The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-07-04
TURNED THEM DOWN
PLANT SYSTEM DID NOT GRANT
MACHINIsTS' REQUEST.
COMMITTEE AND OFFICIALS
HAD CONFERENCES OVER DEMANDS
OF THE MACHINIsTs.

committee waited on Superintend-
ent OF Motive Power w. e. SYM
ouds-He Declined to Grant Their
Reauest-They Then Asked for a
conference with General Superin-
tendent w. B. Denham, Who Sus-
tanned MIR. SymOnds-Plant system
Already Pays From 10 to Ii Per
Cent. More Than Other Roads i'm
This SectiOn-Mr. SymOnds Dis
cusses the Request and the Roads
Refusal.
The Plant System would not accede to
the demands made by the machinists in
its employ. The committee of the ma
chinists and officials of the railroad had
a conference, but the result was a down
right refusal of the company to at this
time grant the request that was made
for more pay.
Ten hours pay for nine hours work
was the demand made by the committee
that waited on the officials. This was
the chief of the requests the machinists
had to make. This was regarded as the
equivalent of demand for a vertical in
crease in pay, and this the officials did
not think that they would be justified
in giving at this time.
1t will be recalled that machinist from
High Springs. one from Gainesville and
che from waycross came to Savannah
some days ago, each representing the ma
chinists in the employ of the Plant Sys
tenn. They met with a local committee
of four from the machinists employed
here by the Plant System, and the dele
cation waited on Mr.. w E. symonds. SUI
perintendent of motive power.
Mr. Symonds, at this time, was about to
depart on a bushes trip to the North.
That prevented him from giving the de-
mands of the machinists consideration,
but he promised to hear them upon his re-
turn. When he got back to Savannah he
was waited upon by the local committee,
with which the machinists of other places
had left their interests. Two conferences
were held, Mr.. Symonds finally telling the
machinists that it would be impossible for
the company to comply with their re-
quest for an advance in pay.
The machinists then requested to see
the general superintendent, Mr.. w. B.
Denham. Mr.. Symonds told them that
he would cheerfully allow them to see the
general superintendent. He went with
them, and both officials listened to the
request of the men. Mr.. Denham sus-
tanned Mr. Symonds, and the machinists
saw that there was no chance for them
TO get what they wanted at this time.
When seen last night Mr.. Symonds
said that the demand of the machinists
was equivalent TO asking for vertical
Increase in pay. Ten hours pay for nine
hours work. he said, is but another way
of asking for increased wages. The Plant
System pays 30 cents an hour, and the
demand would mean an increase to about
"a cents an hour The requirements of
the Plant System would be for ten hours
work a day, he said, and this the. men
know. They would have to be paid extra
for the tenth hour If their request were
granted.
1.-The Plant System said Mr.. Symonds,
lis paying its machinists from 10 to IA per
cent. more than the average road in this
section. This we pointed out 10 the ma
chinists' committee. We told them that
we thought they should be more eppre-
ciative of what the company had done
for them during many years that It's
elevated scale of wages has obtained.
I'VE told them that we would take the
request under consideration. and that the
machinists would hear from us after the
settlement of the machinists' troubles by
the Southern Railway and the Seaboard
Air Line The Plant System, we told
them would be always ready to do as
much for it's machinists as any road in
this sect ion.
Il do not know what the machinists
will do, though l hope they will be guild
ed by reason. Those who went out at
High Springs have repudiated their ac-
ton. They regret that they did not re-
main with the road, and now they want
to get back into it's employ Some may
be taken back in time, but the ringlead-
ers will not be employed by the Plant
System again under any circumstances.
1t is not the policy of the company to
employ men who foment strife and dis
satisfaction.
The Plant System will remain on
friendly terms with it's machinists Just
so long as no antagonistic action is taken
by the men, If fight is precipitated,
the company will bear its part"