New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-19
RAILROAD BOARD HEARS
WOES OF CONDUCTORS
Employees Tell of the Many Re.
SponSibiIitieS Resting
Upon Them.
NORTH HAVEN WRECK CITED
Assertion Made That Men Of
More than 38 Years Find
Great Difficulty in OBJ
tanning Work.

| The board of arbitra ton in the demands
of the trainmen and conductors in the
railroads in Eastern territory began yes
| terday at the Manhattan Hotel, with Mar
| tin Degnan, a conductor on a division OF
the Delaware & Hudson road, who testl-
fled Wednesday on the stand. After he
had testified as TO the increase Of ton
mage and other matters, Elisha Lee. chair
man OF the conference committee of the
railroads, started a discussion by asking
the witness what effect, in his opinion
the granting OF the trainmen's demands
would have on the wage schedules OF the
roads.
Both A. b. Garrettson and w g. Lee
representing the conductors and trainmen
respectively, objected TO the question.
II cannot see," said Mr.. Garrettson,
C"what value an answer to this question
from the witness defining the collective
| results on all the railroads involved In the
requests would be. coming from an en-
| ploye Of the Delaware e. Hudson road In
case as a result OF the arbitration the re-
quests were not granted the answer might
| be later used against the employees Of this
| road by It's officials see no reason why
the witness should be asked this ques-
ton"
After debate the matter was dropped
the witness saying he was unable 10 give
| definite answer. Garrettson then re-
ferred to the indictment Of one Of the
conductors at the North Haven wreck.
| He said that II was because he was held
responsible for he negligence OF some OF
| his subordinates that he was held TO be
| indictable.
| Degnan, when examined by Garrettson.
said that the conductors by the rules OF
the road we're held responsible for two
different positions at the one time. In
many cases. the witness SAID. the conduc-
! tor has TO send man TO the front and a
man TO the rear Of a train. Besides this
he has other matters 10 attend 10.
G. +. Gbboney, A conductor on the
! Cresson division Of the Pennsylvania
Railroad, was the next witness. He said
| he was a conductor for eleven years, and
UP TO 1911 was on a mine run. He was
| now on a local freight run. He said. on
examination. that there was a constant
increase in engines on freight runs.
When cross-examined by Elisha Lee he
said that freight orders were often taken
by telephone. and this method Of taking
| freight orders was on the increase. Asked
what effect this had on the service, the
witness said We'll, It helps out both
sides
This answer was not what the repre-
sentatives OF the trainmen and conductors
expected He was asked about II, but
had no other answer.
During the cross-examination the wit
ness said the present wages on some o.
the runs were 50 SO a day. Elisha Lee
went over the demands. and asked the
witness several more questions after
which Mr. Lee. who had been making
calculations. announced that. based on
the demands. which included an increase
from 50 SO 10 siS a day on a train with
one engine the men on these runs, II
the demands were granted. would be paid
81 % day on a train with two engines
and 50 IS a day on trains with more than
two engines. This was exclusive OF over
time. he said 4 discussion followed. but
Mr. Lee referred every one who doubted
| 10 the demands.
| Martin n. Greer. a conductor on the
| Newcastle division OF the Baltimore
Ohio Railroad. was the next and last
witness for the day. He had eleven years
experience as a freight conductor. he
said, and had been seventeen years in
the railroad service. According to the
witness. he was liable 10 arrest and
fine any time his train blocked a crossing.
He knew Of only one case in which the
railroad paid the fine.
Greer said that a conductor OF more
than thirty-eight would find great DIM
Guilty in getting employment II he should,
be out OF work Elisha Lee. on behalf OF
the roads, read from Baltimore & Ohio
book OF rules that conductors from
twenty-four TO forty were eligible for en-
ployment.