Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-05-01
Managers of Roads Re-
fuse Demands of Two
of Orders.
CAN'T BEAR THE BURDEN
Claimed Expenses Are Excessive
and Permission Is Asked
to Increase Rates.

New York, May 1.-The conference
committee of managers of eastern rail-
roads declined today to grant requests
of conductors and trainmen for higher
wages. The committees, in reply to
the Order of Railway Conductors and
Brotherhood of Trainmen. says the
present wages are liberal, In many
cases excessive, and the requested in
crease is declined '-in the interest of
owners of railroad securities. In the
interest of all railroad employees, in
the interests Of the public as a whole"
WOULD ADD HILLIoNS.
THE wages and working condition
you request says the reply, would
increase the pay of 109, 900 trainmen
and conductors on railroads in the east
ern district approximately seventeen
million per annum- Ii the railroads
are forced to pay extravagant wages,
the burden must fall on the public
Already the traffic of our growing
country has overtaxed existing facili-
ties, and heavy burdens incurred
through illadvised legislation, such as
eXtra-crew bills-for which the Broth
erbood Of Trainmen is alone respon-
sible-have forced on railroads, and
consequently on the public, needless
expenditures Of millions annually
The conductors and trainmen's COM
mittee went into conference to con-
slider what further action should be
taken
ASK FREIGHT IHCRKAsE.
Railroads in the eastern territory
tjhayS-decidel to ask the interstate
commerce commission to a iow a five
per cent increase on fri fight of all
character, according to I statement
today issued by President Willard of
the Baltimore & Ohio. Wizard is head
of committee of railway presidents
representing the principal lines east
of Chicago and north of the Ohio
river.
STORf1 EMPLOYES STRIKE
| Buffalo, N. Y, May 1.-Over $500
department store employees involving
every store of its kind in the city, went
on strike this morning for increased
wages and shorter hours. Employees
of hardware stores and five and ten
cent stores participated and the de-
livery system was tied up. The mini
mum demands are SO for woNen
clerks, $S for boys and $18 for drivers
and chauffeurs. They also demand an
eight-hour day, Saturday half holiday
at full pay in June, July, August and
September and the closing of stores
at o'clock each evening. The pres
ent average wage of girl clerks is 50.
THOUSANDS ON PARADE.
| New York, May 1.-Parades and
mass meetings of workers and social
ist organizations in various parts Of
the city marked the first of May. In a
big parade downtown were several
thousand garment workerS, miscel-
laneous division of cigaret makers,
mineral water workers, Teddy Bear"
makers and others. More than 10000
women were in the line, all in white
dresses and red sashes.
Seven hundred laborers on the Long
Island railroad in the borough of
Queens, struck this morning. They
threw stones at mounted police, who
fired, wounding two men. Two police
men were hurt
BUILDING OPERATIONS STOP.
Syracuse, N Y, May building
operations were tied up today by a
strike of 1000 hodcarriers and build
ing laborers and 500 carpenters, who
ask an increase in wages. All Italian
lahorers employed by the city struck.
COAL HANDLERS RAISED.
Superior, Wis, May Twelve hun
dred coal handlers on the Superior
docks were given an increase of 21s
cents an hour