The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-06-17
Railroad News
HILL DENIES
RETRENCHMENT
G. N. NEEDS MEN, RATHER THAN
LETTING THEM OUT, DECLARES
ROADS PRESIDENT.

st. Paul, June 17.-WaH street with
It's customary lack of confidence and
its desire to save a dollar wherever it
can, is to be blamed for the policy of
retrenchment adopted by some of the
railroads, according to Louis w. Hill,
president Of the Great Northern, He
took a further rap at Wall street by
saying:
1T hasn't faith in anything"
He denied emphatically the report
that the Great Northern has started
to curtail. He said that he does not
know Of an order that has been issued
by the company to take men off new
construction work under way.
1t doesn't look as if we are going
to retrench, does it?" he asked. when
on the visit Of John F. Stevens here
a couple Of days ago we placed an
order for rails for $50 miles of new
road In Oregon and rails for other
stretches of new lines?"
Are you letting up on any other
new work?" was asked.
L haven't seen an order laying off
any men on our line" he replied. I'VE
are going ahead with the work lust as
we did before. OF course we have not
started on work for next year yet. 1t
is too early for that"
Time of Year to Let Men Out.
You must remember that this is the
time of the year when the railroads
generally let off a large number of
laoorers. They try to get things in
shape for the handling Of the crop.
harvesting starts in June on some
parts OF the line, to be continued in
others until September. Then these
men working on the railroad are need
ed for the harvest and we let them CO."
You have about all the men YOU
need them was asked.
"Oh, no, we could use more of them"
said Mr.. Hill.
While it Is true you are not LAYING
OFT men, are not tie other roads let
ting them go? The Northern Pacific,
Tor instance?'' it was suggested.
"oh, that is a New York institution"
he replied, wall street saves a. dollar
wherever it can. The Great Northern
Is st. Paul institution.
There is every indication that we
will have an excellent crop in the
northwest this year so why should we
curtail expenses" he asked. "Of
course, II the crop should not be so
good as it promises the situation will
be changed. In ninety days we can tell
more about 1t. For the present, we are
hopeful that we will not have to re-
trench. We are watching and wait
ing"
500 and M. G. St. L. Deny Economies.
Denial is made by the Minneapolis &.
ST. Louis road, the Iowa Central and
500 line that they are included in the
retrenchment policy of northwestern
railroads.
w. @. Bierd, general manager Of the
Minneapolis & st. Louis and Iowa Cen
trail roads made the following state
ment this morning:
The M. & st. L. and Iowa Central
railroads are not making any retrench-
ments. Neither road is affected by the
Irritation Of the public from the efforts
of the railroads to increase rates.
i take 1t that Howard Elliott means
by the steady and constant inc-ea Sc
of taxes the general taxes, including
the burden the laws have placed on the
railroads. The gross earnings tax and
the property taxes on the railroads
amount to little. 1t is the everlasting
demand of the public for better serv-