The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-22
OPERATORS ASK
SHORTER HOURS
Carolina Corporation Commission
Hears Argument Oh Suspension
OF Law. E.
---------t
EXPLAIN "THosE TELEGRAMs"
EXPLAIN "THosE TELEGRAMs''
Counsel for Railroads Say Ap.
pcals Being Received Owing
10 Play Made by Union.
.rspec,a, to rhe T,mes- Dispatch. j


RALEIGH, N. c., June 2l.-The Cor
poration Commission devoted the after
noon to hearing the railroad attorneys
and Representatives OF the Railway
Photographers Union for and against
the petition Of the Southern the Sea-
board Air Limo and the Atlantic Coast
Line for the operation OF the act of the
recent Legislature limiting the hours
of duty Of train dispatchers to eight
hours per day after July lst, the pray
CT of the petitioners being that the
railroads be allowed to keep these op-
orators on duty as long as twelve hours,
and that the State law be not put in
operation at all until March 4th, when
the act OF tho last Congress on the
same subject applying to the whole
country Will be In effect. James II.
Pou, for the Atlantic Coast Line; r. b.
Womack. for tho Scaboard Air Line,
and III. w Miller. for the Southern. adj
dressed the commission In support of
the petition, while the interests OF the
photographers opposing the, petition
were represented by Il. 7. Justice, of
I Greensboro; Judge Strudwiok, Green's
boro; Z. r. Upchurc1, Cary and r.. N.
Simms, Raleigh
number OF tecgra piers were pres
ent TO hear the argument. Counsel for
the railroads Insisted that for the act
TO 80 into effect now would greatly In
crease tho expense of this department
OF railroad service and that there We're
not really enough telegraphers avail
able. and that before long now the ma
tional law VIII lie operative and would
meet every need OF the case.
n ar bar W.
the petition insisted that 10 grant the
petition would impose a hardship on
the operators who at the small sta lions
nave to serve as operator. depot agent
man agent and half dozen capaci
ties OF service the long hours and the
multiplicity or duties giving rise to
many possibilities Of error that would
endanger the lives of train crcws and
hundreds Of passengers
Case Goes Over.
The examination OF witnesses for
the railroad companies in conncot ion
with the petition .or this pos,pone.
ment of the operation OF Tho eight
hour law for railroad Telegraph opera
tors continued until 6o'clocls. and re-
cess was taken to to- morrow TT
looks now like the hearing will con-
tinuc Monday. II not longer. Wit
nesses examined this afternoon were
al Tor the Southern Railway, with a
vie" 10 snow that the operators are
not overworked or burdened with too
many duties. and that twelve hours
would not be 100 long for them to RE
on. duty. The witnesses were Super
intcndcnt Z. II. Coapman and Division
Superintendent L. r. Loyal and J. III
Scale OF the Southern. The cross-
examinat lions by i. J. Justice, for the
operators. were long drawn out. and
consumed much the greater part of
the time. Witnesses for the Atlantic
Coast Line and seaboard are yet to be
heard, and then 1t Is u1Nler stood that
the operators have thirty or forty
witnesses against allowing twelve
hours work
'TclcErnmx Pour In.
All during the afternoon kilograms
poured into the Corporation Con, mis-
sion from operators in all parts OF the
State, urging that the eight-hour law
be put In operation July LIST. Repre-.
sentatlves OF the railroad companies
presented to the commission notice
that had come into their possession
that explained why all these tele-
grams We're received 1t was dated
Hamlet. and was addressed to "All
operators In North Carolina" signed
by a. 2. Chambliss, head OF the opera
tors union In this State. 1t was to the
effect that at meetings OF opera tors
held all over the State Saturday, night
1t was decided to ask all operators to
send prepaid telcgrams to the Corpo-
ration Commission Friday, pleading
with the commission not to grant any
extension Of the eight-hour law, and
also to get prominent citizens to send
similar kilograms. In conclusion, the
notice said:
Brothers: 1t Is strictly up to us
to get this law. and ! trust each and
every one OF you Will do this, and It
Will certainly help us out"