The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-03-30
FAIL TO ESTABLISH
THEIR CONVENTIONS
Lawyer Sheean tor the Rail
roads Declares of the
Railroad Men.
tpY ASSOCIATES rRrss,

CHICAGO, Mar. 3OBrtefs in the
western railroad wage case were filed
With the board Of arbitration Monday
by y. NJ. Sheehan. attorney for the
railroads and by William S. Carter.
president OF the Brotherhood Of Lo-
conceive Firemen and Engineman.
Oral argument was begun and was ex-
pected to last two, and possibly three
days. Decision by the board on the
demands of the men Tor higher wages
and other concessions will be made
other concesshrdlu hrdl ntntaohrdi
on or before April 20, and will affect
Cd, 600 engineers, drenen and hostlers
employed by ninety-eight western
railroads, operating 10000 miles of
track.
h Mr.. sheean's brief asserted that the
men failed utterly to establish their.
contention that their labors and re-
tiles, and their productive eff
ficiency have increased since their
WAGES were. adjusted by arbitration in
1910, nor sad the brief, had they made
good their claim that their earnings.
despite higher rate, had been. de-
creased in this period Their conten-
lions. Mr.. Sheean said had not been
proved by their own erhibits, and.
had been disproved by actual records.
quoted in the railroad exhibits.
The increased productivity. Of the
railroads was said In the brief to have
been due. not to any increased effort
OF the men, but to stringent economies
in operation and the expenditure OF
So GOO goo in extensions, additions
and improvements to property includ-
ing heavier power and the reduction
of curves and grades. or this sum
$3.50, Ooo, 600 was spent for the purpose.
Of increasing efficiency and safety.
and to expediate train movements.
These Improvements, Mr.. Sheeans
said, have actually enabled the en-
Igine1nen to earn their money in fewer
hours. than prior to 1910 Firemen, he
said, actually shovel five per cent less
coal now than in the previous per-
lod. He said that the railroad exhib-
At showing that to grant Sthe sixteen.
demands OF the men would cost SAL, "
t00O,D00#a year had not been contro-#
jverted. He pointed out the decreased
dividend payments of recent years,
and to the increasing use OF labor
saving devices on engines. He re-
ferred to the high earnings attained.
by some engineers and firemen and
asserted that the bulk Of the engineers
average between $170 and $50 a!
HlOllln, ana enNDeIHeens 9l1U and
is115. FL Il.
The brief claimed that these pay
roll figures demonstrated that the
present schedules provide full, fair
and adequate pay, whether measured
by comparison with other trades, by
comparison with other railroad ON
ployees. who have like duties and re-
sponsibil tiles. or by comparison with
engineers and .firemen OF the east or
south: and in making this claim d.
rected attention to the fact that these
payroll figures had not been contra
dicted by the empl oyees whose names
appear thereon, notwt hstanding the
fact that during tn heardng while the
railroad exhibits were being intro
duced, Mr. Carter stated to the board
or arbitration:
81 have reached the conclusion that
our case Is lost il we treat the exhib-
its Of the railroads too seriously