The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-17
Increase Amounting to
$50, 000a Year Voted
by Directors.
NO RFQ1J EST FOR
NEW WAGE SCALE
Board Voluntarily Adopts Rec
ommendation Made by Gene
raj Superintendent Buchanan,
Increase to Be Effective on
January How 1t
Works.

Wages of all motormcn and conduc.
tors on street car lines in and around
Richmond were voluntarily increased
from to 10 per cent by the board
oil directors OF the Virginia RAILWAY
and Power Company al a meeting held
yesterday morning in New York. Cen
eral superintendent Z. h. Buchanan
was notified by wire that his recon.
mondations in regard TO increasing the
general wage scale had been approved
in full. the increase to he encctiye
from anuary / 1t win affect approx
mately 500 men. and on the basis Of
cars in operation yesterday Will cost
the company 10000 per year. Inc
wages are fixed on sliding scale in
proportion to the length OF service with
the company.
scnlc OF Increase.
The scale of increase will be as fol-
lows
Richmond and interurban divisions;
motormen and conductors:
First six months in service. Increase
from l5 20 cents per hour TO IS cents
per hour
Second six months in service. from
1S cents per hour 10 10 cents per houE.
One year 10 two years in service,
frum 10 cents TO 20 cents per hour
Two to three years in service. from
20 cents to 81 cents per nour.
For those in the service OF the com
pany for three years or longer. the in
crease is from ~ cents to % cents per
hour
on the Petersburg city division,
ciudirg al lines Ia and around Peters
bufg, the rate is Increased from 10
cents to Is a-5 cents por hour.
Increase Not Applied FOR.
The increase was made without ap-
phcation on tie part OF our employees"
said General superintendent Buchanan
yesterday. Not even my assistant di-
vision superintendent knew such a
matter was IN contemplation Tho
problem has been a most difficult one
and only the absolute necessity of
Improving the living conditions or our
men and their Loyalty 10 the company
through period when the cost OF iiv-
Ing has hccn high. mas led me 10
recommend this action 10 tho board
OF directors Nc have III Richmond
tic lowest rate OF fares in this coun-
try Ny books show thai we actually
net $40 GEMS per passenger hauled.
! uie ivy siNtliSt 10 apoNl .DS
thousands of school tickets sold at
alf-price. by the fact that we operate
large number OF cars at an actual
loss in the early morning, when
iaborinG people ride to their work nj
half fare hefore I o'clock and 10 the
fact that 3 per cent OF our passengers
are riding on transfers given free The
city of Cleveland, o. which has had a
3.cent fare on some lines. charges /
cent for each transfer, making it's fare |
IA n
been unable to borrow money for inn |
provements. and are now preparing to I
80 back TO a 5cent fare. In Philadel-
phie the company realizes l-S cents |
9-l0 cents. The length of our haul is /
constantly increasing, and the cost of
all material and construction has I
greatly advanced since our schedule OF |
Men. Loyal aud Eficicnt.
our men have never murmured I
They have not petitiened for this in
crease or sent any round robin 10 the
company, but have given up honest and /
loyal and faithful service, probably |
with US long enough TO put them in
the highest paid class on the wage
scale.
They are efficient and careful, giving
US little trouble from accident, and lit
tie cause for complaint from the pub
Tic, and in view of the cost OF living.
we have felt that it was Imperative, I
Notwithstanding our low scale of fares,
10 better their condition.
Il made nay recommended ation for n
new wage scale through President
Northrop to the board OF directors
which met In New York this morning,
and Mr. Northrop telcgraphs me that
the entire scale has been adopted as
j recommended, to take effect from
January /. II will mean a voluntary
increase varying from I to 10 per
cent. to all OF our men the highest
increase of 10 per cent. being to those
employees who have been in our en-
ployment longest, thus putting an ad-
dttional premium on faithful service l.
and giving the largest increase to
those men who have Loyalty stood by
tons We're difficult on moderate In Il
comes. On the basis of the car hours
of operation, as our system is run
ming to-day, the increase will cost the
company about $4,000 a year AS the
volume of traffic increases. necessi-
tattns constant increase in number OF
cars and force, the increaSe will be
greater.
Work Every Day.
IT should be remembered that street
car employees may work every day in
the Year ii they wish; that they lose
no time because OF weather conditions
MS do those engaged in all kinds or
construction and other outdoor work
On the basis of tlse new scale our
older mon Will he making $3.50 per
month In their regular time, and many
mon with families make an extra trip
per day TO earn an additional hour
For what Is commonly regarded as
unskllled labor, the new
wage scale Will put our men in con
litions Of comparative comfort and en- ,
able them to live In better circu,n-
stances 1t will also put into circula-
ion In Richmond an Increased amount
II money, AS all of our men live here
md spend their money here. am !,
specially gratificd that the board
should have taken Its action at this (,
ine, The winter is the season when I,
he men especially need the increase. :
md believe that tho men and the 4
70 into the Christmas season In Eet- /
er spirit because OF the prompt ac- I