The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-17
GREAT PLANT IS
FORCED TO CLOSE
Locomotive Works, With Pay
Roll OF $4,000, TO Be Idle
Within Three Weeks.
RAILWAY EMPLOYEES BITTER
--
Ask How New Rate Laws Have
Helped, and Show Result
on Wage Scale.
RAILWAY EMPLOYEES BITTER

On the heels of the statement that
the Southern Railway will reduce the
salaries OF its 10000 employees, came
Yesterday the announcement that the
Richmond branch of the American Lp-
comotive Works, the weekly pay roll
completely within three weeks. The
force has already been considerably
reduced, but with 10000 idle engines
over the country there are no orders
for new ones. Indeed, the roads would
hardly find II necessary to send in
orders when the idle supply is the
greatest known in recent years.
Roughly estimated. there are 700
mond and Manchester whose wages
viii De cut. Two weeks ago there was
reduction of 10 per cent. In the sal
aries OF executive officers. from presi.
dent Finley down, the pay of about
1000 men being affected. AS natura
result of decreased traffic. and the re.
duction of passenger rates, the South.
ern, like scores of other roads, has beer
forced to resort to this last extreme
to meet the unusual conditions.
Trouble in General.
Tho troubles of the great Pennsylva-
er lines. With 1900 idle cars and 40C
idle locomotives the company has
adopted economic measures. the desire
being to cut wages rather than reduce
the number of employees. The pay roll
of the lines east of Pittsburg has been
reduced Sl,5o0,000. Many of the shops
have been closed. and train crews arc
working on a shorter schedule. This
same policy has now been adopted by
the Southern.
At meeting of the executive officers
of the Seaboard Air Line at Hamlet en-
SATURDAY it was decided not to reduce
salaries. but 200 men We're dropped
from the roll, their wages ranging
from $500 TO $500.
To say that this wholesale cutting
of wages is due solely TO the new pass
enser rate laws in the South would
be diverging far from the truth. but
employees and officials agree that the
by the attitude of Governors and Leg
islatureS ord the Federal government.
"A few p!ghts"ago," said a business
man OF Alabama at the Jefferson yes
road employees, representing number
of lines, at which the wage shtua-
tion was discussed. 1t was not a
political gathering. Conductors. en-.
the matters which affected them so
vitality. and they asked Who has been
benefited by the passenger rate reduc-
tion? They challenged the Governors
show how the new laws had helped
anybody, even the shippers. AS a
conductor expressed it. a rate of 1
cent would not helm ANYBODY when
ployes realized that they had to &C
cept the ultimatum. for if they walked
put there would be ten men to fill one
place. so they accepted the doctrine
loaf at all. They declared that while
the advocates OF drastic legislation ha,
helped 10 bring about an alarming
state Of affairs, not one could say tina
il had helped the public. the one re
suit being less pay for the thousand
of railroad employees
"A Ruinous victory"
communication signed "Wag
Garner which was printed in III
Portsmouth Star last week, has bee
copied in circular letter form and dis
tributed broadcast over Virginia an
North Carolina by railway employe
Under the heading, "A Rulnous Vic
tory the writer says:
I'VE are told TINT n reduction
passenger fares half a cent u mile
great victory for the people mn
the reform administrations, hut liz II
victory for the 100000 idle wage earn
ers In the South who want work an
can't get IL: Is IL n victory which
appreciated by 100000 wage cnrncrs
The south, whose wages or hours Ia,
been reduced: Are the owners nj
the employees of the idle saw mill
furnaces, mines ana factories nboutiu
bnlleluinhs over this glorious victor,
we have not read of any country me
GIANTS celebrating the victory, n,
nave we heard OF II single mass me q
ing OF farmer, anywhere In the Unit,
stnles rejoicing over the triumph
''Fben who are cclcbrutiug. 4 70
oiiite-hoiuers and the reform Dre.
With sprinkllnS of ufficc-sccI<er
These politicians and their nc,,spup
allies EnNe 10 'hoiIer' and try to 70
the people because thousands of II
latter are condcmniuE them.
HOW are the people out of tobs
loye The stnte Governors for the
tytcIOrfeS't which I'M
fidence of Investors in Southern a,
ferprises and caused II semI-nnr,Iy,
Of businesst In their affection far =,
political hgltators, lubor ana cnnIt
stand together. The loss ,yI,I,l, :,
dcmhSognrs have brought on lnI,ur
say nothing Of capital, runs nm In
the millions aud the total los. In !,
south due Ia these men and their nj,
reaches half billion of dollars
money; "a river of tears from Lun,,
women and children CRYING for Ire,
million walls from despond,ut nm
out of employment, md how many If,
only the good God knows! AnoiI
victory like this one over the ~,
roads, and the South VIII be in aim,
MS pItiable condits-.p * II WAS nj
Alass tsA the war;