The daily Republican., 1902-11-15
MORE MONEY
: FOR READING MEN.
Wages Of All Employees Will
- be Increased a Flat
Ten Per Gent
10000 men AFFECTED.
Road is Feeling Prosperous
= Executive Officers Will
Not Share in the Raise,

The Reading Company has decid
ed to increase the pay of all its 1s,
900 employees 10 per cent. The de
cision to make the increase wal
re ached this week by the executive
officers. The announcement of thu
advance will be made within the
next few days, probably on Monday.
The directors meet Wednesday
but under the bylaws of the organ
ization the executive officers can
order an increase OF wages all owe
the system without the approval of
The Board. The increase will date
from November l.
THE rate of advance will prob
ably be fiat figure of 10 per cent >
said prominent official yesterday,
,''and include every employe except
the executive officers For year
the company has been readjustin g
the pay of employees all over tho
system until now they are on an
equitable basis. We feel, however,
that notwithstanding our heavy
losses by the coal strike we can af-
ford to make this advance
"We have more business than we
can handle, and need the best ser
vices of every man IN our employ.
In making the advance we pattern
after no other company The mat
ter has been under consider tion
for weeks. and the details have
gust been worked out. The formal
announcement will be made in
few day.
" IT WAS MR.. BAER's PLAN.
1t is understood that President
'Baer was the leader in the move
ment to raise wages, and that he
took the position that the loss by
the coal strike was side issue for
which the Reading employees other
than the miners should not suffer,
and that he wanted the Reading
men to share in the prosperity
which the company was experienc-
ing. independent OF the coal strike.
! When the pay Of 10000 men Ia
the operating departments of the
Pennsylvania was read justed 10
November of last year President
Baer said that the Reading would
pay as good wages as any other
railroad company, and he then be-
gan readjus'ing the pay Of certain
Glasses OF employees. Mr.. Bacr now
iiavCrs fiat increase oil pay all over
the system, and his dictum has
lbeen indorSed by the other eXccu-
i've officers.
- The increase will affect about
IS, 600 men, nearly all employees OF
the Philadelphia aud Rea ling Rail-
way Company. The others affect
ed are employees Of the Philadelphia
and Heading Coal and Iron Com
pauy, who are not employed ia the
mines, but who direct their oper.
ations. The advance will affect
every branch of The service, labor.
ers, trackmcn, switchmen, shop
men. brakemen, oondu ctors, tele-
graph operators, clerks and station
Report comes from authoritative
sources that the Baltimore and Ohio
will be the next company 10 take uD
the precedent established by the
Pennsylvania and the Reading. The
annual meeting Of the Baltimore and
Ohio will be held on Monday. 1t
Is learned that already plans have
been framed for inc rcasiHg the wages
Of the men The question probably
will be approached in an indefinite
way at this meeting, and at the first
meeting OF the new board Of directors
Of the Baltimore and Ohio formal ac.
lion will be taken. Vile ther the ad-
vance will be so Widespread in its ap.
pllcation on tile Baltimore and Ohio
Is q matter of speculation at pres
ent,