New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-18
.F|REMEN CLOSE WAGE
PLEA TO ARB|TRAT0RS
Reasons Why Increases Should
Not Be Granted To Be Put
In by Roads To-day.
WILL REQUIRE ONE WEEK
The Brotherhood's Statlsclan
Finds Three Leading Systems
Well Able to Pay What
the Men Demand.

The Gremen completed their case yes
terday before the arbitration board when
IS TO settle their wage controversy win
III. fiftv-four Eastern railroads. The
hearing of witnesses for the iiremen occu-
pied lust a week. The railroad man
ayers expect 10 occupy about the same
time m presenting their case
Elisha Lee. representing the managers
will to-day cross-examinc W. J. Lauck a
government expert. who was the last
witness for the firemcn before the IdI-
roads begin TO submit their reasons why
the frcmens demands should not be
granted As Mr.. Lauck presented great
mass OF statistics. including separate
tables for each road and summary oil an
taken together. to show that the freneh
had not received increases IN wages
commensurate with the increase OF reVe-
nue. OH the roads. his crosS-eNamlnatloH
is expected To take some time MI
Lauck had been on the witness stand Tor
nearly three days
Time was devoted Yesterday to the pres
cntation of reports on three representa-
tive railroads-thc Erie. the New York.
New Haven and Hartford and the Lake
Shore and Michigan Southern. Taking up
the Erie. the witness referred to its "un-
fortunate financial history. and said the
operating efficiency since the road came
under the present management has been
marvellously good.
Eric showed that in the last eleven years
G902-Isl2 the road 10y the increase of the
tractivc power Of its locomotives OF lol.S
per cent. and by advances in the capacity
of box and coal ears. had been abic 10
transport an increase Of 20 IN ton mile
age. with an increase of only "'d IN
freight train miles A. result. IN" VIII
ness said each freight fireman had III
creased his productive efficiency 800 per
cent In accomplishing this result II had
been necessary. n" said. for each fireman
to handle an increase OF -. per cent III
coal for each locomotive mile travelled.
During the period lso--l9l2. stockholders
received NOR, thau $500 M permanent
improvements. dividends and surplus for
every additional 81 coo paid to iiromcn.
The remarkable earning power oi me
Erie during recent years had been largely
due TO tho Increased productive efficiency
Of tho locomotive hromen and other trans
portatiou labor hc said. and the nrcmon
should have e larger share Of the revenue
which had arisen frim their labors
Ns tic accumulated surplus of ~" Eric
~ the present time is t,S'oi'-. il BE- ap-
parent that large advances could be
granted to the lrcmcu without iniuriug
tl. credit Of tho road or icopardizing th"
interests of tho stakeholder. tho witness
said
TIE witness reached similar conclusions
IN regard 10 tho New York. New Haven
A Hartford and tho Lake shore q MicHi-
gan Southern 1u tho case of th" latter
road tho witness figured ont a dchnit"
sum 60 f,;-which the hremcn ought T."
have mad in addition To- tho fiWN.ial paid
that class of employee ON that road dur
,ng tho fiscal year ended January y 1917.
This is am increase of 2i.n per cent.
The Sew Haven road with an accImu-
lated surplus at Si-.5,s.i,i. could we'll al
ford 20 incrcas. thu wages ot the hrcW"n.
hs said