The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-12
No Work for Railway Laborers
Shipped to Albuquerque.
Expected Jobs on Belen Cutoff
But Are Disappointed.
CONTRACTOR TALKS.
Says of IL, 900 Hen Less Then 2
Per Cent Went to Work.
Gossip and Matters of Interest
in Railroad Circles.

AlDuQQGIQuE, N. NJ Lee. lE-"DuElUE
the last week or so there has been in
this city an unusually large number of
men who have come in from Denver and
Kansas City and elsewhere. Most of
them have been shipped here by en-
ployment firms to go to work on the
Belen cutoff. They complain that they
have been unable to get work on the
line and the local police have been more
or less bothered to dispose of the float
ers''
Complaint has been made that the
employment agencies have been at fault
to ship men down to New Mexico on the
promise of work which cannot be Sc
cured.
A well known contractor, who has a
big job on the cutoff, was in town the
other day and he talked interestingly
on securing Workmen for railroad
camps. He said among other things
that it was necessary to order twice
as many men as are needed in order TO
allow for the falling on caused by the
disappearance or deception OF men VINO
are simply in the game to get free trans
portation.
During the few months he said,
"that work has been progressing on
the Belen cutoff. it is estimated that
over. L, 600 men have been shipped tleIe
for work. They com from ali secuohs
of the country Less than seven per
cent of these have gone to work, ana
many of them have labored less thah
half a month. The labor conditions are
more favorable on the cut-on IMAM Oh
most Jobs of the kind, as Doth tne con-
tractors and sub-contractors are az
reputable firms and stand at the heau
of the list of railway pulloerS .,e
.srTbe DropOsition has resolved ltSelL
into this. If ten men are needed on d
niece Of railroad work, the COMPANY
figures that in order to get this nuInDeI
of men, fifteen at leas1 lllus 49,,
Skinned. and in many cases more IMAM
double the number of men wanted must
he sent out before enough can be Sc
cured. - 80 from
Chicago to Belen or points on Inc
cutoff, IS; from Kansas 75al Ivy e3a from from
RADIO points and FL Paso, 81 ana RON ~
AlbIouerdue, SIPS. The majority u
The men sent to the cutOn from Alpu-
oueruue are employees VINO nave ll t.- :
a little money and have spent II anu
as thew desire work the majority OF
tI1oe-s % hack and resume their old
iobs R,lt the majority of men from
12Ss1eas CITY and the east desire only
to qef out west, and have no intention
Of going to work. out OF d parry u
los men who were recently Sent Cu s
from Kansas City, but one reported
fo7 dutv. The balance were profes-
sionaI tramps and tradesmen OF an
lr{ndS who took advantage OF the
shinDing rates and came out Tor 81
each. -. A..
ranutation of being the greatest trav-
eiers in the country. This charact tsl-
istic is by no means conhneo 70 llls
wealthy. Yesterday party OF men
came through Albuquerque VINO hau
shipped from Kansas City TO FL Faso.
Thev worked for a few days ana gol
money enough to ship back to Kan
sas where the Santa re is making I'M
movements on the grade Ihere are
MANY men who tour the country III
this v-av. get over the road for a rev
dollars. see the country and keep
travelling. working but enough TO pay
for the reshipping-
IAN employment agency IN Denver
made a shipment of men to the cutoH
recently. They shipped more men
than could be employed and they all
annIied for work at Belen. Had they
cone to some of the other camps they
would have undoubtedly have been
given employment, but instead of go
ing over the line in search of job
thew came to this city and reported
the matter to the police.
Undoubtedly inside the present
month there will be work for these
and hundreds more men. 1t is rarely
that a grader will work longer than
one month in a place. If he does and
and has any ability he is promoted to
a better job and gets bigger price
for his work -