Omaha daily bee., 1907-10-30
MOHLER LAYS OFF WORKMEN
Union Pacific Lets Improvement
Forces Go for the Winter,
OTHER ROADS KEEP AT WORK
General Manager walters Says His
Company is Too Busy to stop
for Retrenchment Policy
New,

Tuesday morning Vice President and GEN
eral Manager Mohler announced that all
work mot absolutely necessary at present
would be stopped When asked how many
men would be affected by his order ne
said he did not know. but the number
would be large.
Mr.. Mohler said there is a lot Of un-
necessary talk over the reduction in track
forces, which necessarily takes place at
this season OF the year on account OF the
shorter hours and cold weather.
I'VE are doing an exceedingly large
amount of Improvement work and have
put our property in the best physical con-
dition It has ever known. Therefore the
opportunity for reducing forces earlier
than usual has been acted upon, and, on
account Of the present national conditions
unquestionably, a wrong motive has been
applied. We are only doing that which
comes from natural conditions and in line
with the general practice of all railroads
at this season of the year. We are con-
tinuing all improvement work which can
be done to advantage and which we can
utilize and work which cannot be carried
on at normal expense will be discon-
tinued."
Greeks Flock TO Town.
The first intimation Omaha had of that
move was Tuesday morning. when the
Greeks and other laborers who have been
at work on the Lane cutoff began flock
ing into Omaha, out Of work. The entire
work on the cutoff was stopped abruptly
Tuesday morning.
Mr.. Mohler said he had decided to lay
off all men engaged in new work all along
the system, which will include the grading
outfits ut Lane cutoff, the work in Kansas
| and Nebraska and Colorado, all engineer
ing gangs which are in the field and all
men engaged in the double-track work.
While Mr. Mohler would not estimate the
number Of men, another official said the
number probably would be between 1000
and 5000 between now and the first of the
| month.
Mr.. Mohler said it had not been decided
as yet to lay Off any of the shops force.
Employees in the operating department are
not as yet affected and will not be until
the occasion demands. Shipments Of live
stock and grain are falling of materially
and this has given the road an opportunity
to clean up some Of the congested places
which have been somewhat blocked because
of the new work which has been in prog
ress along the line. This has put the road
in about normal condition far as traffic
is concerned.
Northwestern Too Busy.
| General Manager Frank Walters of the
\ Northwestern lines west OF the Missouri
river was asked IL he had made any move
looking toward retrenehment and his reply
was most expressive and TO the point when
he said:
No, sir, we're too busy; haven't time to
| lay off any men,"
| General Manager Holdrege OF the Bur-
| lington said that nothing had been done by
him In the way of retrenchment. although
| a few track men had been recently laid on
| along the line as was done every autumn
when the forces were put on a winter basis.
"AIl the new work we started this spring
| is practically completed" said Mr.. Hol-
drege, Except the work on the Lincoln
Milford line, which is nearing completion
| We have made no move of any klnd with
the idea of retrenching."
The employees Of the Union Pacific head
| quarters will be paid the same as usual
Friday with checks which will be cashed
! as usual at the office of the local treas
urer. so the emploSes will have the cash
| for their work and not be bothered with
checks on which they might have difficulty
in getting the money.
( The Union Pacific road has arranged with
one OF the Omaha national banks whereby
/ that bank will furnish the cash for the
payment of the employees Of the Union Pa
| ciac shons m cash.