, 1902-06-25

lead over the machinery in the shops
in preparation for long idleness.
Though nothing beyond the bare or
der to close permanently has been re,
ceived here the impression is that
permanently" is used in it's full mean
ing and that no more work will be
done in the local shops.
The men thrown out of employment
by the shutdown will be furnished by
the company with transportation to
other points on the line of they desire
to leave and o large number are al
ready preparing to go away. Men with
families are placed in a straitened posi-
ton n do not know which way to
turn. What the full result of the shut
down will be is now purely a matter of
speculation.
Guards have been employed by the
Union Pacific and placed Oh duty about
the various buildings, not because any
trouble is anticipated, but simply to
protect company property from ordi-
nary pilferers and thieves. Aside from
the men withdrawing the machinery
there viii be no workmen in the build
ings today.
The power plant located just east of
the machine shop will be closed down
as o O as the boilers have cooled.
The shutdown. of course. means the
abandonment of the announced plan
to increase the power plant until it
was n of the largest in the company's
use.
The shutdown will result in a re-
duction of the clerical force here. two
men in the general foreman's Office be-
ing already out and the timekeeper in
the master mechanics office being Stat
ed for retirement or transfer in a few
days. 1t is not thought that further
reductions will be made, as these are
the only men connected with the shop
department.
That the road has been preparing for
the shutdown is shown by the state
ii'hI thti' III VII ehN lSiliS II
ployed on the Wyoming division will
have to be done for the next three
months. Any work can be sent to
other points. Both freight and passen-
ger locomotives are said to be in per-
feet running order. though many of the
men claim that this is not the case.
The news that they were without
employment came as a more forcible
surprise to the machinists. it is said,
because at the meetings which have
been held here since the boilermakers
vent out the situation has been thor
oughly discussed. and it was decided
not to strike unless orders from the
general headquarters were received.
One effect of the closing of the shops
will, of course, be the abandonment
of the plan to construct ap employees
club house at this place. The an
n~ouncement that the club would be
built this summer has been made re-
peatedly by officials from President
Burt down, and the plans were even
drawn. With the shops closed there
is no probability that the original plan
will be carried
Another effect will be the serious III
jury. if not total ruin. Of the Railroad
Employees Building and Loan associa-
ton launched a few months ago under
such promising circumstances. A ma
jority of the stockholders who have
taken advantage of the opportunity Of
fered by the association to build homes
were shop employees. and they are now
placed in an embarrassing position with
the debt incurred in building homes on
their shoulders and no visible leans
Of keeping up assessments and inter
est.
The news that the shops had been
permanently closed produced conster-
nation among landlords. many of whom
have invested heavily in real estate
and houses in order to rent to shop |
employees. They fear that they will be |
left with a large number of vacant
houses on their hands and a see no
relief for such a condition of affairs.
Among the men set adrift are many
who have been in the employment of
the company for a decade. and some
whose service overs twenty and even
thirty years. The young men without
families take a cheerful view of the
situation, but older heads are shaken
and hard times are predicted. The will
ingness of the company to furnish
transportation to other points on its
lines does not brighten affairs for