sys-
tenn east of PitsDurS the engineers have
asked for an increase of 20 per cent in
wages, and also a reduction of hours
per day, nos to exceed ten, except If
cases of great emergency. The conduc-
tors on the Lake Shore, especially O:
the branch lines, want higher wages,
and committee representing them will
meet in Cleveland today with the man
ayers.
Through the National Union of Switch
men request for the adoption of the
standard scale of wages on all parts OF
the Lake Shore has been made. The
company has not announced what it VIII
do. The Lackawanna road has had re-
quests for higher wages from all classes
of employees some of which it has
granted, and action on others is de-
! ferred. Announcement of a strike for
higher wages by boi!er-m makers in tn 2
shops of the Erie road has been expect
ed daily for some time. A general strike
of boiler makers seems anticipated, and
! during the last two weeks a number of
eastern roads have had agents in this
city to arrange to hire boiermakers
Officials of the orga MIA zion of railway
employees seem as anxious as the rail-
! way managers to avert strikes, but ii IS
! generally believed that unless the re-
! quests for higher wages from all classes
| of employees are granted within short
/ time strikes Will occur.
The railway companies have pros
pered in recen; years as never before.
and there is no reason why they should
not share their prosperity with their
employees 20 a greater extent than they
are doing" said an official o. one OF the
largest Organiza tons of railway en-
ployes. There is feeling among rat
way employees that the tendency of the
times to consolidation of railroads, &c
The development of the idea of corn
munity of ownership, means future
reduction in the number of railway en-
ployes. and also wages generally. The
men feel that now is the time when they
must act. if they would protect thei,
b intersS.s.
Passenger officials of western rat
roads met in Chicago this week to form
nev pool on military traffic. 1t be-
came necessary because of the chang
in the policy OF the war department
which has been to seni all soldiers an'
supplies via the Central Pacific route
because of the debt of that company Il
the government. The Santa Fe com
pany vigorously protested against tina
policy. and it's arguments We're success
full. The new order Of the war depart
ment is that military traffic Is to b.
given 10 the lines making the loves
lids. Whether there will be any recuc
lion in rates is question. but 1t Is Ger
tain ,ha; in futur" the Santa Fe Will D
on an equal footing with lis rivas,
Ear as military u attic is cOnSetned.