The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-08-22

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who has figured as her first, third
mense sum, merge other lines, and
close out at a handsome profit
The accurate details and the history
of the affairs connected with the deal
beginning from that date would make
interesting reading. The accurate in
formation is probably not known out
side the circle of those directly inter-
ested in the various moves but por-
lions of the various transactions have
become public property.
1t is undoubtedly a fact that no
other railroad of the pretenSiOns of the
Rock Island system is so badly disor-
ganized today.
With but comparatively few of the
old time employees who were with the
road for years and years under the
old Cable regime, men who knew the
Rock Island system from end to end,
and with the ranks filed with men re-
cruited from the Great Northern and
the Pennsylvania railway systems,
with factions Jealous of other fac
tions. with the ever changing per-
sonnet of officials and with most of
the employees from heads of depart
ments down to the lowest employe
afraid of losing his job. the work of
the system has been in a disorganized
state from which it will take long
time to recover
Since the road passed into the con-
troll of the Moore brothers and Leeds
about three years ago, its history may
be divided into two epochs.
With the negotiation of the first
loans and the issuance of the bonds
therefor in New York city. it is said
the bank loaning the money demand
ed the right to name the man who
managed the road, and the demand
was accepted.
c. H. Warren was brought in from
the Great Northern railway to take
the active management and R. r.
Cable was retired. That was the be-
ginning of the first epoch.
Then began a wholesale reOrgani-
cation of the Rock Island manage
ment in practically every department.
1t was said that the former manage
life, etc, etc. Heads were Topped off
on every side and friends of Mr.. War
rer were put in the various depart
ments and the working force was al
most completely reorganized.
With the institution of these
changes a policy of retrenchment and
economy was begun Great Northern
methods were introduced on the Rock
Island, and all manner of moves were
made in the name of economy.
The working force in all depart
ments was cut down to the minimum.
Switching crews were released and
track men were let out. The watch
word was to make the road show a
net earning of $1,000 for each mile
operated during the year. That show
ing would be equal to almost half of
Things moved slowly and all the !
time the financial end was being han !
died in New York Matters worked /
out slowly and about a year ago u |
second bond deal was negotiated and |
this necessitated another change of |
management, and the Warren regime |
goes down as a failure.
The second epoch began with the |
man OF the board 1oree came to |
the Rock Island from the Pennsyl- |
vania system and of course Introduced /
Pennsylvania methods on the road.
How the Pennsylvania methods |
work out on the Rock Island remains
to be seen. but in all probab ility the |
new regime will be a failure.
Conditions axe different on the Penn
Rock Island lines. The former trav-
erses a very thickly populated coun-
try while the latter traverses a very
thinly populated country in COMPARE
son. On the former the problem is
how to handle the traffic that comes
to the company, while on the latter
the problem is how to get enough traf-
fc to pay dividends on the stock and
keep all of the equipment over the
enormous system in use.
In the various changes the Rock
Island has acquiFed a very long list
of executive officials. Titles have been
and altogether the list as it
now stands would hardly be recog-
nized as belonging to the same road,
compared to the list it looked three
or four years ago.
When Ioree came onto the Rock Island
ne at once began sending special agents
put all over the system whose ostensible
1uties were manifold. but who in reality
We're sounding the feeling of the en-
ployes The old EMPLOYEES who had re
NAMED with the road through the vicis-
STUDIES of its stormy life during the past
lew years. were given to understand that
Hereafter it would be the policy of the
to take care of them. They We're
- that they would be pushed to the
ront and promoted But with few excep-'
lions this has not been the case.
During the Warren regime a revolution
was worked in the motive power of the
ROAD. The heaviest engines made were
bought and put in use all over the road. |
The idea was to be able to haul the most
tonnage with the least number of engines.
The Rock Island is one of the few west
ern railroads which is called dirt"
ROAD That means the roadbed is only
dirt and is not ballasted with rock or
gumbo- The result has been that during
the past three years with heavy engines
over the track and with prac-
tically no .trackmen at work, the road J!