Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-12-25
: WANT MORE MONEY.
Conductors and Brakemen Demand 20
Per Cent Increase.

conductors and Brakemen Demand "
Per Cent Increase.
Ottumwa trainmen are awaiting the
answer of the western railroad COM
panies to the demand now being made
before them by the grievance commit
tees of the Order of Railway Conduc-
tors and the Brotherhood of Railway
Trainmen for a twenty per cent in
crease in the wages of the conductors
and brakemen on all the western
roads. The answer of the companies
will be given out before January g..
Rumors still continue to fly thick and
fast as the first of the year approaches
and the latest is to the effect that the
Milwaukee will change it's time card,
bringing the north and south bound
trains considerably later into this city.
The news that c. M. Gilmore, of Des
Moines, who recently resigned the SUI
perintendency of the Fort Dodge di--
vision of the Rock Island, has been in
duced to reconsider his resignation
and take leave of absence, is gladly
received among the Rock Island train
men with whom he is most popular
1t is stated that Mr.. Gilmore will re-
turn to his duties after an extended
vacation.
Demands for an increase of 20 per
cent in wages for passenger and
been submitted to officials of forty
systems of railroads west of Chicago
and st. Louis. Accompanying the
demands was a notification that an
answer must be returned by January
5. The increase will affect 100000
conductors and brakemen. Officials of
every railroad running west of Chica-
go and st. Louis and west of line
drawn, from Duluth to New Orleans
were called upon for an answer.
| Although the demands are backed
| by the Brotherhood of Railway Train
men and Order of Railroad Conduc-
tors, the grievance board of each rail
road system submitted the papers. All
negotiations will be carried on by
these boards, although the officials of
| both brotherhoods will lend their as
sistance when needed.
Arrangements for asking for the in.
crease were begun last June. repre-
sentatives of both brotherhoods met
in Kansas City and agreed to make a
concerted demand for 20 per cent in
crease in wages. This was submitted
to the rank and ne, which Endorsed it.
The conductors, however, did not com
plete their vote on the question until
| November Is. A meeting of the lead
ers of both organizations was held al
the Sherman house. Chicago, few
days later, and December 20 was fix
ed as the date for the demands to be
presented. In many instances this was
done by mail Forty committees OF
trainmen and conductors in Chicago
/ proceeded to the offices of the various
/ companies. Similar committees visit
ed the offices IN st. Louis, Kansas
City, San Francisco and other places
On January 5. the date on which an
swers are expected the committees
will meet in st. Louis to take action
The original plans of the two brother
hoods included a demand for an in
i crease for all the yardmen This is
sue, however, was settled several
weeks ago by the companies agreeing
to pay in the neighborhood of IL
per cent advance Extra compensa
ton is asked for trains in which two
engines are used, or when the traiI
exceeds forty cars in length.
1t is strongly rumored that the Ma
rion & Kansas City branch of the Mil
waukee is to make a sweeping change
in it's time card There is to be {
change on the main line the first of the
year. and this it is said, will necessitatt
a like change on the branches. 1t is
stated the morning passenger from
: Cedar Rapids will arrive in the cit,
| of nftnr 1 ~, fyvn tn
than it's present scheduled time. TIL,
: local officials state that they have re
ceived no notification of the proposed
: change however.
1t has leaked out that there is som,
prospect that C. N. Gilmore, for man,
years superintendent of the De
Moines G Fort Dodge division OF thu
Rock Island road, will return to tn
: service of that company.
; Nearly two months ago Superinten
dent Gilmore rendered his resignation
saying that because of impaired healtl
and advanced years, he had conclude,
to give up the place. 1t was a montl
before he was relieved because of tn
difficulty in securing man to take tn
place of William. Given, transferre
from the southwestern division to SUI
coed him. 1t has developed that penG
ing the time of the filing of his resig
! nation and the transfer of Mr.. Given t
: this division he was induced to with
draw his resignation and in lieu of
. to make application to the compan
: for an indefinite leave of absence, S
; that now he is still considered to b
: an employee of the Rock Island road o
leave. with the privilege of returnin
: to his old position should he so desir
= after resting up. Mr.. Gilmore has gon
!, east in the hopes of benefiting hi
: health
The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacifi
:, road has decided in the future to di
Z continue the building or purchase {
all wood cars. Instead. all new equi]
z ment will be built with pressed stet
underframes. To this end it has ju.
prepared the plans for 1000 box cal
of this type it will order 1t is the il
/ tention of the company to replace il
rolling stock with this type of cal
/. as fast as they wear out.
o Saturday the five freight cars tn;
+ were left stranded in the waters {
al, rll h; rl,