The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-06-10
IN A MIxUP.
VineWOOd Company Refuses to
Pay Union Scale.
Insists Upon Ten Hours Instead
Of Eight.
MR.. WARD EXPLAINS.
Says That the Unions Ask Too
Much.
Union People Are Firm in Their
Position.
MIR. WARD EXPLAINS.

The Topeka & vinewood park railway,
which was granted a franchise largely
through the help of union labor organic
ations. has refused to follow the union
requirement of S-hour days, and there
is a serious breach IN the cordial re-
lations which have existed between the
unions and the company.
There is to be conference this even
ing between Superintendent Ward and
Manager Kelley, for the company, and
the administrative committee of the
Trades Council The committee is com
posed Of J. p. johnson, @. E. Olmstead,
r.. Z. Palmer, c. J. Mercer and s. B.
Weaver. The differences which exist
between the company and the union
labor organizations win then be dis
cussed
The officials of the company claim
that the company is willing to pay Is
cents an hour, the union scale, or even
higher, but that it win insist upon 10
hour day. This is directly contrary to
union labor rules. The labor leaders
here assert that unless the company
conforms TO the rules, and accepts the
S-hour day, 1t will be impossible for the
railway to get enough men to do the
work on the road. 1t is limited that 9TH
er labor unions will join hands with
the common laborers, ana try to tie UP
all work on the road, provided the de-
mands eff the union are net complied
with. Both sides have their knives out,
and unless an unexpected spirit OF con-
Citation dominates the forthcoming
conferences there is likely to be serious
trouble.
Superintendent Ward said today in
speaking of the trouble: THE first 1
heard Of any dissa tisfaction was last
Saturday when colored man named
Gordon came into the Office, and made a
lot of demands. His principal thing was
that he wanted me to promise to run
only an S-hour shift instead Of ten hour.
He also wanted to tell me who I should
employ, and when I want to begin work.
/ had to inform him that I was running
A1,-1 5ah ND af n
without dictation from him or anybody
else, proposed to not do it at all
We are going to pay 10 cents an hour
for men, and as much more as they can
earn # I see that a man is earning
more than Is cents an hour, he will get
16, or II. We don't have any limit on
the amount we viii pay We don't want
I men and won't have men who can't earn
Is cents an hour. This is not ehsaD
mans road But I know very well that
/ can not build a railroad for L E. Ny
ers and work the men only eight hours
a day.
''The men do not want Is cents an
hour fat They want $3.50 a day, the
only difference being that they want s.
hour days, and we insist on 10-hour
days.
IF the unions think that we will have
/ to pay the union scale to eight-hour men
simply because we can't get men
enough without I viii say that my men
| will all work the same length OF days.
I don't propose to have two shifts OF
| men. one working eight hours and one
working 10 hours They will all work ~
| hours.
4 have not been officially informed
that this committee is coming to see
me. but I think that If the committee
had come to see me some time ago i
| would have shown a better attitude.
am always ready to talk over these mat
tiers with the proper people,
| Mr.. Ward claims that the company
has openly stated to the union labor peo-
r,1n Ia hot frf1
| union labor laws to the letter. with the
| single exception Of the eight-hOur law
| for common labor. Mr.. Ward claims
| that the company has always insisted
| on a 10-hour day The labor leaders
think that this is a mistake. They say
that in payment for the enthusiastic
booming which the labor organizations
! did for the passage Of the franchise, the
| company entered into a solemn agree
ment to employ nothing but union la
Dor in building the road
One of the officials Of the trades coun-
| ell said today: Labor is scarce in To-
| peka, and the Vinewood Park road can
| not get all the men it wants who are
non union men, 50 it win be forced to
employ some Of the union men. The
| union men will not work over eight
| hours, and when the other men find that
| some OF US are working two hours less
than they are. and are getting the same
| money. there will be a row. The whole
work viii have to be done on a union
| basis''
The work on the building Of the road
! will not begin until the arrival in the
/ city Of Wilson and Myers. the hackers and
owners of the road. They are expected
here within a few days. Their arrival is
| being awaited so that they may go over
| the tracks Of the company, inspect the
proposed right Of way and approve some
| Of the plans for changing the right Of way
| which have been suggested.
| The company viii probably have a con-
| demnation suit on its hands in order to get
| the right to place its tracks on a large
| tract Of land owned by Guilford Dudley
| just across the Santa Fe tracks at Twelfth
street. Mr.. Dudley refuses to sell a right
! of way because it cuts IN two valuable
! piece of property.
| The troubles Of the laboring people with
| the Vinewood park road We're Informally
| discussed last night at a meeting of the
/ committee to arrange q Labor day pro-
! gramme. The regular meeting Of the
/ Trades and Labor council will not be held
| until Friday night.
EIn0n At I0gR