The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-27
Uncertainty Over Rates and
Oppressive State Laws
Are Blamed.
THOUSANDS LAID OFF
Train Schedules Reduced and
Improvement Work
Is Stopped.
MANY INDUSTRIES HURT
Equipment Companies Suffer in
Almost Total Cessation
Of Orders.
MANY INDUSTRIES HURT

Adverse State legislation and general
uncertainty concerning the Governments
,o,lcy a. to increased rates have COM
,,lled the important railroads OF the East
.-n part OF the United States to adopt a
drastic policy OF retrenchment.
As a consequence on such great lines
"A the Pennsylvania, the New York Cen
,-al. the New Haven the Central OF New
Jersey, the LehiEh Valley and others
thousands Of men in the aggregate have
been laid of In every department more
thousands have been put on part time.
through trains and local passenger trains
have been eliminated from schedules, and
hv,ght trains by the score have been
merged or taken OF.
The effect Of this has been noticeable
Also In the car equipment companies and
all other companies the prosperity OF
which depends upon the railroads. The
car companies. 1t was said. have either
laid of men or are working 70 per cent
Of their men on part time. The rail-
manufacturers are in a similar predica-
mtnt
The situation has not developed sud
denly, It was said. but has been coming on
20. months. II anything 1t Is little
Brighter now than 1t was two or three
months ago. There are more inquiries
.og equipment than there were In Janu-
sry, although there are not enough to
warrant full time.
Passenger TPamc Drops.
The causes are many fold. There is n
falling of in business in the first place
and In the second the adverse legislation
IN various States has so Increased operat-
ing expenses that former conditions could
not be maintained. One illustration given
was that passenger agents reported the
Florida passenger trade this year to be 40
per cent. less than 1t was last year.
An illustration of how the gross income
o. roads can De affected was the new COM
mlters rate law just passed by the New
York Legislature. That takes 100000 a
year cut Of the treasury OF the New YORK
Central road alone. The full train crew
,ay costs hundreds OF thousands OF dol
isrs, while the wage decision OF the board
d arbitration was far more expensiv".
In the face Of these with business at a
,a!nimun. there was nothing TO do but to
-etreNch.
The Pennsylvania Railroad yesterday
admitted that since the last weeks OF
IL
10000 more. Forty thousand more. or
vn--thirC OF the entire force. have been
pat Oh parl time. The. system has been
compelled to discontinue siNty-two
through trains. while many extras for
passengers. like library. buffet and ooser-
walton cars, VIII go The PennsyNah.a
expects TO close down its great repair
shops at Altoona, Pa.
Freight Cuts Are Fewer.
Tie passenger service naturally has
felt the heaviest cuts A railroad lives
upon its freight. and II has suffered less
Du, every department has felt the knife
All improvements and extensions nave
Teen stopped. and IL was announced that
not until the management sees something
promising ahead will they be resumed
Not IA cent will be spent upon anything
that can be postponed.
The men who have been laid on by
the Pennsylvania have gone out OF every
department, from enginemen down 70
track walkers. Two hundred clerks at
the Broad street offices. Philadelphia
nave been told not to report Tor work
until times grow brighter
According TO Pennsylvania officials. the
full train crew laws Of New York. Penn
syyaEia and New Jersey have thrown
many worthy men out OF work. The
railroads prefer 10 ray Off men rather
than to carry useless crews. Until the
Legislatures repeal these laws, II was said'
similar situation Will exist.
Central Drops Many Trains.
The new passenger train schedule Of the
New York Central went into effect last
Sunday. II shows "A decided cut In the
lumber OF trains both through and local
lat no~ many has not yet been inquired
out At headquarters. Men have been
aid on in alt departments. but again the
figures could not be given because they
mad not oeen reported. They will run into
thousands. II was said. All Improvement
and construction work has been suspended
and not a dollar is being spent that can be
held.
The road has been compelled to cur
tail its service In all departments be-
cause the business did not warrant the
continuance OF the old schedules" It was
SAID at the offices at the Grand Central
Station
There has been IA falling OFF in bust
ress, decided falling of. and II Is no
use for us TO blink the fact. Many things
nave combined to increase the expense OF
Operation or to reduce the income, which
Works out the same way.
Commut~rs' Law Not Popular.
THE new cor r,uters' rate law costs the
Yea York Ger 1 about 100000 year
ana according - our Investigations was
''t Nta.Teu Dy ~ per cent. VI our 'oiii'
niters. What they want IL better train
service, which can only come with more
hcome. They cannot get II under the
Present law and committees OF the com
inuters are acknowledging this to ou'
Passenger department daily.
The full train crew law adds to tn
COS % operation and thereby impair
efficiency, 4 railroad must get money t.
faH ana when that is shut or Its servic
mdst suffer"
Retrrnchinents by the New Haven II
MANY departments have been announced
9e'ore and ascribed to local an well a
General conditions. The Jersey Central
lie Erie, the Lehigh Valley. the Reading
sad every other road reports curtail
Ma Of business and accompanying re
Nenchments
IN the financial district yesterday tn
pNnt was emphasized that In the reduc
| u'h or labor. whose wages are fixed arbi
Marlly by Legislatures and commissions
hes practically the only retrenchmen
poilcy left to the railroads. Everythin
els. Is dictated by law. Attention wa
eal!eo to the fact that the situation ha
compelled the Panhandle. one Of the mos