The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-02-07
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Mnnt Move pelnwnrc shops.
(From Delaware GazettoD

continued in Delaware at no loWer
basis than they have reached at pres
cnt, and in all probability with lar-
ger force of employees added IN the
near future, was the encouraging news
given out at the Commercial Clup
Monday evening in the report OF
Messrs. w. A. Wilson and e. Po'-
lock, who as a committee from the
club, recently paid a visit to General
Manager Van Wrinkle, of the Biz
-Four at Cincinnati where they re-
ceived at first hand news of the po'-
ley to he pursued by the road IN
regard to the shops In this city. At
present there are over sixty men at
work in the shops here.
The committee was further given
dc finite assurance that Delaware was
net to cease to be a division freight
terminal, which means that sixteen
freight crews OF five men each. VIII
continue to make their runs out of
this city, where all Of them now re-
eide with their families.
The two members of the c.ub
were kindly received by Mr.. Van
Wrinkle, who granted them an audi
ehce of several hours on Monday aft
ernoon of last week. at which time
he went carefully with them in all
phases OF the recent concentration
plans of the Big -Four system, re-
garding the new shops at Beech Grove.
Mr.. Van Wrinkle started with the con-
sclidation of the eight branches Of
the system in 1899. Each of the di-
visions at that time and until re-
Gently has maintained its division
shops Many of the shops. as the
one here, had been in operation for
years and were so antiquated that 1t
was impossible to properly handle the
new mammoth equipment now used
by the railroads. A committee was
named to investigate the conditions
and make recommendations. This
committee found that It would be nee
essary to practically rebuild each of
the eight shops, that an even greater
expense would be involved than in
building an altoghether modern CEN
tial shop at Beech Grove, which was
found TO be the most central point for
the eight divisions. TIE committee was
given an intelligent description of the
mammoth shops there and how the
heavy work can be done there to the
best advantage. AS one example Mr..
Van Wrinkle stated they had a crane
in the new shops which would bodily
lift the heaviest engine the road owns
and deposit it at any desired point in
the shops
rf-t. - 4
for running and light repairs This
Is the positive statement of the gener-
al manager of the ROAD. at present
the force Of men employed are work.
ing full time and In addition doing
much night and Sunday work. For
This work they are paid time and a
half, fact that leads to the general
conclusion that the force will soon
he increased rather than to continue
the payment of the extra time wages.
Mr.. Van Wrinkle did not make the
statement that the force would be in
creased but to the layman It would
seem that in the end this course will
Ia all probability he taken.
Regarding the keeping of the dl-
vision terminals here, Mr.. Van Win
kle stated that II was true change
had been considered. running trains
f. ON Springfield through to Gallon via
Of Bellefontline. However, he stated
experiments had shown the plan not
al all feasible. The route in the first
place, was found to be 10 miles long
er. In the second place, the grade be-
tween Springfield and Bellefontaine
was found tc he much heavier than
that between Delaware and Gallon,
and that shorter trains
would be necessary. you may state
&c the members OF your club" said
Mr.. Van Wrinkle, in closing, that so
long as | am I'm charge OF the general
m1nagershlp of the road, the freight
terminals will remain at Delaware"