The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-02-27
Operating Officials of 35 Rail.
roads in Washington
To Beg for an Extension on the
Nine-Hour Law.
CAN'T GET THE HELP
And III They Could It Would
Cost Too Much.
On This They Base Their Plea
for Relief.

washington, Feb. T.-Operatins Off
Gals OF railways from all parts OF the
country today were In attendance upon
the hearing given by. the Interstate
commerce commission upon applfca-
uons for an extension of time of going
into effect Of the nine hour law.
Thirty-seven applications were re-
ceived by the commission asking for
the extension. Two of them already
have been denied. those of the Georgia
Southern and Florida railway and the
ST. Joseph & Grand Island railway. be-
cause In the opinion of the commission
the petitions did not show what In
the terms of the act would constitute
good causes" for granting the relief
requested. The applications of the 9th
er 30 lines are being heard as one case
because the petitions are substantially
identical. All of them assert that thew
have found it impossible to procure the
services of competent, efficient and de-
pendable telegraph operators in such
numbers as will enable them to comply
with the provisions of the law; and
that, even If they could obtain the nee
essary operators, the enforced employ
ment of SO many additional men would
be financial hardship which the car
riers ought not to be subjected te
that. in the circumstances, II the law
Is enforced, the companies will be
obliged to close many small stations on
their lines, thus interfering with the
service, causing Inconvenience and pos
sible loss to the travelling and shipping
public and preventing the prompt
movement of trains.
Following are the names of the roads
which have filed applications for exten-
sion of the law:
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy. South
ern railway. st. Louis & San Francisco,
| Seaboard Air Line, Chicago, Rock Is
land & Pacific, Yazoo & Mississippi
Valley, Illinois Central, Indianapolis
| Southern, Baltimore & Ohio, Central of
Georgia. Oregon Railway & Navigation
company. Oregon Short Line, Wabash
railroad, Norfolk & Western, wheeling
& Lake Erie, Grand Trunk western.
| Chicago. Indianapolis & Louisville
Atchison. Topeka & Santa -Fe. Cincin-
natl Hamilton & Dayton. Chicago, Gin
! cinnati q Louisville, Southern Indiana,
New York Central lines, five roads
Missouri, Kansas & Texas and the Mis-
| souri, Kansas & Texas of Texas, Ell
Paso & Northeastern, Louisiana West
ern. Morgan's Louisiana & Texas.
Southern Pacific, Nashville, Chatta-
nooga & St Louis. Evansville & Terrs
| Haute Georgia railway, Chicago &
Eastern Illinois. Chicago, Milwaukee g.
| Z.
and Louisville & Nashville
| It Is regarded as significant that with
| the exception of the New York Central
| lines none of the Great Eastern roads
has made application for extension
| These include the Pennsylvania, the Erie.
the Delaware, Lackawanna and West
| ern, the Iehfgh Valley, the New Jersey
Central, the Philadelphia & Reading,
1 the New York, New Haven & Hartford,
| the Boston & Maine and others. In the
northwest the Wisconsin Central, the
Great Northern and the Northern Pa
cif1c are not represented among the ap-
plicants.
! Under the law and a ruling of the
commission no road which does not ap-
| ply for the extension can be a benef-
ciary of any order granting the extern
sion to other lines, even If such order
| should be issued. 1t is assumed, there
| fore, that the companies which have
conform to the provisions of the law
when it becomes effective on the fourth
| of March.
| The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy
| and the Southern railway today in
dicated by statements and evil
| dence that while it might be pos
sible TO procure the necessary ad-
| ditiona1 labor required by an obser-
| vance of the law. 1t would involve a
great financial hardship upon the rail-
waya
General Manager Ackert. of the
Southern railway, stated that IL the
| law was enforced it would mean SIM
ply that curtailment of operating ex-
penses IN every direction would have
| to be made.
! VIII Observe the Law.
Omaha, Neb-, Feb. Pit was an
nounced by the Union Pacific. North
western and Burlington railroads today
| that they would observe literally the
\ nine hour law which becomes effective
4 March a.. These three roads will en-
| ploy about 200 additional telegraphers
! on lines west of the Missouri river.
| Train service is to be curtailed where
| It is found possible to do so.
nnIlpT uEI n INuAI