The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-07-16
Trying to Induce Santa Fe
Machinists to Leave.
FEW ARE LEAVING.
Company Has No Employees to
Spare.
Could Use Several Hundred More
Right Now.

sentative OF the Baltimore & Ohio
railroad who IS now in Topeka to Sc
cure machinists to alleviate the needs
of the company, which are the out
growth of the recent strike on this
road. The effort is reaching such a
stage that many of the Santa Fe en-
ployes in Topeka are being waited
upon and invited to cast their for
tunes with the B. & o. on the prom
Use that they will be well paid AMI
will be taken care of even If the
strike is settled and all the strikers
return to work.
For ten days, H. Jackson. a special
representative of the Baltimore &
Ohio has been in Topeka and has
made a number of overtures to the
different machinists employed in the
local shops. On account OF the sys-
TEN now in vogue in the Santa Fe
shops, the Santa F'e machinists are
sought in preference to those CT
other roads The system by which
the machinfsts in the local shops can
get better wages by exertion has de-
veIoped many of the machinists into
workmen of the highest standard
Then too, the Santa Fe takes the
green youth. gives him an apprentice
ship of four years under careful
tutorship during which time he is
given a thorough training in both the
theoretical and practical sides, has
ueVEi0De0 D0anV pest
chinists in the local shops
Mr.. Jackson hasn't had the best of
luck in Topeka He is finding that
the Santa F'e machinists prefer TO
stay here, and that they are a loyal
set of men. The Santa Fe road does
more for its employees than most any
other road in the country. and when
the machinists have worked up TO
good positions. with seniority and all
It's privileges they are loath to leave
he MI Of ma F7Er n
mere preteXts or afluremeuts prom
ised by a special agent The chances
are that Mr.. Jackson with his prom
ises of big ges and his satcheI full
of transportation viii not reap a very
big harvest of machinists in Topeka
So far not over ten or twelve of
the machinfsts have signified any in
tentfous of leaving the company's en-
ploy, and many, OF these who are
thinking of it, will falter at the last I
moment
For several days the special rep
resentative- of the Baltimore & Ohio
road kept his pressnce in the city
unknown to the Santa F'e officials.
achieved his greatest success
Now he viii have harder shedding
The Santa Fe officials are wise to-
his presence in Topeka, and the OBJ
ject of his visit and are camping on
his trail so to speak The secret ser
vice department of the Santa Fe has
been called into play and several of
the leading detectives have been de-
tailed to watch the movements of the
mysterious stranger And it is not
likely that he will have any more
successes in landing men to man the
vacant ranks of another roads ma
chinists.
Need More Men.
The Santa Fe is experiencing trou- !
BILE enough in securing men for its
own shops. Good workmen in all
lines of shop work are decidedly
scarce The Santa Fe's shop which
now numbers between 5000 and g.
500 could easily be increased to 4, 1000
with the work which is now on hand.
The force is being increased all the
time, and additions will be made I'M
til it is brought up to that number.
The company has a lot of work on
hand which demands completion just
as quickly as it can possibly be done.
Four hundred passenger cars are now
being equipped with steam heat This
is work which must be completed be
fore cold weather and it will require
many more men than the Santa Fe has
at present Carpenters and pipe-fitters
are required for this work
There are many more items of work
which are demanding attention There
are now 1000 engines, 50 of them in
waiting which will be fitted with new
style s1perheaters- This work alone
will call for an expenditure of 5000. coo
which are now in the yards awaiting
repairs and which viii cost the COM
rauy in the neighborhood OF S11O. 600.
The Santa F'e has orders in for new
rolling stock and this viii have to be
kept in repair, and new motive power
will be added which viii also demand
attention
1t is the purpose of the Santa Fe
to maintain a permanent shop force
OF 1900 men in the Topeka shops. which
are the largest general railway shops
IN the world There is plenty Of work
Tor this number Of men and with the
business and financial outlook of the
country exceptionally bright, the
chances are that the Topeka shop force
viii be constantly on the increase
Where to get the additional men IS
a matter that is puzzling the officials.
There IS a scarcity of workmen in al
the railway shops OF the country. The
shop wages viii average above IS a day
for each man. with the extra induce
ments Of fattened wages for more than
the reguIa tion amount Of work and
Yet men are scarce There IS no army
OF unemployed not even in the east.
American 4 Dor IS decidedly scarce But
all the wcrlxmen that can possibly be
secured will be added to the force as
fast as they can be procured