The Washington herald., 1906-11-10
HUGE WAGE INCREASE
coNTINrEp FRoM FIRsT PAGE.

the firemen on the Erie Railroad wound
up a conference which lasted for several
days with General Manager Stuart, at
the Offices of the company in the Bowling
Green Building.
They demanded an increase in wages
aggregatlng 10 per cent. Mr.. Stuart ask
ed the committee before the final confer
enee TO appoint a subcommittee 10 confer
With one Of his assistants with view TO
comparing the scale Of wages of the Erie
flremen with the wages Of those in other
companies According TO Mr.. Stuart the
result showed that the wages paid by the
Erie Company compared favorably with
the wages paid By other companies, and
he told the grievance committee he could
not see his way to granting an increase
in pay.
Subsequently. however, President Tn
derwood, Of the Erie. wrote a letter to
Grand Chief Hanrahan, of the Brother
hood Of Locomotive Firemen. who Is In
New York at present regarding the de-
mands of the Erie fremen. The letter
was TO the effect that, as demands for
higher wages were being made every
where, before anything was done il would
be better TO see the general result, and
the negotiations are necessarily ended.
A conference viii be held tomorrow
between the grievance committee Of the
Delaware. Lackawanna and Western Rail
road and President Truesdale over de-
mands made on behalf Of the D. L. and
". firemen for higher wages.
Counter Proposition Rejected.
A counter proposition. embodying high
er wages, had been offered by the com
pany, but this was rejected by the com
mittee. To-morrOw's conference is ex-
pected to be the final one President
Truesdaie. OF the Delaware. I4ackawanna
and Western. said to-day that he expect
ed all branches Of the service to make
demands. There is a general tendency
toward demanding higher wages he
said. I do not predict trouble, however.
The idea Of increased wages seems 10 be
in the air"
Conferences were begun to-day between
telegraphers Of the New York Central and
General Superintendent A. II. Smith over
demands for higher wages The engi-
neeTs. hremen. tTainmen. and conductors
are also expected to make demands. Mr..
Smith said yesterday that there was an
inclination on the part Of the company TO
advance wages more or less, but perhaps
not 20 the extent demanded.
Other railroads which contemplate in
creasing the wages. or are at least con-
sidering the proposition, are the Chicago,
MilWauke and St Paul. Rock Island, ST.
Louis and San Francisco. and North
western.
One reason given for the higher wages
is the increased cost Of living Rents
are going up and the general standard
Of living has arisen through new wants
being created, which are the results Of
education. Many products have increased
in price. notably meats Of all kinds. with
IN the last year
II some of the commodities it is, how
ever, contended that the high prices
have been largely brought about by In
creases I'm the wages of employees. This
would not. however. account for the gen
eral Increase in cost of living
Another reason given IS the general
prosperity Of the corporation. The work
ers want share of that prosperity. The
antagonism 10 trusts and corpora tions
has grown greatly IN recent years. and
the increase ia wages. it IS said. is de-
signed 10 allay this anita gonlsm.