Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-03-02
SHORTER DAY
FOR OPERATORS
Railways Accept Nine Hour Day
With Protests


Engagements to comply March with
Ahe provisions of the "nine-hour
aw." The observation of the law
will mean the employment by rail
foad companies of several thousand
additional operators and the closing
Af a large number of small stations
In the principal systems. Discontin-
ling of railway service at many
oints, it is thought, will cause at
east temporary inconvenience to the
raveling and shipping public. In
rider to reduce operating expenses,
khich now seems necessary, the OPP
srating officials of the railroads be-
@eve that this is the only way that
hey possibly can meet the situation
nth which they are confronted. The
hw requires employment of an extra
operator when the work requires
bore than nine hours, and is de-
igned to safeguard lives of passen-
ers and trainmen.
During the hearing of applications
pr an extension of the nine-hour
wv by the interstate commerce COM
ission some astonishing statements
ere made by the operating officials
important railways. A good many
ailroads, owing to reduction in the
avenues and to their inability to
nmmand the cash necessary to meet
cir payrolls, have been forced, dur
b the last four months, almost to
e point of asking for receivers. In
e opinion of railway officials ex-
essed at the hearing under oath
id in private conversation this con-
ton does not seem to have been
be to the enforcement of regulative
VS. or to the incapacity of railway
Engagement. Most of the railroad
icials attribute the difficulty to the
fortunate banking situation which
veloped last September. The rail-
Ays did not feel the stringency in
Dney until about the first of No
mber. In fact, the month of Octo~
r was one of the best in the history
the business of American railways.
Slump Was Sudden.
II. U. Nudge, vice president and
heral manager of the Rock Island
TEN, said: I'VE were plunged
m prosperity to adversely. A year
our system could not handle the
ffic offered us. Today we have
900 idle cars. Five months ago
suffered from a congestion OF
light; now we suffer from a con-
stion of empty cars"
What is true of one reoad is true
aN scores of other roads. One rail-
I'D official ventured the statement
At in the country today there are
600 idle freight cars, and one
e which he instances was declared
be hauling empty cars backward
b forward because it had not yard
pm or sidings to accommodate them
Expect Quick Recovery.
Not a single official of a single
broad line who appeared before
commission, however, expressed
belief that the present Industrial
preston would be lasting. In the
timony of nearly every witness
fore the commission there was a
he of confidence because nearly
ery one of them practically be-
ged that the stringency in the
ney market from which the coun-
has suffered is not due to funda-
ntal causes. They point out that
crops last year were good; that
ices were excellent; that industrial
terprises throughout the country
pre- fiourishing. 1t was merely the
ability to command ready cash and
boarding of money by panic
ficken individuals which produced
suddenly the remarkable depres-
n from which all have suffered.
They practically uniformly ex-
SIS confidence that the return of
psperity will be almost as sudden
was the coming of adversely. and
their arguments as to the enforce
pit of the nine-hour law they
nted out to the commission that
h return of prosperity might Sc
nsly embarrass them in complying
b the law. because it would render
difficult to command the services
competent operators in sufficient
mbers to meet the needs of pros
GUS conditions.