The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-18
Santa Fe Firemen Fail to Get
What They Want.
Devoted Two Weeks to Sessions
Without Much Result.
IMPORTANT DEMANDS
Desired to Be Relieved from
Cleaning Engines.
Gossip and Matters Of Interest
in Railroad Circles.

After being in session here for two
weeks, two days Of which were de-
voted to conferences with James E.
Hurley, the general manager, and 9TH
er operating officials of the road, the
Joint protective board, more commonly
called the grievance committee, of the
hremen employed on the Atchison, To-
peka & Santa Fe system proper, held
their final session yesterday afternoon,
elected officers for the ensuing year
and adjourned.
Two demands of considerable i'm
portance to the hremen on the road
were made by the grievance commit
tee on Mr. Hurley and the other of1-
Gals and they were not allowed, ana
all of Yesterdays session of the tiremen
was devoted to a discussion OF the
question as to whether or not they
should appeal from the decision OF Mr.
Hurley to Second Vice President j. W.
Kendrick Such appeals are in order
when the men are not satlSted Win
the decision of the general manager.
Thew were not satisfied with MS ue-
cision but after talking the matter
over they decided not to press their
claims any further.
The men asked for changes in the
rules that would relieve them from ali
cleaning of engines. Under existing
conditions they are required to clean
the outside of the cabs and the engine
above the running board. They asked
to be relieved of this work and IhaI II
he done by men in the roundhOuse. If
their request had been granted II
would have meant that the hremen
would have much more time to theln-
selves at the end Of all their runs.
Their other request was 10 pc re-
Iieved from putting supplies OF any
character on the engines They are
responsible now that the engine pc
supplied with oil, waste ana the IKE
L. e.
themselves. They asked to have TINS
work turned over to other men as 1t
was quite a burden on them.
It seems that under the present
rules these supplies are put on at all
the big terminal points by other men,
but the fremen wanted this ruling to
apDly to every place along the line
where these supplies are furnlsheo
and this request was disalloWed.
These were really the only two mat
ters of importance that the hremen
had to take up with the officers OF the
road and they pressed their claim LOT
them ma vigorous fashion.
A number of minor matters were
adjusted to the satisfaction of Doth
sides and interpretations were deter
mined on certain rules that We're a lit
tie vague as to their meaning
No new agreement was entered in
with the company as the existing one
| is generally favorable 1t IS expected
that the firemen viii demand new
Thomas Burke of ST. Joseph was re
elected as general chairman Of the
board for the coming year, X. b.
Wright of Fort Madison, secretary,
and F. w. Snyder of Argentine, treas
Regardless of the fact that their de-
mands were not met. the members OF
/ the board expressed themselves to the
effect that their relations with the
/ company were satisfactory and never
more amfcabIe than at the present
/ time.
! General Manager Hurley confirmed
these statements, saying that the rela-
lions between the men and the com
! pany were exceedingly agreeable Mr..
! Hurley added: "Our schedule with
/ fhe fremen is more favorable than any
other in the country