The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-06-18
.endent santa Il Paeiae Rallway

tendent Santa Re Pacific Railway
company
AT a meeting of the boilermakers
held in Needles on this date, the follow
ing resolutions were adopted:
e This agreement to be signed by Of
dcials of the Santa F'e Pacific Railway
committee and committee OF boiler
makers:
a. 'First-It is agreed that this com
pany VIII pay all boilernaakers employ
ed at Needles, BarstoW and Seligman at
the rate of 20 cents an hour and time
and one-half for all overtime including
Sundays and holidays
g 'Second-It is further agreed that
this company shall hold no prejudice
against any man concerned in this
strike on account Of the same. and he
shall not be barred from employment
on this or any other road on account of
his connection with this strike
% sThird-It is agreed that any future
trouble between the boilermak ers and
company shall be arbitrated in the sup
erintendents Office.
This contract to be good one year
from date Of signing "
These demands therefore affect the
wages of about Is men, and these men,
together with their apprentices, are the
ones who originated the strike. Roswell
and san Bernardipo are out in sympa-
thy.
OFFERED TO COMPROMISE
Mr.. Thomas says: The officials OF
the company offered to pay US 40 cents
and time and a quarter. but we refused,
as we had fought for years to get the
time and a half rate. and would not
concede it. But we We're willing to do
the fair thing, and submitted q counter
proposition to accept 80 cents and time
and a half. This the company refused.
I was one OF the members of the griev-
ance committee. and I must say that
General Manager Wells of the coast
lines treated US very we'll He is good
man, and you can rely on what he says
we believe that the demand for more
pay is just and fair. The Southern Pa
c1fic pays 40 cents and time and a quar-
ter at Tucson, 40 cents and time and a
half a FL Paso: the Texas Pacific pays
the 40 cents and time and a half rate
at FL Paso, and the Rock Island pays
the same at AlamagOrdo. At Needles
the Santa Fe pays 3T1a cents and time
and half.
Needles is probably the most expen-
slve place in the United States TO live.
besides being a very unpleasant place
to work in The temperature there goes
up to 1877 in the shade. and there is not
a day when a thermometer would not
burst If set out in the sun. The tenn
perature at night and early morning Is
as high as 10 and 115. Potatoes cost
$3.50 a hundred pounds, flour is SITS
sack, butter As cents pound and eggs
30 cents dozen. Board and room can t
be obtained for less than S35 q month.
The Santa Fe ought to pay good wages
in such a place. There is nothing there
for the men to do for amusement, and
the dust storms are awful. I would
rather work for $40 here in Topeka
than S3.T5 at Needles.
ENGINENIEN GETTING SCARED.
1.-THE locomotives are getting in such
bad shape that the engineers and fire
men are afraid to run them. The men
whom the Santa Fe have brought in are
not bOllermakerS, and there are 20 dead
engines in the San Bernardino shops
today. Engines are dying on the road
every. day. The company wanted the
engineers to use bran to stop the leaks
IN the engines, but the engineers refuS-
ed for fear of stopping up the gauges.
The locomotives are not safe to run in
their present condition.
As far as finances are concerned, the
DOilermakerS on the coast lines are in
good shape. We are now getting aid
from the grand lodge, and we can make
a long fight.
TT has been claimed that the strike at
Needles was not authorized by the Of
hcers Of the grand lodge. I have with
me copy OF the following telegram
received by me from President John
Mcneil Tt is as follows: Council sus-
tains you in your demand for increase
in wages John Mcneil
FIREBOXES FROM ROSWELL.
There is now at the Topeka boiler
shops of the Santa Fe two fireboxes
sent here from Roswell presumably to
be repaired. As Roswell is one of the
towns where the strike is on, the boiler
makers here viii refuse to make any
repairs on the contraband hreboxes.
1t is not definitely known whether the
company intends that the Roswell fire
boxes shall be repaired at the present
time, but if any orders are issued to
make the repairs, it will likely produce
trouble.
The Santa Fe officials here stir insist
that the trouble is practically at an end,
though there is not SO much disposition
to minimize the danger of a spread of
the strike to the eastern part of the
line. An official high in the operating
department of the road said today:
1.-The strike sentiment which seems to
be IN the air nowadays is caused by too
much prosperity. Men can not stand
prosperity, and it makes them dissatis-
fed and anxious for q change. Work Is
plenty and there is a demand for boil
ermakers. Many expert machinists and
boilermakers are now wandering from
one place to another, working a short
time to make expenses. and then moving
on. In this way they see the country,
and have a good time. If times should