The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1908-04-17
RAILROAD MEN AND RATES
EMPLOYEES FEAR RESULT OF
FREIGHT RATE REDUCTION. 81.
MEETING TO BE HELD SUNDAY.
Railroad Employees Plan to Hold a
Meeting at Railway Hall Sunday
Afternoon to Which Business Men
are invited-interestin Statistics.

living in Norfolk are not little
wrought up over the prospect that the
state railway commission Is likely TO
the result of the hearing to be held
in Lincoln April 81 A mammoth
meeting of railroad men. consisting
of the Order of Railway conductors,
Order of Locomotive engineers, Or
der of Locomotive firemen and Order
of Railway trainmen has been called
to be held at Railway hall Sunday
afternoon to discuss the situation
which confronts them. 1t Is probable
that at this meeting one or more rep
resentatives of railway employees will
be selected to go to Lincoln on the
day of the hearing to protest against
a reduction in freight rates within the
state Members of the Commercial
club and business men generally are
invited to attend this meeting
The menace to railroad employees
Is that the moment the earnings of
the railroads are reduced the wages
of the employees will be cut down. A
year ago, after much effort, the cal
aries of all men employed on the
Northwestern were advanced ten per
cent. Even in face of the reduced
traffic on the road during the past five
months the wages Of the men have
not yet been disturbed, 1t having been
the policy of the road not to cut wages
unless it becomes imperative. But
the men are satisfied that with a re-
ducton of freight earnings the cut
will be sure to come, and they will
not be in position to dispute its fair
ness, because they realize that even
now the road is earning far less than
it was year ago when wages were
advanced.
Representatives OF the railroad men
were interviewing members of the
Commercial club yesterday afternoon
urging ATTENDANCE at the meeting Sun.
day. The employees had understood
that the effort of the Commercial club
to secure freight rates into Norfolk
is for a general reduction to retailers,
but when they were assured by some
members of the club that the effort
now being put forth by the club is
to secure rate that will enable
wholesalers to do business here, they
were very much pleased and hope to
gain assistance from the club to help
protect their wages They present
some statistics to show that the bus
mess men of Norfolk are certainly
interested in the prosperity of the
railroad employees who make this city
their home, even if they are not in.
terested in the railroad, and this move
ment they insist is in the interest of
the men and not the road that employs
them.
They make the statement that Of
the 1893 men employed on the East
ern division of the Northwestern in
Nebraska, whose pay checks are all
made up in Norfolk, 662 live in this
city, and the $4,000 a month that Is
distributed among the Norfolk men
really makes quite difference to the
trade. They enumerate the number
of men employed on the Northwestern
whose homes are in Norfolk as fol
lows: Trainmen 1907 yard and
swithchmen &c; enginemen and fire.
men 23O; shop men 20; bridges and
buildings CT; station men 10; flag men
4; track men 40; coal beavers 6;
office men 19.-total 6G2. These fig.
ures represent a resident population
of about $500 people, and it may be
readily seen that in a city of 5000
the interests of one-half its residents
are of serious moment to those en-
gagged in business here
The railroad men say that previous
to their visit to the Commercial club
they were laboring under the impress
sion that Norfolk business men as a
class were working for a general re-
duction of freight rates, which would
affect their personal pocket books
seriously. Under this impression, an
organized plan was started few DAYS
ago to establish a cooperative store
at the Junction, and for that purpose
$S,006 was subscribed among railroad
men within twenty-four hours. Now
that they have been assuerd by the
Commercial club that it is not a part
of the Norfolk plan to try to disturb
rates to retailers, but only to secure
rates which will make jobbing center
of Norfolk they feel very differently
about 1t and say that it is probable
the cooperative proposition will be
dropped. On the other hand, they
express their sympathy with the move.
ment for jobbing rates and will be
glad to assist in any way possible to
bring about such a result Many of
them own homes here and are as anx.
ious to see Norfolk advance as resid-
ents of the city engaged in any other
lines Of business.
Business men of the city will no
doubt embrace the opportunity offer
ed by the railroad men to meet with
them Sunday afternoon and haar tbair