The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-02-25
RAILROAD NEWS.
Big Reduction in Shop Force ON
Santa Fe Coast Lines.
500 Men Said to Have Been Let
Out.
DUETO SLACK BUSINESS
Reductions Thought to Be of
Temporary Nature.
Trouble Not Likely to Reach
Topeka Shops.

At the end of last week the Santa Fe
reduced it's shop force on the coast lines
by nearly 500 men. if the reports from
Albuquerque and San Bernardino are
correct.
1t was reported in the State Journal
last Saturday that the shop force at
San Bernardino had been cut down by
lO6 men. Later reports received here in
the Los Angeles papers, state that the
force was reduced by 240 men.
At Albuquerque the shop force was
cut down los men, which with a large
number additional who quit voluntarily,
the total loss. to the shop force was,
according to Albuquerque newspapers
about 200 men.
These deep cuts in the shop force are
believed to be due to slack business on
the coast lines, condition which usual
ly prevails at this time of year. 1t is
thought by the coast line officials that
the cut will be only temporary
Men in the Topeka shops are conf
dent that the reductions in force will
not extend to Topeka, for the present at
least. Instead of reducing the force
here, there has been a general tendency
to increase the number of men, and the
length of working hours.
If the reductions of the San Bernar-
dino force amounted to 240 men, it
means that nearly one-third of the
working force there is ont of employ
ment. The situation at San Bernardino,
as told in the Los Angeles papers, is as
follows:
An order largely reducing the force
of Workmen at the Santa Fe shops here
has gone into effect, when 24O or about
one-third of the workmen, were given
their time checks and informed that
their services would not be required
after today. 1t was also given out that
the large night force, which has been
on shift for many months, would be
done away with, so that for the present
nothing will be doing at night, except
at the roundhouse, where a gang of
Workmen is kept employed constantly,
making minor repairs on the locono-
tives The cut in the working force is
pretty evenly distributed among the
several departments, although the ma
chine, blacksmith and boiler shops suf-
fer most. The order for a reduction of
the force, which came from Chicago
was caused, it is said. by reason of the
marked slump in this seasons freight
traffic, particularly in the matter of
orange shipments"
Speaking of the reductions at Albu-
querque, the Albuquerque Journal
Democrat says:
THE cut in the force at the local
shops which has been prophesied and
expected by the men for several days
past, and which has been variously esti-
mated at from 20 to 300 heads to fall,
has come. 1t came yesterday morning
and the men who are to go are gone and
the shops are likely to run along much
as usual, for the order received by Mas
ter. Mechanic Turnbull yesterday morn
ing instructed him to reduce the pay
roll by exactly los men. These, with the
men who are returning east, after the
winter here for health and comfort, will
reduce the force at the shops by about
200 men, The reduction in the force |
was found expedient on account of the
slack business. 1t is not considered as
a heavy cut by the men, who expected
that half the force might go. There are
now, after the cut is made, more men |
in the shops than there were this time
last year. The number left on the pay |
roll is we'll over 700. by far the largest |
record in the history of the shops, save |
for the past few months of unusual ac- |
tivity. 1t is the general impression, too, |
among the officials. that the present cut |
IS only a temporary measure, made as |
a necessary part of the policy of the |
dull season."