Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-02-12
RAILWAY EMPLOYEES
ASK HIGHER WAGES
Southern Railroad Men Want
M2re Pay.
MAY ASK OTHER ROADS ALSO
Employees State that High Cost CT
Living Makes Increase a Necessity.
ezy Small Wages Drive Good Men
frcm he South.

ITCfn EttS SOGlna
Atlanta, Eeb. 11.-Now that the
conductors aGd trainmea of the South
ern Railway nave secured Il consid-
cradle advance in wages TO meet the
growing cast CT living durin8 this
prosI Ierous present, d movement is on
| foct also bring about a similar ad-
vance in the wages paid to the teleg-
raphers and block signal operators OF
the EoutEcIn railway. Once this is
accomplished, it is expected that
plans VIII be put under way to bring
about raise n wages among tae op-
orators OF other roads in tie south.
1t is also 5ta,ed that in addition to
movement to such an end On the
part CT the signal men Of the South
ern railway, the Order Of Railway Te
legraphers is also taking up the same
matter with rcEard to all Of he rail
roads in the e1uth. This organiza-
tion, according to several Atlanta te-
legraphers, is also preparing to bring
to an issue the light in which the te-
| Ilegraphers union is held by tne West
ern and Atlantic and the Louisville
and Nashville railroads.
Members Of the union claim thar
the Louisville and Nashville discrim-
mates against members of the order
and ,hat this is contrary to one of the
avs On the federal statute books,
Enown as the Erdman law, and that
the matter CT contesting their position
in regard to this law will be begun
very shortly. The members also
claim that the railroads are violating
other laws of the state and that the
attention Of the public and the author
lties will be brought to these alleged
trans3 3ressiors.
In the matter of an increase in
wages, the telegraph operators say
that exactlyftle same conditions ap-
ply to them as to the tranmen and
conductors, and that with the present
high prices of tne necessities for liv-
ing and supporting families, they are
unable o continue on the wages which
they are now receiving.
These members also state that the
block signal operators are now re-
ceiving but $50 to S55 a month for Il
hours work day, and are compelled
o work OF 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
south are leaving for other fields
They also gay that youngsters just
starting in to learn the business be-
gin in the south, bu. as soon as they
are able to hold dows good job
they leave for some road where they
can receive much better wages.
Another claim made is that the very
heavy traffic, both freight and passen-
ger recently, the late trains and other
conditions have added greatly to their
duties, while their Pay is the same
or practically the same as before the
expenses of living were what they
now are. They also attribute the
many wrecks and a good deal of the
delay to trains as due to inexperi-
enced and incompe ent operators. In
the securing of better pay, such as
will bring the very best operators to
the south, where they are most need
ed on the single line track roads, they
are certain of ;he cooperation OF
the engineers, conductors and train
men, all of whom are dependent to a
large extent upon the ability of the
operators. They also believe that
they will have he sympathy and sup
port cf the public, if only on selfish
grou1 ds that all travellers want COM
petent and experienced men to han
die the train orders, which is a most
responsible part in he handling OF
trains, Both to property and human
life.