The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-11-25
Engineers of East Win Partial
Victory in Wage Fight.
Board of Arbitration FavOrs
$4,000 Engine Drivers.
SETTLES A SERIOUS DISPUTE
Most Important Wage Trouble
Since Strike in 1902.
Other Items of Interest in the
Traffic World.

Washington, Nov. 25.-An award
that is. considered a partial victory for
the $4,000 locomotive engineers in
their controversy, began last January,
with the fifty-two railways operating
in the territory east of Chicago and
north of Norfolk and Cincinnati, was
announced here today by the board OF
arbitration which investigated the
questions at issue. 1t grants certain
increased compensation and improved
and uniform rules of service requested
by the engineers, but holds that a gen
eraI increase of wages on all roads is
not warranted upon the basis of the
evidence presented
The board found that on some roads
and for certain classes of service, the
compensation was, too small and there
fore introduced into. the award the
principle of a minimum wage for the
entire district. The award, which
dates back TO May 1, last, and will
stand for one year, settles the most
important labor dispute submitted to
arbitration since the anthracite coal
strike in 1902.
In its report. the board suggests
the creation of federal and state wage
commissions, which shall exercise
functions regarding labor, engaged
upon public utilities analogous to those
exercised with regard to capital by the
public service commissions already in
existence The representative of the
engineers on the DodTu, Z H. MoI-
rissey. dissented from this suggestion
which. he said, in its effect virtually
meant compulsory arbitration, and
was wholly impracticable
More Important Requests.
Following are the more important
of the boards awards and the requests
of the engineers:
In passenger service, minimum
wage was granted of $4.25 for 100
miles or less, and an overtime rate of
so cents per hour with an average
speed of 20 miles an hour. The en-
gineers asked $4.40 and $3.50 per day
of 100 miles, according to the size of
the locomotive cylinder, with an over
time rate of 70 cents per hour after
five hours. -
In through freight service, a mini-
mum was granted of $4.75 per day of
100 miles or less, with overtime pro
rata after ten hours. The engineers
requested rates of $5.25, $3.50 and
1915 per day of 100. miles, according
to the engine, and 81 for Mallett en-
gines; the same rates to apply to mine
runs work, wreck, helper or puSher,
milk or circus trains.
In local freight service, 25 cents
additional to the through freight rates
was granted. This met the full re-
quest of the engineers
In switching service, q minimum of
$40 per day of ten hours or less was
granted. The engineers asked $3.50
per day OF ten hours III SWITCHING SGIN-
ice and for belt line service.
All existing rates higher than the
minimum granted by the board are
continued in force.
In fixing the minimum wage in pas
senger service at 1925 per day, a /
higher minimum rate is established
for the roads parties to the arbitra-
ton with the exception of a few.
In awarding the minimum through
freight rate of $4.75 per day, the
board establishes wages for the dis
trict that measurably approach the
current minimum of roads now paying
the better rates. E 7t-
In making the rate for local freight
service 25 cents higher than through
freight service, general increase of
compensation is granted. @1H-.r
The effect of the 20-mfle-per-hour Z
basis of computing overtime in the |
passenger service, the rules regarding
final terminal delay, and other
changes in the rules of service. are all :
more favorable to the engineers than i
existing rules upon many of the roads. |
Difficulty of Arbitration.
The problem before the board of
arbitra ton was one of such difficulty |
that it became nee ssary. before an
award was made for the hoard to con- /
slider the principles which should OBJ /
tain. The facts upon which it reached |