The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-03-15
FIREMEN ARE
POORLY PAID
According to the Statement of
Members Before the Tribunal
Yesterday.

NEW YORK, March 14.-Railroad
hremen have not received their
proper share In revenue gains OF the
eastern railroads during the past ten
years. according to the statement OF
w. j. Lauck. OF Washington. a sta
tistician formerly employed by the
United States tariff board, testifying
today for the firemen before the
arbitration board in the dispute over
the mems demands for increased pay
and better working conditions.
Mr.. Lauck presented figures to sub
stantiate his statements. On the
basis OF these he declared:
The exceedingly large share which
stockholders have received from the
railroads during recent years. as COM
pared with wage payments to locomo-
tive firemen. could be given increased
rates of remuneration without inter-
ference with the returns to capital
invested in the properties or preju-
dice in any way the interests OF the
stockholders"
The accuracy of Mr.. Lauck's COM
putations was questioned by the rail-
roads representatives at the hearing
With the assistance of mathemati-
the increase in earnings of the roads.
compared them with the cost OF oper.
patton and summed up his testimony
with a revised statement.
During the past eleven years" he
said. the transportation companies
represented in the present proceedings
| by an Increase in the traction power
OF their engines Of l2O.69 per cent have
been able TO increase the weight ot
the average freight train loads 35Ig
per cent and 10 transport an increase
OF G2S per cent in mileage. with an
increase or only 1886 per cent in
| freight train miles. As a result Of
this remarkable development. each
| freight train fireman has Increased
his productive efficiency In terms O.
transportation units or tons miles $3.50
per cent. To accomplish this result
however. 1t was necessary for each
hrcfnan 10 handle an increase OF coal
used 32.67 per cent.
Large gains in revenue were Sc
cured by these transportation COM
IGnieS as "a result Of Increase in pro-
| ductiNe efficiency OF firemcn and other
I transportation labor. During the past
! fiscal year s63T.i37 has been added 20
wage payments Of freight train fire.
/ men with gain OF freight revenue OF
/ 263.320. $50
9 'pn the basis of revenue train
miles. the cost of firemen has advanc-
I ed only - hUndrcths OF one per cen,
curing the past fiscal year. while there
4 was gain of transportation revenue
: OF ten cents or expressed in other
terms FOR each additional 81 900 paid
J for men. there was proportionately an
I incT' asrd revenue yield of $4,000 per
/ revenue train mile. During the past
i eleven years the outlay for IOcOmotiN c
! fre.ncn per revenue train mile has in
B creased only t.9J cents as compared
! with gain Of 50 cents In transpor-
tatt'n revenue. The transportation
/ revenue gain since the year 1907 on
/ these roads has ben approximately -
! times the rise in cost Of iircmcn per
2 revenue train mile"
The witness said his statistical in.
Z quiry into the subject had cost, with
! the force of clerks he had been com.
/ PEELED 10 employ. something like S.
. 600. and had been in progress since
! May J. 1912. sHe had taken the sworn
/ statement to the interstate commerce
{ commission OF the railroads in the
/ controversy as the basis Of his study.
/ In the discussion over the testimony
! W. l. Chambers. chairman OF the ar.
+ bitration board. declared that II the
/ board reached the conclusion that the
/, L,flrcmen were entitled TO an increase
Yof pay II would be granted whether
the railroads were paying a dividend
or not.
As for, the Toledo. 81. Louis and
I Western railroad. which had expressed
a desire 10 withdraw from the arbitra-
3 tion. Judge Chambers said it's with.
/ drawal would not be allowed II II
| were allowed for one road. there was
I no reason Why all the roads should
not withdraw, or the brotherhood OF
! iiremen. II they thought the award
was TO be against them.