The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-11-18
ARb|TRATORs HEAR
TROLLEY EXPERT

S. L. Foster. chief electrician of the
United Railroads, enlightened the ar
bitration board yesterday on the wages
from Oakland to Niagara Falls. So
comprehensive was his testimony that
Albert Johnson, counsel for the Car
mems Union, was led to remark:
You are something of political
economist, see Then Johnson fol-
lowed this observation with ques-
tion which Foster found it hard to
answer. It was:
DO you think the wages now paid
the men are @dequate?"
Foster said. that was outside the
province of al. chief electrician to de-
termine, that he didn't know, that he
was always Glad to see the men get
all the wages they could If they did
not bankrupt the company, but he
avoided a dirAct reply.
Isn't 1t true that you have no
opinion contrary to this company"
Johnson asked him. But Foster still
evaded the questions.
In Fosters testimony the fact came
out that Calhoun had sent him to the
East as early as 1904 to study the
overhead trolley system, and that he
had visited fifteen cities in his quest
for information on this subject, which
was at that time occupying the atten-
ton of the president of the United
Railroads. Foster said that the chief
engineer of the company also was sent
East to study power houses. Foster
stated that as a result of these investi-
cations the United Railroads is install
ing the very best poles and wires. and
that it was all being done with the
intention to make the materials as
permanent as possible
Some of the work is being done
with haste Foster volunteered. but
1t is a high standard we are aiming
at"
LOWER WAGES IN EAST
In order to refute the claims of the
men for higher wages the company
country for data. Several OF the
answers were produced yesterday,
showing that in the East men worked
for lower wage, but that on the Pa
| cific Coast the eight-hour day was the
rule in almost all the cities
Foster gave it as his opinion that
the work Of telephone and electric
| light linemen is much more dangerous
than that which the United Railroads
records Of the company were for the
most part destroyed in the April fire
and that owing to this the full data
! of accidents was not available 1t
| was suggested after the adjournment
for the day that the burning of the
records might come up later when the
trolley franchise is investigated.
The only accidents Foster could re-
member were when an aged man was
| killed by an iron pole coming in con-
| tact with a trolley wire. Regarding
| that case Foster stated that he thought
| the man died from fatty degeneration
of the heart" Foster remembered also
L. 4.
| by the breaking of a wagon axle. Fur
Their than these cases he had recol-
| lection of an instance where a care
| less lfneman had poked wire in his
eye, and another who cut his finger
| with a jack-knife.
ONLY AN EXPERT WANTED
Stanley Moore gave the court con-
siderable information on electricity I'M
til Johnson remarked:
1T would better accord with the
rigid rules of law If the learned coun-
sci for the railroad would allow the
| witness who is reputed to be an ex-
pert in these matters to give US this
information
Foster was asked whether the men
did not desire overtime as means Of
| increasing their wages He replied
that they did Johnson objected on the
ground that the testimony of the men
the subject. Moore then announced
that their testimony as to that would
be made the subject of considerable
controversy before the court was done
with the case.
The corporation introduced a num-
| Der of kilograms on the subject of
guard wires. Foster admitted that the
! city ordinance had been purposely
drawn to relieve the United Railroads
from the necessity of using this pre-
caution, which he claimed was an add
ed danger, and gave more work to the
unions and bills for dead horses to the
company. He had inquired from other
cities, he testified. as to whether the
railroad companies used the guard
wires and whether such method was
| required by law. The answer Of
Shreveport. La. provoked a smile, in
which even the arbitrators joined. 1t
| was:
We do not use guard wires on any
or our lines. There is, however. an or
dinance requiring IT.
The court adjourned at noon to meet
again Tuesday morning.