The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-01
RAILROAD NEWS.
The Bonus System Has Proven
Successful on Santa Fe.
Exposition of Plans in Current
Railroad Gazette.
ATCHISON Is PIONEER.
Western Road Sets Pace for
Other Lines of United States.
Fine Words for J. ". Kendrick
and the Topeka Shops.
ATCHISON Is PIONEER.


Doilus system was adopted about two
~uu mar years ago 4 detailed state
4ileHt outlining the plans and scope of
ne work undertaken by Mr.. Emerson
was printed in the State Journal I'm
III this time there has been nothing
authoritative printed, but in a six-page
article this week, one of the associate
ealtors c the Railroad Gazette outlines
rs WorK that has been accomplished,
giving Tacts and figures in regard to the
conclusions drawn and the results
winch have been determined after two
ana a half years trial of the plan for
shop oetterment. The Gazette this
week prints one-half of the report and
the remainder will come next week.
Herewith is a portion of the report that
ar-eared this week:
tlSy CHARLES H Fry, Associate Editor
OF the Railroad Gazette)
The occurrence Of the machinists'
Dol.ermakers' and blacksmfths' strike
OF May, 1904, on the Atchison Topeka
& santa Fe railway system. was di-
rectiy responsible for the inauguration
Detterment work which marks the
SANTA re as the pioneer in incorporat-
ing INTO railroad practice methods for
nelghten1ng operative efficiency. refin-
iHs railroad mechanical practice, and
harmonlzlng relations between EN-
pIoyer and employe in the departments
affected, which hitherto have been
practically confined to commercial
h
llSnlng or &. movement so radical in
character and SO revolutionary. far
reaching and complex in MANY of IFS
eI1ects, on railroad system the size of
the santa Fe. is a task of such mag
n1tude that even now after two and a
half years of wise systematic ana mn
RENTING effort. the work may be said
10 De only fairly begun; for of the four
great divisions of railroad operations
II has been applied almost solely 10 the
maintenance frr1
In small degree to conducting trans
portdtlon accounts, and not at all to
the other twO-maintenance of wav
ana structures, and general expenses.
As first step to getting an adequate
IDEA Of the magnitude of the undertake
ing, the accompanying map of the
santa Fe system should be studied.
ana us extent and general divisions
noled me system has total of
$500 miles 1t owns 1891 cars Of
which A, 2O4 are freight 995 are pas
senger, and 148 miscellaneous cars.
me total number of locomotives is
80. The system comprises the
Atchlson. Topeka & Santa F'e railway
proper divided into the eastern and
western grand divisions; the Atchison,
topeka & Santa Fe Railway Coast
lines anc the Gulf. Colorado & Santa |
e, or Gulf Lines. The mechanical /
department of the system is in charge /
OF MT Alfred Lowell. superintendent Of |
motive power, and has five major d.
visions as follows:
Eastern Grand division, Chicago to /
Newton; w. F. Buck mechanical s,I- I
perintendent; $500 miles of road; 5S4 |
locomotives
Western Grand division. Newton to
albuquerque and Ell Paso: NJ T.
Drury, mechanical superintendent: q
BOO miles of road; 430 locomotives.
Coast Lines division, Albuquerque to
san Francisco; S. L. Bean, mechanical |
superintendent: 1,SOo miles of road; |
567 locomotives
Gulf Lines division. Shawnee to Gal
weston; F. f. Dunlop, mechanical su-
perintendent; 1,450 miles Of road; 252
manufacturing shops of system, John /
Purcell, superintendent
Each of the first four major di-
visions is of course, divided into the
master mechanics. Tie Topeka shops
ire the largest on the system and their
reports direct to the
superintendent Of motive power. The
otner SHOPS are under the master me-
,hanics or their respective divisions
The credit for the Introduction of
his bettern ent work on the Santa Fre |
s due primarily and directly to Mr.. T.
". hencrlck: second vice president
ma IL IS TO his energy and interest and |
consistent support of the efforts of
hose having the work more fune-
lately in charge that their success is
iue. AS already mentioned, the move
nent was inaugurated during a strike
which was characterized by great bit
erness The prime objects of the bet
erment work as undertaken have
been stated to be- in the order of their
F'irst-To restore and promote har-
nonious and cordial relations based on
mutual respect and confidence between
employer and employee
Seccnd-To restore the worker to
/ in hi
and debasing tyrannies of petty and
arbitrary officials on one side andsfrom
Individuality destroying, union domina-
ion on the other.
Third--To give the company better.
more reliable and more trustworthy
employees.
Fourth-To increase automatically
and without fixed limit the pay of good
men, this increase of pay depending on
themselves, not on their immediate
;uperiors.
Fifth-To increase the capacity of
shops without adding new equipment.
Slxth-IO increase the reliability of
work turned out and the efficiency or
operations performed
Seventh-To do all these things not
)nly without cost to the company but
With marked reduction in its ex-
oenses.
1t was the belief that BY increased
and special reward eff
,iency could be increased and expenses
CSSSllS74- 1lACASdStQ supervision was 10
De aided by more frequent and prompt
abulation Of various performance rec
)rds, by special expert Investigations of
very operation as to man. machine.
Methods and material. with consequent
planning to eliminate wastes of every
md all kinds@ The work thus far has
'een limited to the maintenance of
accounts and to locomotive
'pcration in its various phases, inciud-
ng repairs. roundhouse. supplies, fuel
consumption, engine failures, lessening
4 delays at shops, adjustment of re-
air activity to traffic needs, etc. 1t
an safely be said that the bettermentl
york has resulted, as anticipated. in