The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-01
Santa Fe Gives 10 Per Cent
Raise as Surprise.
All Receiving Less Than $50 a
Month Are Affected.
OVER ENTIRE SYSTEM.
Employees Along 5000 Miles of
Lines Made Happy.
Over 500 People in Topeka on
New Pay Schedule.


Thousands of employees all along the
lines of the Santa Fe from Chicago to
the Pacific coast. from Colorado to the
Gulf are happy today. The paychecks
given out by the sAtchison. Topeka &
Santa Fe this evening to all of the en-
ployes receiving less than $50 a month
will have on their. face a 10 per cent
increase. In other swords-every person
working for the Santa Fe who is paid
by the month and who is not in an
agreement with the road for certain
ages and who receives not more than
$50 month will have 10 per cent
raise.
Saturday evening the State Journal
sent forth the announcement that all
of the general office clerks in Topeka
were to receive a 10 per cent increase.
This fact was denied by the officials
at that time but the paychecks given
cut by the Santa Fe today will not only
verify this story bLi- tney will cover the
entire Santa Fe system.
This increase pf 10 per cent in salary
comes as a complete surprise to the en-
ployes of the Santa F'e living and work
ing outside of Topeka 1t was the in
grant this raise in salary and spring it
as a surprise to the thousands of men
along their 5000 miles of lines across
he country.
Increase in Cost of Living.
The announcement made by the State
Journal Saturday night to the effect
that the raise would affect the Topeka
clerks was denied by the officials in this
city for that reason. 1t was the inten-
tion of the road to make their gift in
the form of the monthly paycheck.
But there are thousands of employees
have not heard a word of the contem-
plated raise and their hearts will be
made happy when they receive their
checks TO-DAY.
Realizing that the cost of living has
been greatly increased in the last few
years, that a dollar today does not mean
as much as It did a short time ago and
that the great organization of working
forces on the SantasEfe are accomplish
ing excellent and efficient work, the
head officials have made this salary
raise
None of the employees affected by the
raise have asked the Santa Fe for the
increase. This gift comes voluntarily
from the company and comes as a
token of good will and appreciation
from the railroad that has been spend
ing millions of dollars building hos
pitfalls, reading rooms, and creating
bonus and instruction systems for the
benefit of its employees. There have
been no requests from the employees for
a raise, no one has complained to the
road of meager salaries. The Santa
Fe placed itself in the position of the
employe of the future and acted ac-.
cOrdingly.
1t is hard to tell at this time just
what the increase will cost the conf
pany every year. It is q, safe estimate
to say that to the Topeka pay roll alone
the road will add over 100000 every
year, as 800 or more employees are af-
fected. Taking all of the employees
along the 5000 miles Of lines and
glance or an estimate will show that
the treasury department will turn over
many hundred thousand dollars to the
employees in addition to the former
amounts.
Affects All Classes.
The increase affects almost every
class of labor on the Santa Fe. The
office clerks, the trackmen, the section
foremen, the telegraph operators, the
station agents, ticket sellers,-in fact,
every person who is working for the
road, who does not have a union agree
ment and who does not work by the
day, and who has been receiving less
than $50 a month.
The scheme is exactly as mentioned
in the State Journal the other evening.
The increase will not amount to more
than $50. If a man receives SIS a
month his raise will only equal SSO If
he receives $40 a month the raise will
mean SIT; $50 a month will mean s66;
and so on down the line. This raise
will also mean much to the clerks and
those working under the bonus sys-
TENS.
Those receiving their checks on the
first of the month will get the raise to-
day. Those who get their checks on
the fifteenth of the month will get the
raise at that time. All of the increase
has been dated from the last pay day.
Yes, emphatically yes-there are thou
sands of happy employees working for
TNo