The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-08-19
Than to Similar Workers in Any
Other Country.
PUBLIC ALSO FAVORED
Lower Rates and Better Accom-
mOdatiens in America.
Other Items Of General Interest
in Traffic World.

.r,TIo[-ees of the Kansas City Southern
an idea of the superiority OF american
railroads over those or EurOpean n
lions and to show the vastly hghel
wages and salaries as well as 1ile "a oe oe
ter working conditions on TINS sue -
the Atlantic, is the purpose OF a pun
lici4v bulletin issued by j. f. Holden
vice president of that road. "A IS"
months ago Mr.. Holden started pun
1fci4v can1paign among the employees
- his railroad. Since then he has
visited Europe and the present puuetlh
Is the result of his observations
abroad. s 70
'In the general managers office OIL
the North British railroad, the Dul-
1atin saws. Il inquired as to the cost
cf their coal cars. These cars are SIM
far to the cars in this country III FORM FORM
only, as they carry but seven tons, nave
fo,,r wheels. no automatic coupler nor
brakes other than brake operate1
with a side lever when can ne oPSl
ated only by a man standlhg on ttle
ground, and which Is USED 10 gloe -, LIZ
car when it is standing on she uacEN,
I was told that the price OF these cars
7,,as annroxirnately 40 pounds, or in our
money. 5000 each-not as much as we
nav in this country for trucks alone
Engineers Poorly Paid.
..7 talked with the engineer on
e. 4-ofn uDon which I rode 60 miles,
tbe running time being an hour an
tvventv-fve minutes, who told me thaI
he ran $500 miles every mont ls anu -
ceived 2O8 shillings or $52 monlA' anU
mat he worked every day except sun
dav Another long run from London To
CarlfsIe and return, 29S miles each way,
is made by the engineers on Il ldse
train every other day, or ttteen times
per month, making S'VOV ms ~, -
month per engineer, for Whlch the PaS
IS 24O shinings, or $50 per month Pas
eanoar guards or conductors, recelYe
four shiilings. or 81 per day, and freight
guards 5 1-3 shillings or Sl-5o Gay
When I inquired the reason for THIS
difference in wages, I was told that
passenger conductors receive ups from
passengers; and I learned that these
fins run from to Is pence, ana that
the1y were given for little attentions III
handing out hand bags and calling por-
tiers.
in all nv travels, and on the Cont
nent was compelled to pay extra for all
I1a gage beyond 8 hand bag, and never
did find these first class cars any
more comfortable than our ordinary
coaches. OF. chair cars. There are other
classes Of travel, namely: Second
class. which figures about three cents
per mile; third class, which figures
about two cents per mile, and fourth
class. which figures about one cent per
mile.
'"The first. second and third class
commandments are generally found In
the same car-the first class compart-
uents having red plush seats, accom-
modating six people; the second class
compartments having different colored
plush seats, accommodating eight peo-
pie The third class compartments
have only wooden seats and are sup
posed to accommodate as many as can
pile in, and the fourth class are simply
wooden cars, without any seats, and
are used for very cheap travel 1 saw
hundreds of people travelling thlrd
class, and some well dressed people at
that. some of whom seemed to be
Americans, who would not tolerate
such accommodations at home.
Americans Fortunate.
"A great many Of the people who are
crying out against the railroads in
this country ought to travel abroad,
and learn to thank heaven that they do
not have to stay there; and the men
engaged in the railroad service in this
country ought to thank heaven that
their lot is cast in a country where
prOgressiveness, enlarged facilities and
consequently better wages is the idea,
and not stagnation and starvation.
why do I tell all of this? Simply
for two reasons-frst to show our own
men the difference between the wages
at home and those paid abroad and
second, to show the progressiveness Of
the railroad owners and managers of
the United States, who have far forged
ahead of the owners and managers
abroad in providing the necessary
tools. namely, big engines, big cars,
heavy rails, etc. whereby the men
employed to handle trains can earn d
greater wage than the same employ
ment permits in England, France or
Germany.
ct does seem to me that a littla
graft ude on the part of the employees
of the railroads for these conditions
would not be amiss showing itself in
loyalty to their employers by giving
the best railroad possible, and doing
what they can to silence the man who
is always agitating against the rail-
roads for his own particular benefit"