The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-14
WORK OF F|REMEN
IS VERY PER|L0US
Pay Said Not to Be in Proportion
to Constant Risk of
Life.
HEARING IS CONTINUED
Employees Tell Arbitrators Why
They Demand Increase
in Wages.
HEARING is CONTINUED
Especial to The Times-Dispatch.l


New York. March l3.-Fifteen thou
sand men have resigned from the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Ffremen
and Engineers during the last two
years. owing to their quitting the en-
ploy of the railroads and seeking other
occupations was part OF the testimony
given to-day by Albert II. Hawley, of
Peoria, Ill. general secretary and
treasurer of the brotherhood, when
the Federal arbitration board resumed
the hearing on the dispute between the
railroads and the firemen and engine
men. 1t was also testified that the
average pay of workmen in other
trades in this city would be $3.50 for
sixteen hours continuous work which
many fremen are compelled to put in.
Daniel ". Watt, OF Peoria, Ill. ties
titled thai twenty years OF exemplary
service as fireman and engineer on
Western railroads did not entitle him
to a letter OF recommendation when
be left the company's service. Watt
said that he was at present engaged
as clerk in the Office OF the brother
hood. and that his wages were now
higher than any which he had received
while in the employ Of the railroad.
In reply TO questions put by Judge
W. L. Chambers, chairman and neutral
member of the board, the witness said
the work had been made twice as hard
for firemen during the last twenty
years, owing to the increase in the
weight OF the locomotives and the
heavier hauls. Further questioning
brought out that the increase in pay
during the same period had been only
10 per cent. The witness affirmed that
he was willing to go on oath as to
these facts.
MIR. Hawlcy testified that there had
been 1000 deaths among members OF
tho brotherhood between the years OF
1904 and 1912, and 5000 accidents in
the same time, and that the fraternal
organization had paid benefits upon
Rll of these cases MI of the deaths
on duty.
Dr.. Walter r. Cody, medical adviser
of the brotherhood. restifed that the
nature OF the fircman's work rendered
him subject to diseases OF the heart.
Kidneys. liver and nerve system. Color
blindness was often induced by the ex-
cessive heat and light. He introduced
list taken from numerous insurance
companies showing the companies re-
Sarded the ilrcmen as an extra hazard,
and that many companies would rot
Insure o freight fireman.
Miles Dawson. An expert actuary of
this city. testified that the insurance
companies lean toward the belief that
the risk on firemen is greater than in
the case of engineers
Chairman Lee. OF the conference
committee of the railroads, announced
at the opening OF the session that the
Toledo, ST. Louis and Western had sig
nified desire to withdraw from the
arbitration proceedings, because 1t
would not be able to pay any increase
TO It's hremcn and preferred to deal
with It's men alone. Judge Chambers
said the arbitration board could not
recognize the right of any road once
n party to the agreement to withdraw
Statistics compiled from the Inter-
state Commerce Commi sson showed
that in less than year nine Eastern
railroads had violated the sixteen hour
law 21,a22 times Some of these vo-
lations, it was admitted. had been due
e washouts and wrecks and were un-
avoidable.