Omaha daily bee., 1915-01-19
PAY OF ENGINEERS
\ AND FIREMEN HIGH
sheean Says Seven State Governors
Could Make More Money Set
ting in Locomotive Cabs.
STATEMENT FOR THE RAILROADS


CHICAGO Jan. 1s.-Governors of seven
states Of the union could make more
money sitting In the cab Of locomotive
on some OF the runs OF western railways
than they now receive in the executive
chairs Of their respective states.
This statement was made here today by
James NJ. Sheean, attorney for the west
ern railroads whose engineers, firemen
aud hostlers are demanding higher wages
and better hours. In outlining the rail-
road side Of the case to the board of
arbitration. Presentation OF evidence OF
the men began November %. 1914. and
was completed today. after which sheean
made his remarks.
Sheean went on TO say that the annual
salaries OF the locomotive engineers of
western railroads who ask, wage in
creases which Sheean said would amount
to sao.Ooo,ooO year.
Average Wages Are Hfgh.
'Sof the 5000 men whose wages for the
entire year TO June 90. 1918, will be
shown" sheean continued, there is a
maximum of ss,78.s0 for passenger en-
sineers; ss.S422o for freight engineers.
3i.752.20 for passenger firemen. and 81. s9O,s2
governors Of seven states receive 1900
year or less while those Of seven other
states receive $1,000
Actual earniass statements for all en-
gineers and firemen for the month IN
which these demands were presented show
that engineers IN passenger service
earned actually an average OF SiS5 for the
month. with maximum actual earnings
~ IT, Ia -.
was $50. with an actual maximum OF
Sass; the fir6men In passenger service
that month earned an average of Sis.
with a maximum OF 500. while in freight
service their actual earnings for the
month we're on the average Of $40. with
maximum Of s22i. other firemen in
combination freight and passenger SER
vice earned even higher wages.
"A careful investigation OF the in
creased cost OF living IN the west show
that prices have not advanced so fast
as have the wages OF engineers and fire
men under the schedules awarded IN 1910.
Comparison Of their WAKES with those
OF any other craft. or OF any other rail-
way employees or OF engineers and fire
men In other parts OF the country, show
that they are already receiving a higher
CONTAMINATION in both rates Of pay and
rules" -
Net Revenues Are Decreasing.
Touching the question Of ability Of the
roads to meet the added cost in these
latest demands OF the men. sheean
pointed out that i'm the face Of larger
mileage and growing traffic, the western
roads in recent years have experienced
imnsnse losses In net revenues, income.
dividends and surplus. In which situation
they are now faced by demands OF en-
gineers and firemon which he said would
add s4o.OoO.0oo TO their expenses
These wage demands" the lawyer as
serted. affect some $1,000 men on approx
imatcly 10000 miles OF railroads. on tho
basis Of the month In which they were
presented. the added expense would be
SS'ooV@ or about 81 per cent. Applied
10 the total payroll OF the companies az.
fected for the year this would mean
nearly sio.ooo.ooo
More than $500 more miles were oper-
ated BY the affected roads in 1914 than
in 1910 yet net operating income after
taxes IN 1914 was sl5.OoOOoO less than an
1910 and nearly tio.oj0Oo0 less than In 1918
In 1914 there was declared $500 OF
less "a dtNidends than in 1910 and In fai;
j hteecoo less than in 1910 In 1914 there
was carried to surplus s2t.0o0Oco less thar
IN 1910. while the surplus IN 1913 was sla
Vloooo less than In 1916, In five month.
Of tho current fiscal Year there has beer
drop OF t29.ooooao In gross revenue ,
We face this situation as 10 the An
come Of the railways involved. although
IN three years TO June %. 1912, they spen
more than e5oeoooooo in Improvement
ana extensions TO property. and out .
TINS devoted morn than Se2o.oooOa0. o
Practically one-third toward the purpos,
OF increasing efficiency aud safety. an.
eNpeei'ing train movements Il Is tru,
heavier power and equipment have beel
,hseehea. nut laoor-saving devices an,
increased wages have more than counter
"A'@hoed any added work or responsibil