The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-01-10
REQUEST FOR MORE PAY
Made by the Conductors, SWitchmen,
Brakemen and Trainmen of Off,
cias of the Southern Railway.

The conductors, switchmen, brake
men and trainmen of the Southern
railway have sent representatives to
Washington to confer with The chief
executives of the road for the pur
pose of securing an increase in wages.
Those who are now at the capital
are the regularly elected delegates OF
the organization of the conductors
and the trainmen known as the Bro
therhood of Railway Trainmen.
These delegates also have instruc.
tions to remain in Washington until
they secure the advance in wages or
direct and absolute refusal to grant
the request. If the increase is granted,
and it is confidently expected by all
Of the trainmen and conductors, the
stay OF the delegates in Washington
will be a short one. If the request is
refused, it is stated on the very best
of authority and frcDn those I'll
position to know officially that
strike over the entire Southern rail-
way system will be declared and that
almost every conductor, switchman
and trainman will go oat to a man.
Under the present conditions of traf-
fic these railroad men do not believe
that any such drastic measures will
be necessary. They say that the busi-
ness is more than the road can han
die and that what with the shortage
of cars, the delayed schedules and
other disadvantages to the shipper
and the travelling public that the high
est officials Of the Southern railway
will grant their request rather than
tie up the entire system of more
than 1000 miles.
The conductors state that during
the past few years and especially the
past year or two, the necessities Of
life have increased from 25 to so per
cent and that with their present wages
+ they are unable to meet their monthly
bills that belong to the ayerage-sized
family. Requests for an increase in
wages have been made and the mat
ter taken up only to be deferred from
time to time by the officials having
the authority to make this increase
that is asked for.
It was stated by an Official that
the conductors of the Southern rail-
way are making from $110 to 1920
per month, the exact amount Of the
wages depending on the length Of the
run. A 10 per cent increase in these
wages is asked for
AS to any compromise or postpone
ments, the instructions to the dele
gates were that in this case both ccm-
promises and postponements were
barred.
The switchmen, who now belong to
the B. r. T., instead Of the former
organization of their own composed
only of switchmen, say that they are
asking for the standard scale, which
is s2.65 per day. They also state that
they are DOW getting s2.15 per day.
The conductors organization, the
Order. of Railway Conductors, is one
of the strongest In the country. 1t Is
stated that far over 80 per cent OF
the conductors Of the Southern rail-
way are members of this organization
and that they are absolutely a unit
in regard to the demand for higher
wages, as is proved in the instructions
20 the delegates to remain in Wash
ington until some definite answer Is
received.
The Brotherhood of Railway Train.
men is also very strong, and has been
greatly strengthened lately by a num-
Der of organizers who have been at
work along the Southern railway and
other southern roads preparing for
lust such conditions as now confrnt
the executives of the Southern rail-
wsy in Washington.