The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1913-11-20


with the men.
Attorney Mccoy, for the employees.
made brief statement to the board
concerning the willingness of the EN-
ployes to place all the men on the
stand and have them give testimony
as to their whereabouts on the night
of the riot II il was so desired. The
board agreed to assume that such
was true until proven otherwise. sg
| The attorneys for the employees
rested and Attorney Jas. Dewitt tor
the company was given charge. Nam,
ager Fl, w. Garner, of the Oskaloosa
Traction & Light Co., was called and
sworn. Nine exhibits were introduce
ed in evidence by Mr.. Garner and ex-
lplained by him to the board. Exhibit
81" Yves a printed statement in which
1.-THE company's side of the controver-
sy was presented over Mr. Gamers
signature. Exhibit 2 showed the
statistics of income ad wages in the
street railway department of the
local system for a certain portion of
the year 1913 and the ratio of wages
paid to income. The figures showed
that so per cent of the total receipts
ii
been paid out in wages, whereas the
leverage ratio in other cities was SAID
to be from Is to 80 per cent Table
I3 showed the gross earnings and the
gross wages paid in each of FIVE pre-
ceding years in the street car depart
ment and showed that while earn
| ings had increased but very little the
wages had increased in a much larg-
Ter proportion. Mr.. Garner stated
that the railway department OF the
local plant showed an increasing de-
felt every year of its operation.
Exhibit was a table showing the
financial result of granting the in
tcrease in wages proposed by the en-
ployes. Exhibit was a detailed
statement as 10 the manner in which
| the pay roll was made up In the
street car department. Exhibits .
and z showed a comparison OF the
wage scale in Oskaloosa with other
cities having similar mileage OF
tracks based upon this years Stats
tics. Exhibit was merely a more
particular statement of the statistics
given briefly in Exhibits & and Z.
Exhibit 8 was a comparative table
| Of the wages paid the employees at
the power plant with those paid In
other cities.
Cross examination consumed much
time and brought out multitude OF
| facts in regard to the policies Of the
company, negotiations between Mr..
Garner and the employees in regard
to a new working contract before
the strike, conditions at the plant
and in operation of cars since the
strike, organization of the company's
bookkeeping system, attitude of the
company towards arbitration, and
many other points.
II might be stated that Mr.. Dewitt
as attorney for the company, has
stated positively that the company
refuses to be bound by the findings
of the board Of arbitration and made
such fact known to the board before
the hearing started.
The board adjourned at 4:30 with
the understanding that Mr.. Garner
would again go on the stand and
would present statistics pertaining to
the total income and expenses, etc,
of all departments of the local Trac
ton & Light company. including
light, heat, railway, etc. The figures
submitted by him Tuesday included
only the street railway department
Of the system.
Wednesday Forenoon.
Direct and cross examination of
witnesses for both the company and
the union men was practically COM
pleted at this mornings session of
the board and closing arguments OF
OF mill
Manager II. w. Garner of the Trac-
ton Company was again recalled to
the stand when the board convened
this morning and the greater part OF
the session was occupied in cross eX-
animation of Mr.. Garner. Statistics
OF income, operating expenses, etc,
\ of all departments OF the local trac-
ton company were introduced in evil
dence by Mr.. Garner at the request of
attorneys for the employees. The ia
bles and figures introduced were la
beled Exhibits 10, IL, IL, and 12, and
retained by the board. Exhibit IA
was later introduced at the request of
the board and continued figures from
| the office of the company showing
the ratio OF apportionment OF the
power used to run the street cars to
the entire amount of power general
ed at the plant. These figures were
taken from meter readings at the
power plant by the engineer and CON-
prised a space of time from May l,
1912, to May /, 1913.
/ The many figures and statistics in
ttroduced and explained in detail by
Mr. Garner embraced all divisions
and departments of the traction COM
pany, including total receipts, oper.
ating expenses, interest paid ON
debts, etc. Briefly, they showed that
the company has made. money in the
light, heat, and power departments
Of the business, but that the street
railway department has shown a
steadily increasing deficit every year.
These figures are important and will
have much bearing on the decision
of the board The lighting and heat
ing rates charged were probed into
and explained and Mr. Garner went
into detail in showing the book-keep-
ing system of the company and the
manner Of arriving at the figures in
troduced.
A multitude of details were probed
into and brought out concerning the
manner of operating the power house,
how the business OF the company was
conducted, policies Of the company