New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-18
F|RENEN GET ANSWER
Railroads Will Accept Demands
if Modified.
NEGOTIATIONS TO CONTINUE
Objection to Employees Request
Is Based on Suggested
Two Men Rule.

After conferences lasting through many
weeks. at irregular intervals, between
committees Of the Eastern railroads and
the hremen. at the Engineering Societies
Building, a reply to the demands Of the
flrcmen was made yesterday I'm behalf Of
the railroads which is so worded that II
gives the hope Of further negotiations.
If certain demands are waived there may
be concessions by the roads.
The reply was in the form Of letter
from Elisha Lee, chairman Of the man
ayers committee Of the railroads 1t was
addressed to W. :. Carter president Of
the Brotherhood OF Locomotive Firemen
and Enginemen, who has been acting as
spokesman for the fremen's committee
known as the adjustment committee OF
hfty-two. representing the frcmen on the
hfty-two Eastern railroads involved in the
demands
In the letter the first demands OF the
fremeu and their modified demands maze
later are reviewed and MI Lee empha-
sises the statements already made on be
half of the railroads that while the oriSl-
nal demands would have added s2OSco"
annually 20 the running expenses Of the
roads the modified demands Instead OF
as Mr. Carter contcnded reducing the IN
crease to 100000 annually would only
bring II down to an increase OF $lo'l5''V'o
annually or an increase OF 56 per cent on
the present wages OF the iremen. 1t CON
tiuucs
The conference committee Of managers
have carefully considered your eNpldh"
lions and arguments with reference "
yOur PROPOSALS for q revision or the pdsI'
of pav and regulations. governing the hre-
men on railroads in the Eastern tcIIl'OI! .
and / have been instructed 10 say 10 YOU
that many features OF Your requests SttIl
10 he susceptible Of satisfactory solution
and agreement. that the request involv-
Ing the establishment Of uniform IuIe
requiring two regular firemen upon ever!
engine carrying weight upon us III
ers equal 10 or greater than speclHcu
minimum. with train or without III ON M
than passenger or ward service. or wv"
regular dremeu on a class OF hshtcI en-
CINE making I'm excess of lp miles - u.l-
reasonable and involves expenses not con-
templatcd in your request
The letter then says that it IS rccog-
nized by the conference committee OF the
railroads regarding the demand for eN-
ira frcmen on the larger engines that
under certain conditions fremen should
have assistance. and I'm many cases the
Eastern railroads are giving it. IT SAYS.
however. that on account Of the vide
variations Of conditions on the roads in
divlGuaHy in parts it is not possible TO
formulate any just and equitable rule
based on a single factor It's summary
is as follows.
In 10 case should an cmpioye iu any
class Of service be expected or permitted
10 perform service which Will require
excessive physical effort, and the cues
ton OF providing assistance should ne
decided only after careful STUDY OF
conditions surrounding Individual runs
In Justice to YOU and your associates,
az well as the employee and the ROADS
represented. the committee feels thal,
after having heard and considered your
request that two tremen be placed upon
engines Of "a weight upon drivers equal
10 or greater than q specified minimum
practically regardless or conditions, YOU
should be advised that the conference
committee Of managers cannot accept
this proposition. but II YOU are "llllns
TO waive this feature of your requests
the conference committee Is prepared 10
settle the working conditions rotardlhs
terminal delay, overtime. time heId AZ
other than home terminals. etc. on the
same basis as laid down IN the award
Of the recent engineers. arbitration ana
10 consider an increase OF existing rates
In some instances
The members of the hremeus COM
mittee would not talk on the letter after
yesterdays meeting. but It was stated
on behalf Of both sides that the firemen
would take the matter up and bring an
answer TO the letter 20 another confer
encc with the committee Of he railroads
to-day Mr. Carter representing the
fremen. said. we viii have nothing 10
say until Tomorrow
lie appeared 10 be in fairly good
spirits. as did also the other members or
his committee II is though that the
conference to-day will determine wheth-
,r or not there will be a peaceahle settle
mCUf