New-York tribune., 1902-06-27
NOT TO REDUCE WAGES.
FEARS OF EMPLOYEES OF ELEN A1tD
ROADS THAT ADOPTION OF ELEC-
TRICITy WILL DECREASE EARN
INGS DECLARED UNFOUNDED-

The five thousand and odd employees of the Man
haitian Railway Company. 1t learned yesterdaE'
are looking forward with some anxiety 10 'he 'ii,
when steam will be superseded by elecuici'S oH t~
entire system The company is hurry1nG along 'iie
eo1liprent of the electric cars and the question: "
the disposition of the employees in the different ne"
departnlerts of work which will he created Is
perpexing
When the announcement was first made that lhe
companv was preparing to substitute elecuici'S
Cor s+oap, the locomotive engineers and nrefneh
were greatly worried The former. who belong 10
the brotherhood % Locomotive Engineers wee
afraid that their wages. which average )" 90 ""S
would ne reduced to the wages Of The notormeh on
+,,, ,-r.ca railroads and the firemen we're afraid
rhar many Of them would he without an oceui4-
tiou under the order OF things a great mum
her Of the employees have been IN 'Ae SCI
tha cornpanv from twelve fifteen years. oul are
c1u full of vigor and better men Tor theF eApei'-
-,
Meetings OF the engineers and hrerne' "tt'
to consider what would be done. as the sll""''ol
Ms peculiar They were all relieved. however at
The time hv beins told by the company thai "ds''
,.,47 ,,o+ ba reduced and further. that there
yyn1lId probably be employment under the ne" -
TEN for AL the people no" III the employ " '
,,a,,- There ar. now sixty electric trains in
o.,s~at3oT hv the third rail system on the 0e'oiu
and Third ave. routes of the Manhattan f'eE4'eu
Rad and the experiment Of running six car TRAINS
which has been tried for some time mas ProNeu "a "
success. The company holds that the men "4
have an easier time. that the WORK VIII pe -
a,,a the trains better under the control OF 'ne
,,.,-,,a,, thar, hv steam locomotives undeF INC
control Of The engineers; that the Asht Is hoi'
satisfactory and the conditions Sererhi-| On ''
51r,ye-lert over the old system
Now that the Is coming "fe1i lilt S't''''
,stero Mil BE- run by electricity. some Of the en-
moves have recently been expressing the rear ''''
~ ,ro-as may he ret.uced later. if the company
deems it eNpedient. prominent oileiii ~ -
corrltaanv told a Trihun" reporter !eslefcdH ''o'
for alarm on tnat STOUlltl
There will be plenty Of work To go around, 100
nc added. and reduction OF wages VIII 'dhe
Mace The men will get the same wages they are
now receiving but new positions may be created
,,,5,r rb, new system Besides the motormeil,
conductors guards and satemen. many men VIII
he needed for the electric plant AT present lhere
are about three hundred and fifty locomotive en-
sineers and TWO hundred firemen on the system.
rt a,.era Ga of the wages OF the engineers is s. 20
day for ten hours. and the firemen receive 8 Tor
a day Of ten hours. These wages nave rueu loi
MANY years. The following schedule OF wages IS
the most recent and. according to the company,
tho wages now being paid to each ernploye will be
the same though their occupations may be diff
ferent:
Fngineers-At date of aDpointment, 80 20 cents
end Of one year and thereafter. IS $40 cents
Fremen-At date of appointment Il 10 cents an an
end Of one year and thereafter. y 2-10 cents
Conductora-FOr first years service ~ cents an
hour; for second years service, = cents Tor thrd
years service. 3 cents y oa,,+. ~, bo,,,.
Guards HISl Nf'ii = 10
for second years service 10 30 cents; for third
years service and thereafter, IS $40 cents
Station agents-For first years service, II $40
cents hour: for second years service 10 '-1o
Station agents ard telegraph operators-At date
OF appointment. Il 6-lo cents an hour; at enc 4I sl
months. I6 40 cents; end of year and there
after. is S-l0 cents. -o.o
Platform men-At date Of appointment, l04-l0
cents an hour end of six months: i 5-l0 cents,
end OF one year and thereafter, l5 S-lV cents.
Caternell-For years service 10 4-lO cents an
hour; second year. y $40 cents
Gatemen, it was said. are speedily promoted, #
they are capable men, TO be platform men, and
platform men promoted be guards.
None the officials of the company would pre-
diet Yesterday when all the trains would be run by
electricity.