The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-01


quarters in Washington, D. c., and
that this organization was simply
seeking to get control Of the shops on
this line. An agreement was ASKED
providing that practically all classes of
work, no matter how unimportant
be done by machinists at the
highest rates of pay. We were asked
to permit the machinists' union,
through their committees. to regulate
the hours of work. They also demand
ed the restriction OF apprentices to one
Tor hve Journeymen, which is unfair 10
the sons Of our employees who wish to
learn the trade. because in the Topeka
shops a larger number can be edu-
Gated satisfactorily. The question of
HshctEct he shops were to be omen
shops for union ana DOn-uniOn men
alike was fully discussed, and it was
stated very clearly by these men that
while the company might employ nom
union men. they reserved the right ~
make II so uncomfortable for them in
these shops that they must either join
the union or leave the shop.
his company has never Disseminated
agreement asked for by this organization
7uld take the management of the shops
= the hands Of the officers OF this
GU. and would be such an injustice
com npA-.-- - have been in our service
to men ~ ears that the company can
kLeAL Inang - clear 70 enter into a.
nor see ITS w. IN would also make
me rules laid T. 10 expensive that
the work at Topei<2e' ~1rd 10 build its
this company could nofe1.- 18th iocono-
own engines IN competition =. s. restrfc-
tive works who do not have a. sing "a
tions. We are at this time b.. true
switch engines and expected 10 cys.
the construction Of engines in Tof.--
shops. in addition to the rebuilding o.
the larger part OF the engines for the
There are a great many good men in
the Topeka shops that am satisfied have
they viii not be led into the trouble and
1 am sure that the majority of them viii
not be so unwise as to give up situations
hot NHNz
hold as long they want TO- If we are
forced to reduce the work done the
or other works the CONSTRUCTION OF en-
gines that we intended to build here and
also tle StrucIlOn OF a large part OF
the repair parts that we now make In
these shops
II am told that the men along the Ii le
have been instructed to vote on the ques-
ton of strike, and that meetings will
be called at the various points for this
purpose ana that all union men not at
tending these meetings will be counted
in this ballot as favoring the strike
chinists out Of work at this time on nc
count of the closing down of various man
ufacturing institutions and the reduction
of forces at many others, and this com
pany will be able in time to supply all of
the Vae.il c4es s-J--- st.7F ~ = - irse0Fa-
siderate as to give up their places. We
however hope that we may be allowed to
retain our old and efficient men and if the
men on the Atchison proper are permitted
to carry out their own wishes I have no
fear of the result.
In the Topeka machine shop there
are 26O machinists and 244 helpers,
handy men and laborers.
The matter is one of great import
ance to Topeka. At the present time
the Santa Fe company is doing all of
it's repair work in its own shops, the
headquarters Of which are in this city,
and their new shops here give the
company fine facilities for the con-
struction Of locomotives and other
equipment.
At the time the new shops were built
the company stated to the citizens of
Topeka that it meant to havea capacity
Of two locomotives a month. The
company at present IS. at work on the
construction Of fourteen locomotives,
and, according to Mr.. Mudge's state
ment today, has intended to increase
the capacity to about fifty locomotives
a year. or one week.
At present pending arrangements for
larger facilities the company is com
PEELED to buy a large number Of loco
motives from outside works. Only this
week a check was sent out from the
office of the treasurer OF the Santa Fe
in Topeka for 100000 covering the
purchase of locomotives.
Mr.. Nudge stated today that IN some
of the shops of the railroad companies
the restrictions of their machinists had
become so severe that they had wholly
abandoned the construction of locomo-
tives, and had turned this business
over to eastern companies which make
a speciality of this work and which are
not handicapped by rules which they
consider make home work Improbable.
1t is said that the Baldwin Locomotive
works now have 12O engines under re-
pair from the Wabash company alone,
the Wabash evidently considering it
more economical to do this work off its
own line.