The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-10-19
GaheraI Cut Down Of Forces and
Trains Is Planned for Branches
sl1,OOO,ooo WORK STOPPED
Falling or Of Freight Traffic Caused BY
Labor Disorders Said to be Responsible
for Action.

don WORKS or Improvement, gwen cdtu'-
day by the Pennsylvania Railroad COM
pany, to those who are under contract TO
carry out these operations, to the extent
OF about $40, 10000 marks the Inauguration
Of a policy OF retrenchment on the part
OF the railroad company. Some of this
work is we'll toward completion. but much
more is hardly begun.
Whether this retrenchment policy will
go 80 far as to halt the work temporarily
on the Manhattan tunnels is yet to be
seen. Fourth Vice President Rea, who
has this work in charge. when questioned
regarding this matter said: IF we were
going to stop that work we would have
notified the contractors who have asked
TO submit bids. Those bids are to be
submitted on Dec. l."
But will not the work be postponedT'
Mr.. Rea was asked.
You will have to walt and see" was
the reply.
MIR. Rea would not make any further
statement regarding the tunnels. although
he said that the new orders would not
affect the elevation of the tracks In Wash-
ington or the construction of the Wash
ington terminal
William A. Patton, assistant to Presi-
dent Cassatt, was not quite 30 ambigu-
GUS, however. II don't believe he said,
that the work on the tunnels Will De
affected. I have heard of no such inteu-
ton at present"
While no labor troubles I'm Pennsylvania
are responsible for the abandonment OF
work, still the labor situation throughout
the country Is blamed In a great measure
for the retrenchment policy. inasmuch as
the closing of many manufacturing plants
on account OF strikes has resulted In
great falling of OF freight traffic. The
Pennsylvania. for instance. from the
United States steel Corporation alone.
has lost thousands Of tons Of freight an
account of labor troubles. This loss ts
only one In many. The steel tonnage
loss last year In said TO represent $o00,-
000 900 In products.
CUT DOWN FORCES TOO.
Nor will the retrenohment cease at the
abandonment OF improvements. resulting
in itself In loss Of employment to thon-
sands OF men. A general cutdown OF all
the Pennsylvania forces u under contain
plation. There has been already a slight
thinning of the ranks at the Altoona
shops, and II Is believed that this Ia but
the beginning The trainmen Will be re-
duced In numbers also and some trains
will be withdrawn.
such an extent that where last season
there were many places along the line
In a state OF chronic congestion, the way
is now readily kept clear. The improve
ments under way were meant 10 forestall
possibility of congestion this season. but
now that business shows that the work
for the time being 10 not necessary, orders
for its abandonment have been issued.
Just how sweeping Is the stoppage OF
49, ..tklt ha lnav ad ffx1r nV11
days. although II was declared today that
all branches of the great system will be
affected by order ito drop all construction
that cannot be finished this year"
There are, however, some notable ex-
ceptions TO the order. These include the
West Philadelphia freight road and tho
elevating OF tracks at Chester. Pa, Will
mington Newark and New Brunswick.
These undertakings are in course OF con-
struction and work on them, II Is de-
clared, will be rushed.
Among the pieces Of new work which
will fail 10 be affected are the new line
from Marysville. above Harrisburg, to
Atglon, the construction of third and
fourth tracks at various places on the
Middle and Pittsburg divisions, and the
new line which brings into use the Port
age road over the mountains between
Cresson and Huntington. and the enlarge
ment of the Fairview yards at Harris
burg
All this was In the work undertaken to
relieve freight congestion Of a year ago.
loan Of SIS. .0oo.0oo was negotiated at the
time TO carry on the work. The freight
congestion no longer exists. and apparent
ly the officials of the road see signs on
the financial and commercial horizon that
make IL necessary 20 trim sail.
GENERAL CUT is COMING.
How the outside troubles between labor
and capital have had their effect on the
situation was thus explained by an Of
fetal OF the road: "You win note In "a
recent report OF the United States Steel
corporation that more than 500. 10000 Of
steel construction work ie held up on ac-
count OF the troubles with the building
trades. Capital has been fearful about
embarking on the erection of high build
ings, because ~ did not know whether
they would not be 81 tied up with series
Of strikes as 10 make completion dubious.
Hence the falling on In orders 10 the
steel company and the loss OF It's share
OF Just that much tonnage 20 the rail-
road n IL the policy OF the Pennsyl-
vania railroad not 10 spend = dollar un-
less Il sees where the return IA going 20
come in. The work involved in this or
der has been reviewed IN the light OF that
hard business proposition. The company
could not sec where those big expendi-
tures were going to bring In any proper
return In revenue. NJ this time. Hence.
they were stopped.
The various supcrintendents are now
sending I'M their estimates and requests
for improvements for next year and there
are now on the desk OF J. T. Richards,
chief engineer OF maintenance OF way.
requests for from si5.Oo0,Oo0 90 s2OOc0 600
worth OF Improvements for 1904. The
plans for the work Just abandoned Will
go in with these new estimates and all
will BE- considered together
All Of the estimates that have been
turned In are said 90 have been based
ln the policy OF expansion that has
hitherto marked the Cassatt adminlstra-
Ion.
a general cut all along the line IL
'oming.