The San Francisco call., 1905-08-01
FOSTER PLANS
RETRENCHMENT
Departments of California
Northwestern and of the
North Shore to Be Merged
MANY HEADS WILL FALL
Machine Shops at Sausalito
to Be Consolidated With
Those at TiburOn Point

President A. w. Foster and General
Manager James Agler of the California
Northwestern Railway and of the North
Shore Railroad are about TO announce a.
plan for retrenchment in those two COM
panies that will include a general con-
solidation of various departments which
escaped merging at the time the Foster
syndicate took over the North Shore
road. 1t was stated yesterday by Gen
eral Manager Agler that in all proba-
bility the decision of President Foster
and himself relating to the consolidation
of the departmental offices of the two
roads will be made known tomorrow.
1t is generally understood at the offices
OF the two companies in this city tnar
the changes will mean the retirement OF
a number of high salaried men ana that
in the majority of cases the men to go
will mainly be those who are engaged in
operating and maintaining the North
Shore road. President Foster, after TAX
ing over the North Shore road, and look
ing over It's badly muddled finances, was
quick to realize that retrenchment would
be necessary and he Immediately proceed
ed with q plan in that direction by con-
solidating the position OF managers, su-
perintendents, chief engineers, auditors,
general freight and passenger officials
and the local ticket offices. 1t was his
intention to carry out his plan farther
but the prolonged illness of former Gen.
eral Manager Frazier and his hnal re-
tirement caused a postponement OF ac-
ton.
The latest plan Is to consolidate the
car and machine shops of the California
Northwestern at Tiburon with those OF
the North Shore road at Sausalito, dis
pose OF one of the two steamer super1n-
tendents, merge the engineer offices OF
B. HI. Fisher and +. K. Zook and the po-
sitions of master mechanics IL Is esti-
mated that these changes Will save the
owners of the roads many thousands OF
dollars a month, without interfering with
the operation of the lines. In making
changes it has invariably been the prac-
tice of President Foster to fully con-
slider the services Of the men In his en-
ploy. together with their conditions at
home and there is every reason for De-
lieying that he will order GeneKa1 Mail
ager Agler and other heads or depart
ments to do the same In the coming gem
eral shake-up. In view OF tnat TACT II Is
expected that many Of the men VINO nave
been working for the CallIorhla Nolth-
western road at Tiburon for many years
will be permitted to retain their positions,
for. not a few of them have their homes
there and have reared families at the
point.
yesterday General Manager Agler is
sued circular letters to the owners OF the
different bus lines along the route OF the
California Northwestern and the Nortn
shore roads that have been operating in
connection with the latter, under a sub
sidy. that the subsidy having expired 1t
would not be renewed. Later In the day.
however. President Foster made an ex-
ception in the case of the company oper-
ating buses between the California ana
Northwestern line and West End. Two
other bus lines, one between the Nortn
Sbore and the Catholic Convent and an
other between the latter place and the
California Northwestern. with the west
End service, were started long before the
railroads were placed under one manage
ment