Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1907-02-13
RAILWAY EMPLOYEES
ASK HIGHER WAGES
Southern Railroad Men Want
More Pay.
MAY ASK OTHER ROADS ALSO
Employees Stats that High Cost OF
Living Makes Increase a Necessity
Say Small Wages Drive Good Men
from the South.

from the South.
Atlanta. Feb. 12.-NOw that the
ronduc,urs and trainmcn Of the south
ciu RAILWAY have secured cohsih-
cradle advance in wages 10 meet ne
growing cost OF living during ihIs
prosperous present, movement - %"
foot 40 also bring about similar ad-
vance I'm TIE wages paN 10 the tel'S-
raphers and block signal operators al
the Southern railway. Once this Is
accomplished, it is exp..cted mat
plans will he put under way 10 brihS
about q raise In wages among the OPP
, orators of other roads in the south
II is also sta Ell tha, in addition I"
' movem, M Ia such an end on tAe
I part Of the signal men OF the SCUM
rrn railway. the Order OF Railway Te-
| lerraphers l. slso taking up tlft' same
| matter with regard To all OF he rail-
, roads In the south. This organiza-
| zion. according 10 several Atlanta te-
| legra pliers. L. al:O preparing To OrinS
10 an issue the light In which the te-
| lcgraphers' union L. held by the West
ern and Atlantic and the Louisville
and Nashville railroads.
Members Of the union claim thar
the Louisville and Nashville discrlm-
mates against members Of the order.
and thar this is contrary to one OF the
laws on the federal statute books.
known as the Erdman law. and that
the matter Of contesting their position
In regard 10 this law will be begun
very shortly. The members also
claim that the railroads are violating
other laws Of the state aud that the
attention ~ the public and the author
uies will he brought 10 these alleged
transRressiOrs.
In the matter Of an increase In
wages, the telegraph operators say
tina, exactly the same conditions ap-
nv 10 them as To the trainmen and
conductors and thar with the prcseni
high prices of the necessities for Nv
ing and supporting families, they are
unable 10 continue on the wages which
they are now receiving.
These members also state that the
block signal operators arc nov re-
ceiving bur $50 to So a month for l2
hours work a day. and are compelled
, n work on sundays. They state
that while such prices are paid IN the
south. in the north. east and west
much better wages are paid, and that
, as q result he best operators In The
south are leaving for other fields
They also say that youngsters just
starting in 70 learn the business be-
gin in the south. but a. soon as they
are able ~ hold down a good JOB
, they leave for some road whore they
can receive much better wages
Another claim made Is thar the very
, heavy traffic both freight and passen
ger recently. the late trains and othc-
, condi ions have added greatly Ia their
duties. While heir pay IS tho same
, or practically the sane As before the
expenses Of living were what they
, now are. They also attribute the
, MANY wrecks and a good deal ~ the
/, dcla, - train, as due 10 ineNperl
: eucnd and incompe ent operators In
the Scrrr'.. - better pay. .VCh 2,
VT bring ''y ver, besr operators IA
~, south. whore 'nev are most need
ed on the single Vim" track roads. 'heN
= are certain ~ ~ co-operat.on oi
y the engineer. contractors ard train
!, | r 1. 1.