The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-01-04
RAILROAD NEWS
Rail Line Heads Optimistic
Over 1918 Outlook.
President Nudge of Rock
Island Expects Good Times.
PUBLIC WAGE REGULATION
Nudge Also Wants Roads to
Try Safety Devices.
Other Items of Interest in the
Traffic World.

"A
and vice presidents discuss the bust
ness outlook for 1913, the question OF
the creation of a commission to reSu-
late the wages of railway employees,
the methods that should be adopted to
increase the safety of railway trans
portation, and the question of the ade-
quacy of railway facilities in state
ments which they have given to the
Railway Age Gazette.
Most of the railway officers express
optimism regarding the business out
look for the railways in the calendar
year 1912. w. c. Brown, president OF
the New York Central lines, says;
At regard as very good the business
prospects of the railways for the year
1871 B. L. Winchell, president of the
Frisco lines, thinks the tonnage IN
sight and the momentum of business
will carry the railways along to the
close of the present fiscal year, that is,
until June 30 next Conditions there
AFTER says Mr.. Winchell, will some
what depend upon the outturn, or the
prospects for the 1913 crops. But with
normal crop conditions the entire cal
endar year 1913 ought to be good
Julius Kruttschnitt, director of main
tenance and operation of the Union
Pacific and Southern Pacific says:
Business is good at the present time;
conditions are good, but it is difficult
to forecast business conditions for the
entire calendar year 1913" H U.
Nudge, president of the Rock Island
Lines, says that business VIII certain
Nv be good unless the activities of the
new congress should be such as to
brighten those engaged in industrial
deveIopment.' George w. stevens,
president of the Chesapeake & Ohio;
George T. Nicholson, vice president OF
the Santa Fe; ]. F. Holden, vice pres1-
dent of the Kansas City Southern; L.
of
Western: all spoke hopefully. w. A
Garrett, vice president of the Chicago
Great Western; w. l.. Park, vice pres
ident of the Illinois Central; +. j.
Pearson. vice president of the Missouri
Pacific: ]. Ross Clark. vice president,
San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake;
all think the business prospects are
good, but believe that developments
will depend largely on what is done by
congress and the state legislatures.
Settle Wage Controversies.
Most of the railway officers favor
the recommendation made by the board
of arbitration that settled the wage
controversy between the eastern rail-
ways and their enginemen in favor of
public regulation of the wages and
working conditions of railway en-
ployees President Harrison of the
Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville,
President Underwood of the Erie,
President Brown of the New York Cen
trail President Johnson of the Nor
folk & Western, President Winchell of
the Frisco, Director of Maintenance
and Operation Kruttschnitt of the
Hartman Lines, Receiver Delano of
the Wabash, Vice-President Park of the
San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake,
all express the view that some form
of public regulation of the relations of
the railways and their employees is
necessary to prevent strikes, and there
I1x- he inf n
the employees and the public. Messrs.
Harrison, Nudge, Park and some others
favor regulation of wages by the Inter
state Commerce Commission rather
than by an independent board Mr..
Nudge says: My own view is that the
same commission that regulates the
freight and passenger rates should also
have a hand in settling these demands
for increased compensation on the part
of employees. / do not think that it
is necessary that this arbitration
should be compulsory, as l believe
neither side would refuse to abide by. a
decision of such a beard One of the
most interesting of the questions dis
cussed by the contributors to the SYM
postum is what means should be adopt
ed by railway and public authorities
and railway employees to reduce rail-
way accidents. President Nudge of the
Rock Island Lines, says: The action
meeded to reduce railway accidents is,
ON the part of the railways, to provide
all the tried safety devices that their
income will permit; to keep this mat
ter of safety before the employees con-
tinuously in such way that they will
recognize it's Importance to themselves
as well as to the public. On the part
of public authorities, less detail legis-
lation along lines of increasing ex-
penses by additional men on trains and
by various devices which do not in
crease safety. but leaving all of these
details of operation to such public COM
mission as may be authorized to handle
it. thus putting the matter in the hands
of those whose business it is to in