The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-01-22
OPERATORS SEEK
HIG HER WAGES
Telegraphers of Three Roads, in
Secret Session, Frame
United Demand.
STRIKE VOTE ON SOUTHERN
Organization Leaders Engaged
in Gathering Ballot on
Wage Increase Issue.

Executive officers OF the railway
1 telegraphcrs organizations of the Chesa-
peal5e and Ohio. Scaboard, and South
ern Railways met j.. secret conference
at Murphys Hotel yesterday afternoon
10 discuss genera, plan OF action
having for its object the securing. from
their respective roads. of a general inn
provcmcnt i'm working conditions and
an increase in wages averaging 20 per
cent.
The conference was attended by the
tclcgraDhers' committee Of the Chcsa-
peake and ONO Railway. headed by
General Chairman l.. r. Hicks. which
has been holding daily conferences in
this city with r. w. Grice. assistant TO
Fourth Vice President NJ. J. Caples. in
the interest OF a general wage increase
With this committee there met J. J.
Dermody, of Cincinnati. fourth vice
president of tho National Order OF
Railroad Photographers; III. @. Alex
ander Of Washington. general chair
man of tho order OF Railway Tele-
grapbers. of the Southern Railway. and
d Nav. OF Portsmouth. general chair
man Of the order of Railway Tcle-
graphers of the Scaboard Air Line
Railway.
Confer Behind Closed Doors.
ecutive session behind closed doors.
and none of those present was willing
last night 20 make an official statement
with regard TO the action taken. II
was admitted however. that the con
ference was III the interest Of the tele-
graphers of the three roads and had 20
do particularly with a proposed united
demand for d general increase in wages
For the past week daily conferences
boil ksa@
graphers' committee Of the Chesapeake
and Ohio and officers OF the road with a
view of arriving upon d compromise
solution of the demands The teie-
graphers Of this road ask for an in
crease of 10 per cent Similar con-
ferences last year with like demand
resulted in a compromise on the basis
of a per cent increase and certain con-
cessions in the way of improved work
ing conditions
Strike Vote on Southern.
The telegraphers Of the Southern
and Seaboard Air Line Railways. il is
reported are asking for approximately
the same increase that is demanded by
the Chesapeake and Ohio operators.
The telegraphers' organization of the
Sout bern has been engaged for the past
ten days in taking d strike vote of its
membership with an idea OF bringing
the matter to a definite issue.
Seaboard Air Line operators. while
entirely in SYM patty with their brethern
of the other roads. u is understood.
have not yet definitely formulated their
demands. II was stated Yesterday
that they will ask for a general wage
increase O! nineteen per cent Inc
conference yesterday was for the pur-
pose of placing the operators OF the
three roads upon a common platform:
No agreement has as yet been reached
as result of the conferences IN this
city between officers and telegraphers
of the Chesapeake and Ohio. The fdaIly
meetings will continue for at least
week or ten days. II is probable. how
ever. that the two parties Will come
together on com DrOmise basis as they
did last year The meetings have
been marked throughout by the utmost
good feeling.