The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-14
PRESS WIRES WORK
 ON SHORT RATIONS
Fairly Good TeIegraphic Report
 Received Yesterday
NO CHANGE IN SITUATION
Managers and Chiefs Are Handling Business, Which Is Still Light. Photographers Make
 Statement.

New developments in the situation ot the local telegraphers strike have not presented themselves since the walk-out of tho operators employed on the news wires of the Associated Press The news service association is still running itl wires with a few men and the wires to Birmingham were in good order all day yesterday and up to late last night.
 The day report of the Associated Press and part of the night report was taken yesterday.
 The state of affairs at the local tele- graph offices Is still unchanged. Busi- ness at both offices was exceptionally light yesterday according to the state ments of the managers and the mes sages received are being handled without difficulty, although they are still being received subject to indefinite delay
 The managers of the telegraph offices here state that they are confident that business will be adjusted within a few days. and they Abelieve firmly that the ultimate outcome of the tr.uble with the operators will be victory for the com panies. They are still firm on the point that no concessions will be allowed the operators.
 On the other hand the operators, too. seem confident of victory for the union men now striking. and so far there hts been no weakening in their position. Com mereial business is practically tied up Q n bp ta1q of cerned
 Manager Ed E. Williams of the Western Union states that he has all the men necessary to move the business falling to his company Mr Jackson of the Postal Is working at key himself, but stat that the men working are practically Up on the business received at the windows of the Postal office.
 The statement of Manager Williams in reference to young man being employed in his office and promoted from the po- sition of messenger boy to one paying $40 a month has brought forth q state ment from one of the committees appoint ed by the local union. In which they ex- plain the hardships of the bonus sys- tenn under which the claim the S1l0 | ShlaIled man Is WOfkinB.
 l MT. Coyle. prominent local union tele- grapher in speaking of tne bonus sys- tenn yesterday said:
 "The man referred to by Mir. Williams did start as messenger boy, learned telegraphy and went through various changes until he was able to work first class wire"
 As a matter of fact his salary be- fore the 10 per cent increase granted by the company just before the announce ment was made that the rates were to be raised 9 to 40 per cent, was S7o per month. The 10 per cent increase raised his sal ary to ST per month. The operator in 1 question worked the Atlanta bonus wire Gan innovation by the Western Unions 1 principal competitorl, which calls for gruelllng pace of 325 messages per day { for a days pay.
 "After handling the 325 telegrams ths telegrapher was allowed bonus of ons cent per message for all he could dispose of beyond that number
 The statement of Manager Williams would make 1t appear that $40 was this operators stated salary, but such Is not the case.
 Investigation shows that the telcgra- pher referred to was a bonus man., whose regular salary was only s77.GO per month, of which s30O per month want for typewriter rent On the bonus sys- tenn he was required to handle 325 mes sages before his remuneration for bonus began. after which he was paid one cent per message for each additional one haa- dled and that to obtain the $63.00 in ad- dtion to his regular salary it was neces- sary for him to handle $500 messages per month. Further inquiry develops the fac. that under this terrific, nerve-racking strain this man Is practically nerY- 1 ous wreck and had already arranged for | a vacation of two weeks to begin in d i day or two, solely 10 prevent a physical collapse"
 Long distance telephone wires ara le- ported 10 have been very much crowded all day yesterday with business which 2 l usually handled over the telegraph lines. All wires are said to have been worked to the limit. The long distance telephone service has already proven a great helper 1 in the trouble of the present situation but | it Is, of course, impossible to handle Ill of the business over the telephane whiea would otherwise come over the wires. l Consequently much trouble is being l caused, principally among brokers com mission men and merchants in various kinds of business. Considerable wire trou- nights storm