Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-09-13
THE ENGINEERS
Reply TO New Haven's Pro-
posed Change Of Rules.
Objects 10 Abolishing Seniority
Rule and Change in DIsci pline.
Suggests That Conditions Prior to
1911 Were Safe and Sane.


New Haven, CT, Sept. 12-At the re-
quest of General Manager C. l.. Bardo
of the New York, New Haven & Hart
ford Railroad, at the close of the con-
ferences with the committee of the
Brotherhood of Engineers over pro-
posed changes in rules governing en-
gineers upon the SYSTEM the commit
tee has submitted reply in writing.
chairman F. S. Evans of the engineers
committee in his reply TO Mr. Bardo's
proposal to abolish the seniority rule
| of advancement says
Why does not the New Haven go
back to the conditions prior to the
fall of 1911 without attempting such
radical changes in relation to its en-
| gineers? Under the same rules of op-
Grafton, the New Haven from 1901 to
ISL was as safe as any in the coun-
| try. The present seniority rule was
made, in 1901. The personnel of the
| engineers is virtually the same, today,
as Immediately prior to 1911. For eight
years or Whereabouts the New Haven
was operated safely. 1t carried more
than five hundred million persons with
OliE one fatality.
I'm the fall of 1911, came a change.
Henry J. Horn, who succeeded S. Hig-
gins as general manager, at once or
dered that engineer make time Time
must be made" the order read If an
engineer was a minute late he was
lacked up. The first time his engine
ran by a signal the engineer was sum-
marily dismissed. The ambition was
to make a record of trains on time
over any railroad in the country. The
orders put out, in the fall of 1911, made
New Haven travel unsafe and de-
moralized the esprit de corps"
As to the proposed change from the
practical to the scientific" test of
vision. Mr.. Evans points to the record
prior to 1911 of the engineers of the
Road.
Objection is made to a change in
| the discipline of the Road. The COM
mittee points out that it wants the
right of appeal at any time from the
decision of division superintendent
| and the mechanical superintendent.
The reply on this point says:
The rights of the engineers have
progressed too far to give almost UNI
limited power to division or mechan-
ical superintendent"
The New Haven Road through Mr..
Bardo had sent to the engineers COM
mittee a letter containing a draft of
proposed changes in accord with the
recommendations of the Interstate
Commerce Commission for immediate
establishment of safer and more eff
ficient operation" and of the Public
Utilities Commission prescribing ply
steal examinations and other tests,
The present stage of negotiations was
preceded by five personal conferences
which the firemer We're represented as
we'll as the engineers.
The propositions which the New Ha-
ven placed before the engineers COM
| mittee, included in place of the pres
| ent seniority rule, one providing that
preference in runs shall be based on
seniority combined with fitness. abil-
| ity and previous service The assign
merit of engineers to passenger runs
| is under the rule proposed by General
| Manager Bardo, on Feb 10, hast, and
| adopted as follows:
mo engineer who has less than one
years roster rating as an engineer
| shall be allowed to run through pass
| senger trains
| Other changes would call for phyl
| steal and visual tests, discipline and
| enforcement of rules patterned after
those in use on the New York Central
/ Railroad
| The company proposes to make tho
| mechanical and division superintendent
| Jointly responsible for disciplinez and
| enforcement of rules. The decision OF
| either Of these superintendent will be
final except in the case of dismissal.
An order for dismissal of an ensf-
neer may be appealed The. proee dure
will be as follows:
| "A committee of the men and the
| superintendent concerned WIFI file a
| statement of facts with the general
manager. He will say wheth er an APP
peal should be allowed or not If al
| lowed the facts will be presented to q
| committee of three"
| In laying before the engineers its
| draft of rules, the company says its
| sole desire is safety and that there is
no wish to withdraw from the service
any man physically fit and qualified by
experience. 1t has no desire to inter-
fere with seniority unless questions OF
| fitness, ability and previous service are
| involved.
The frost has destroyed over S40.-
/ 900 worth of sweet corn in the vicn-
/ ity of E'ryeburg. 1t was all ready Tor
| the factory. The loss is most seri-
Gus one to farmers whose corn cron