The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-02-11
Work Is Slack But No Re-
auctions Will Be Made.
ARE MANY IDLE CARS.
Nearly Ten Million Dollars Tied
Up in Idle Equipment.
Men Are Now Being Employed
in Making Repairs.

rumor which has been circulated
Win much persistency for several days
mat the Santa Fe- shops in this city
would wholly or partially shut down on
account of the lack In business, has
been officially denied by T. E Hurley,
general manager of the Santa Fe.
We have already reduced the work
ing time of the men in the shops. All
the shopmen are now working under
an eight hour schedule and have been
for several weeks, with the exception
of the roundhouse force which has to
maintain the regular schedule. We do
not want to lay off a man and don't
believe that we will have to. Work is
rather scarce In the shops but We are
trying to keep the men busy catching
up with work which had been neglected
on account of the rush of year ago.
AT the present time we do not contem-
plate any change in the arrangement of
the working force or number of work.
ing hours in the local shops and we
won't do SO unless we are absolutely
compelled to do SO as I do not think
will not be necessary"
The men in the local shops are being
employed in repairing old equipment
which has been out of repair for some
time on account of the rush which was
prevalent until this fall and winter.
According to Mr.. Hurley the present
conditions along the Santa Fee are the
worst in years and are similar to the
conditions which have been reported
on other roads.
At the present time on the Santa
Fe alone which does not include the
many subsidiary lines such as the
Gulf lines. coast lines, Pecos Valley
lines and others, there is nearly ten
v,,{I q iod% In,
which is lying idle at the present
time. The Santa Fe proper has g.
900 empty box cars lying idle and UNI
used in the various yards. Each OF
these cars represents an outlay of ST.
100 which makes total of IS, 500, 600
that is tied up in unused box cars. A
year ago the Santa Fe was borrowing
rolling stock from other roads in or
der to handle the freight traffic
which was moving over the Santa Fe.
In addition there are sixty eight en-
gines which have not been fired up
for weeks and of which there are a
large number in the Topeka shops.
Each Of these So engines cost $15, 900.
which makes a total of $1,000, 600 for
idle engines alone. For both box
cars and engines the Santa F'e road
has tied up a total of $9,820,000.
time not a cent is being received. On
the other hand the Santa Fe Is play
ing high rate of interest on this
amount and also paying the current
rate for taxes.
Just what the idle equipment on
the other parts Of the Santa Fe sys-
tenn amounts to Mr.. Hurley was un-
able to state. However, it is thought
that 1t will maintain the same proper
ton.
A year ago In the local yards, 1t
was almost impossible to look any
direction without seeing a large num-
Der OF cars belonging to Foreign
roads. At the present time the yards
are filled with Santa Fe cars which
are standing in the same position
day after day and never being called
into use.
cars as fast as we can" said Mr..
Hurley. 1--WE have more Of our own
cars than we know what to do with
and it costs us fifty cents per DAY
eyery time we use a car belonging to
any other road"