The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-07
Every Western Road Has Com.
piled With Demands.
5000 MEN BENEFITED.
Rock Island the Last Road to
Make Terms.
Year Has Been a Prosperous
One for Railroad Men.

Chicago. Aug. when General Man
ager c. A. Goodnow conceded the train
men and conductors of the Chicago,
Rock Island and Pacific railroad an in
crease in wages yesterday he brought
to a close a general movement for high
er pay and better working conditions
that has benefited over 10000 men and
added $1O,00O,000 to the yearly payrolls
of the railroads of the west
The Rock Island was the last COM
pany to make terms with its train en-
ployes, and, save the Wabash road was
the only one actually threatened with
strike Its action yesterday consists of
an increase over the present scale of
wages that amounts to an average of Is
per cent for freight men and u per
cent for passenger hands.
The only points of difference between
the company and its employees that have
not been adjusted are of minor import
ance, and probably will be arranged to-
day These relate to working rules that
are peculiar to the Rock Island system,
and will be talked over by General Man
ager Goodnow, committees of the en-
ployes, and national officers of the labor
organizations which control the work
ers.
The peaceable adjustment on the Rock
Island was received with approval by
the railroad employees of the west The
company has been dilatOry in its tao
tics, and the men gave their national
officers, Vice Grand Master w. G. Lee
of the Brotherhood of Railroad Train
men and Chief Conductor f. e. Clark
of the Order of Railway Conductors,
power to call a strike.
The general movement, of which the
Rock Island controversy was a part be-
gan a year ago in Kansas City. There
the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen
in joint session, decided to demand a
wage increase of 20 per cent. They cou
pied with this a request that double
headers be either abolished or restrict
ed
Under the old wage schedule the
freight conductors received 3 cents a
mile and the brakemen 21a cents a mile.
1t gave the passenger conductors from
$50 to $125 a month and the brakemen
from $45 to 500
When the moguls were introduced
railroad work was revolutionized. The
trains were increased in length they
made shorter trips, and added to the
work of the crews. In order to wear
out the small engines the roads began
to double them wherever possible, put
ting from thirty to fifty cars on train
These changes worked hardships on the
men and they were a unit in demand
ing an adjustment
Committees from the two organiza-
lions met with the managers of the
southwestern roads in St. Louis early in
the year and soon induced the Missouri,
Kansas and Texas road to grant them
an increase of Is per cent for freight
and u per cent for passenger employees
The northern lines. such as the Great
Northern and Northern Pacific, accept
ed the new schedule.
The committee came to Chicago three
months ago and started to readjust mat
ters on the roads ccntering in this city.
The Wabash the Chicago and Alton, the
Northwestern. the St. Paul and the IIi-
nois Central fell into line and yesterday
the Rock Island Joined the procession
Counting subsidiary lines, over fifty rail-
roads. employing 10000 men. have put the
new schedule into effect. This means over
900 yearly to the employees west or
a line drawn between st. Paul, Chicago
and New Orleans. 1t is the largest aggre-
gate increase in wages granted TO railroad
organizations for many years
ct is difficult to get exact figures on
wage increases said Slason Thompson of
the railroads yesterday, but the roads of
the entire country have increased the pay
of their employees over $10OOOO,OOO during
the last year. The natural increase, due
to growth in business and added miles Of
track. tapping new districts, IS over $780,
600 600 If has been a wonderful year for
the railroad man.
1.-THE movement of the conductors and
trainmen has been successful. said Chiet
Conductor Clark 1.-The question of double
headers caused much debate and delay,
hut the majority of managers were willing
TO concede that they be restricted. and
over 90 per cent of them will not use two
engines on trains of less than thirty cars"