The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-05-14
Discomfort ON
The BURLINGTON
RESENT CERTAIN
FEATURES OF HILL REGIME.
Conductors on Chicago Minneapolis
Trains Must Run Thru, and Other
Economical Devices Cause Grum-
bling Several Conferences Have
Already Been Held.

Trouble is brewing for the Burling-
ton railroad system because of the in
PRODUCTION Of Jim" Hill methods in
transportation, and radical adjust
ment of the wage schedule for en-
ployees on runs, or a strike which
will tie up the system appear to be
the alternative ways Of solving the
problem.
Within the past two weeks two inn
portant meetings of Burlington en-
ployees have been held for the pur-
pose of arranging a plan of defense.
local gatherings all along the sys-
tenn. The second was held in Chicago
last Sunday and was attended by del
egates from the local unions of the
various brotherhoods into which the
trainmen, engineers firemen, con-
ductors and messengers are organized.
At this latter meeting the general SEN
timent expressed was that the railway
officials would have to show a sub
stantial increase in the size of the
pay checks or the employees would
refuse to work under the new sched-
ules.
Among the many changes which the
Kill regime has made in the schedules
under which employees work on the
burlington system may be noted that
which compels the train crew on the
fast mail to run thru from Chicago
to Omaha instead Of changing at Bur-
nngton, as heretofore. Another is
that which compels the crew Of the
Kansas City limited to run thru in
stead Of changing at Quincy. Still
another is that compelling two crews
to do the work Of three on the Stree
ter-Aurora-Zearing run. Several sim
liar changes in the interests Of econ
omy have been made within the past
two weeks. and the Minneapolis-Chi
cago conductors will be asked to run
clear thru, beginning Monday, instead
OF changing at Savanna. This is not
such great hardship for the con-
ductors on the limited trains, because
they will get some opportunity to sleep
on the night run and the lay-off al
lowed is considerable. But for the
conductors on the local, who must
be on their feet, walking thru the
train from II o'clock at night until
o'clock the next afternoon, the change
is serious one, and it is this last
order which has aroused the brother
hood men and the o. r. G. to such a
belligerent attitude.
In the meanwhile most Of the af-
fected employees have been paid on
the old schedule basis up to the time
the new schedules went into effect,
and the remainder due them has been
held up pending a conference Of the
pO"eIS. IL IIe powers OeClQo upon
an increase in pay commensurate
with the increased work put upon the
crews, the prospect of a strike be-
comes remote; but the employees Of
the Burlington are an unusually indie
pendent lot since they won their point
in the matter Of double headers
about six months ago. AT that time
they forced the road to an agreement
which provided a train crew for every
engine used in hauling triumph
which will appeal to the employees Of
the Great Northern and Northern Pa
cif1c roads.
An indication Of the attitude Of the
men, who are resenting what they
regard as a gradual encroachment on
their rights, is afforded by the follow
Ing characteristic speech from an en-
ployee who has held a, run, with the
Burlington for twenty years: What
ever Jim Hill wants, the old officials
Of the road who got all they wanted
in the engineers strike Of '82 and the
A. r. u. strike Of 1894, don't want
another strike sd =