The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-11-25
CUTS REPAIR COST
System Gives Santa Fe Big Sum,
Declares Expert.
Commerce Board Is Told OF a
Million Dollar Saving.
TVNkI II ~ N(ND II - II
WAGES AREINCREASED
Says Carriers Could
Save 81, 100000 a Day.
Care Only Requirement to Effect
Suggested Economy.


marshaled by the principal witnesses
before the interstate commerce com
mission in the fight of thu Shippers
against the proposed increases IN
freight rates.
These expert witnesses pointed out
what was accomplished upon that
railroad, and their testimony was used
as the basis of arguments as TO what
could be done in the way OF reducing
operating expenses upon other ralI.
roads by the general Introduction or
similar methods.
The array of witnesses included Vlr-
tuaIIy all the experts who have gained
prominence in the scientific manage
ment movement. including Harring-
ton Emerson, Henry F. Can't and
Charles b Going.
Points to Big Gains.
Mr.. Emerson was consulting en-
gineer of the Santa Fe from 1904 TO
1907. and during that time is said TO
have introduced scientific management
in the machine shops to the extent OF
producing gratifying results. he tes-
titled that the matter OF reducing cosCs
was not the important consideration
hut that the objects were to restore
harmonious relations between employ
er and employee to increase the pay
of good men, to improve the conditions
of the workers and to increase the ca
pacity of the shops without increasing
the equipment.
He showed how by scie.ltific man
agement the delay on engines in the
shops was reduced more than one-haiI-
The engine repair bill was reduced IN
| one year between $l'zVV'oVO anu
"By the introduction Of proper sci.
Antific management the railroads or
the United States could effect an econ
on1v of perhaps three hundred m1ll1on
dollars annually" said Mr.. Emerson
cor about one million dollars a day;
There could be large economies IN an
of the departments except the traft1c.
| Efficiency in the traffic department is
very high, and If the same degree OIL
! ef1ciency was applied to all branches
| of railroading as is applied to running
the fast express trains between chi
cago and New York, the SAM degree
of perfection would obtain. A. least
| 500 100000 of the railroads bill could
be saved annually in the labor item
Sought to Impress Economy.
Bv citing the item of fuel Mr.. En-
erson sought to impress economies he
raoards as possible. He stated that a
pound of water should be converted
into steam by the consumption of one
fifth of a pound Of coal The highest
EFFICIENCY found anywhere was one
pound of water to pound OF coz,
| while in general practice the railroads
consume anywhere from seven to nine
pounds Of coal to transform pound
of water into steam With railroads.
he said, the fuel bill was the largest
item of expense.
in, locomotives had been reduced 30
per cent on the Santa F>e system, and
he thought the cost should still further
be reduced SO per cent.
Returning to the coal item. Mr.. En-
erson spoke of the st. Paul as being
the most efficient road in the country
in the consumption of fuel having
established a record of 175 pounds pei
; thousand pounds of freight per mile
, The average for the whole country Is
: 261 pounds.
Mr. Emerson testified that he did MOI
: encounter upon the railroads or else
where any opposition from labor to the
{ introduction of scientific management
= and he cited examples and went mt
!, great detail to show why IN his Judg
. ment the bonus system was preferable
: | to the piece rate.
Gives Details of System.
Questioned by members of the com
, | mission Mr.. Emerson declared tina
scientific MANAGEMENT would qulck.
produce economies for the railroad
and at the request of the commission
- he described in detail the broa'
n methods used in applying such man
V agement. In his Judgment, however
: there is great jealousy among the rail
9 roads and the success of the system Of
V the Santa Fe so far as it was adopte
:, was no incentive to the Union Pacifi
II and other roads to adopt the sam
methods. Rather, however, they woui
+ look around to see if they could no
o find something different, the witnes
: declared.
n THE railroads collectively could cor
a | tribute to a reduction of expenses sal
, Mr. Emerson, provided the sam
G means were used by the government ft
- 4 them as is used for the farmers II
is splendid example Of the department
n agriculture should be a lesson If a
10 attempt should be made by each ind
le viduaI farmer to obtain on his ow
le account what the specialists of thu
department gather for him he could n'
- do It.
90 Ur~es Federal Help.
ST The department of agriculture co
4 lects the experience of men all over II
United States-aII over the world-ar
et places the information at the dispos
eh of the farmers who want to make III
ne of it. 1t sends out men to instruct con
BY munities to show them how the be
Il results can be obtained; 1t picks o.
e certain farms and makes models
them for the benefit of farming con
III munity. The government might do
TX much for the railroads.
IN Mr.. Emerson declared that accura
lie records were needed and an exchani
re of information among the railroads al
publication of railroad information
the government. He opposed the Id
Of that the railroads have been increa
no ing the size of engines and cars and
~ increasing the carrying capacity
trains produced a factor to cheap
, transportation all along the line.
Of Others Tell Experiences.
is. Henry r CAN'T, the consulting eng
all neer and specialist who works along
nix same lines of efficiency in manageme
es' as does Mr.. Emerson, gave similar te
So | timony as to what can be accomplis
ed by up-to-date methods and saw
reason why the railroads should L
apply them
ee. Frank B. Gilbreath of New York.
all contractor. told the commission how
nc | had increased many fold the daily VIC
CT of bricklayers by adopting new met