Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-06-11
ROAD NOW HAS A
SURPLUS OF POWER
For First Time in Its History Com
pany Has New Engines on Hand
Awaiting orders-Better Feelings in
the Shops and Among Ensinemen-
Shop Notes.


have watched the road grow from in
fancy. For the first time in the roads
history there are in the round house
now fine engines, having, undergone
thorough overhauling and repairs, that
are being kept in readiness for emer-
gencies.
| This fact is so different from the
conditions usually existing on the Cen
| trail that it is the cause of general
comment among the enginemen. The
usual case has been that there was
err, and if there was a sudden need for
cause there were barely enough en-
gines to care for the regular business.
Engines Are Working Fine.
| The engines that are now put thru
the shops are not patched up tenn
porarily, or just enough to get them
| back into service, but the repairs are
permanent.
| Nine months ago it was not at all
uncommon to have passenger trains
running from thirty minutes to four
hours late. In fact it was seldom that
a train was on time. Now it is rather
uncommon for an Iowa Central pas
senger train to be late, unless there
| is some derailment or some cause due
to other than the mechanical equip
ment. Engine failures often caused
delays in the past, but now they are
seldom met with. A few weeks ago
there were several days in succession
when on the entire system there was
not a single engine failure, and not
I a scheduled train, either freight or
passengers that was behind the card.
| While there has been some criticism
offered against the master mechanic
for rearranging certain passenger
crews and moving the Headquarters of
men out of Marshalltown, this reor-
ganization of the regularly assigned
runs is claimed to have had a marked
effect on the time service Of the pas
senger trains affected.
Overcome Freight Congestion.
4 The fact that trains are running on
| time has overcome the freight cons
/ gestion proposition to large extent
and consequently there is less criticism
/ on the part of shippers from one end
of the line to another. This creates a
good feeling in the traffic and all other
/ departments as we'll as in the 1nechan-
| zeal, which department is constantly
| faced with the proposition of keeping
the wheels moving.
Better Feeling in Shops.
! Aside from the good feeling that
exists in the traffic department over
the change in mechanical conditions
there is a decidedly better feeling in the
shops. The men appear to appreciate
the change in the local management OF
the road, and seem to have confidence
that they will be treated fairly when
ever grievances arise. Heretofore
! there has been feeling on the part
of the men that they must fight fos
their rights, and that the only way to
accomplish anything was by fighting.
Two months after the big strike was
settled when the new master mechanic
Mr.. Gossett, would go thru the shops
| the men would not welcome him as
they do now. Now the men have a
smile for the master mechanic, and the
master mechanic has a good word fer
the men. The men are working hard
and are apparently satisfied, and from
all appearances they are glad to have
4
| The same feeling of ease and good
will is apparent among the enginemen
Engineers have told the T.-R. of the
change in feeling. and of the sense ot
confidence that they have in tteil
master mechanic.
Burn Less Fuel.
A big Improvement in the engine
service in the past nine months has
| CHI Of a
in the consumption of coal on engines
Master Mechanic Gossett expects tt
i make a showing of saving of be.
tween $4,000 to $4,000 within thu
4 year. The saving is due largely to i'm.
4 proved draft appliances and valve set.
tings on engines.
Only Shops Working Full! Time.
4 At the present time the Iowa Central
shops are the only ones in the middle
west that are working anywhere neal
fuM time. The Northwestern, Greas
Western, Rock Island, and Darlington
are all working short time ait present
and the Chicago. & Alton, at its Bloom.
/ ington, ILL.,, shops, are to open soor
after having been closed since May 10
Master Mechanic Gossett wants to;try
and keep the shops here going as neal
full time. all the time as is possible te
do, and believes that the men swill zap.
preciafe his efforts. Every days mai
brings applications to the naster me.
chanic's office from mechanics who arr
anxious ito secure work. .ss,.g8
Sentiment Of Town Toward Shops.
n The new management ,of the Cen.
trail, as announced in these column.
some time ago, has started crusad,
against the boomer element in its EN-.
ployment, and the management is de.
sirous of having the assistance OF tn,
people Of Marshalltown In bringing
about model conditions in the shops.
The management is anxious to rails,
the standard Of the personnel OF 1t.
men to the highest degree possible, nj
employees who are hired in the shop,
will not only have to furnish refer!
ences as to their mechanical ability
but their record for sobriety, honesty
land general citizenship. ~
A An official of the road, tns discuss,
ing this phase of the shops life. safd
! I'm tliar words, the future, Of the shop
4 in Marshallspwn depends largely zupol
the attitude of Marshalitown peopl
howard the aiiroad company. We wlsa
the people Of MARSHALL town to help ii