The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-18
FOR INCREASED WAGES
MACHINIsTs' DISTRICT ADVISORY
BOARD SUBMITS DEMAND.
IL Superintendent Garstang Refuses
Request Appeal VIII he Taken to
President Of Big Four.

The advisory board of District o. OF the
International Union of Machinists, which Is
holding its annual meeting this week at
the Spencer House. yesterday presented
to the officials of the Big Four ROADS Oh
this district a revised schedule of rules ana
of the rate of wages pertaining TO tneir
machinists. The schedule is now In the
hands of William Garstang, superinteno-
ent of motive power Of the Big Four, ana
will not be acted upon for week or ten
days, during which time it will be under
the consideration of the Big Four off1ciais.
The schedule is important in that IL al
fects all the machinists in the Big Four
shops throughout this district. The lmpor-
tant item in at is the increase which IL
demands over the rate OF wages the men
are now receiving. Although the poaro
does ask for large advance in the wages
of the men, it has arranged the schedule
to what 1t deems a nominal basis. The
schedule also embodies a general better
ment in the conditions of the machinists,
and its passage or rejection will be watched
with the greatest interest by the machin-
lists of the country. d. w. Roderick, OF
Chicago, business organizer, who is the
lSdulhS spirit III Tue iHONSIIcul, 0oSS 49,
care to call the schedule a demand. He
said last night, however, that if the mat
ter could not be adjusted through Mr.. Gar
stang, it would be appealed to the president
of the road. In case il was rejected Dy
him, Mr.. Roderick would not say what &C,
tion would be taken. He said that ne olo
not expect it to lead to trouble in any way.
The action Of the advisory board in re-
gard to the wage schedule in no way re-
lates to the recent trouble between the ma
chinistS of Wabash and the Big Four road.
Although the board convened and succeed
ed in settling the strike at Wabash, TINS Is
the date of it's annual meeting, and all OF
its legislation is now separate from the
action it took in the strike. Mr.. Roderlck
is not only business organizer OF the Big
Fpur machinists, but he is manager OF
the Midland associated district OF the In
ternational Association of Machinists,
roads between the Allegheny and the Rocky
mountains. He is well acquainted with the
needs and conditions of the machinists OF
this district and in framing the schedule
used his knowledge to the best advantage.
The demand for machnists is now better
than II has been for many years, and the
move towards an advance in their condl-
tions is of no little concern. District % in
cludes the machinists in all the shops of
the Big Four road, so that the schedule
relates only to them
Another conference will be held in about
ten days between the two parties, at which
the Big Four will report its action on the
schedule. The advisory board in the mean
time will continue to hold its meeting until
all business which is before it has been
transacted. The board includes, besides
Mr.. Roderick, twelve members. They are:
T.. E. Thomas, Of Mount Carmel, ILL.,, pres
ident; Thomas P. Hawker. of Bellefon-
tame, O., secretary and treasurer; W. j.
Grass. of Wabash, Ind; George Riley, of
Urbana, ILL.,; j. Stump, jr., of Nation,
III; c. L. Walter, of Nation, Ill; VIII
liam A. Vahle. of Brightwood. Ind; c. H.
Meyers, of Indianapolis, Ind; George Fur
geson, of Sandusky, o.. E. v. Kelly, of
Delaware, l., and Fred Murphy, of Belle
fontaine; o.