The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1915-01-19
RAILROADS MAKE REPLY
Question of Wages Given Airinp From
Employers Side.


Chicago, Jan. 18.--Governors in sew
en- states in the union could make
more money sitting In the cab of a
locomotive on some of the runs on
western railways than they now re-
ceive in the executive chairs of their
states. Their annual salaries are
smaller than the wages received by
some of the locomotive engineers on
western railways, who, in co lcert WITH
the firemen are demanding higher
| pay and revised rules which won,d
entail an added burden of S40,O0O,OOO
yearly to the roads.
| This was one Of the striking points
developed by James NJ. Sheean, coun-
sci for the western railways, today
| in his ad lrcss before the Federal Al
bitration Board in Chicago, opening
presentation Of the railways testimony
against TIC demands of the c '.incer5
and firenlen.
| "Of ahoG; 5000 men whose wages
/ for the attire year to June 20, IBIS,
will be shown" said Mr.. Siceal, there
is maxiMum Of S3,725.2 20 for passen-
| ger engine ers: $3,34230 for freight en-
| gineers, 81 1920 for passenger ire
men ard II $50. 32 for freight firemen
| Against these naXima, the governors
Of seven states receive $1,000 or less
FER year, while those Of saVnn other
states receive $4,000, or only slightly
above the engineers maximum earn
| ings.
Actual earnings statements for all
| engineers and firemen for the month
| in which these demands were present.
ed show that engineers in passenger
service earned actually an average of
S1S5 for the month with a maximum
actual earnings of $341,60; in the
freight service the average was $40,
with an actual maximum of $35S.7O;
the firemen in passenger service earn
ed that month an average of $1l5.54
with q maximum of $209.S9; while in
freight service their actual earnings
for the month were on the average
S110 with a maximum of $221.0 5 Other
firemen in combination freight and
passenger service earned even higher
wages.
"A careful investigation into the in
creased cost of living in the west
shows that prices have not advanced
SO fast as have the wages of engineers
and firemen under the schedules
awarded in 1910
Comparison of their wages with
those of any other craft, or of any
other railway employees, or of engi-
neers and firemen in other parts of
the country, show that they are re-
ceiving already higher compensation
in both rates of pay and rules
Turning to the question OF ability OF
the roads to meet the added cost in
1af nd IF tho MIR
Sheean pointed out that in the face of
larger mileage and growing traffic,
the western roads in recent years
have experienced immense losses in
net revenues, income, dividends and
surplus, in which situation they are
now faced by demands of engineers
and firemen which would add 100000
600 to their expenses, although these
men now are better paid than in any
other section of the country, and their
wages already have outstripped the
cost of living.
These wage demands" said Mr..
Sheean, affect some $4,000 men, on
approximately 100000 miles of rail-
way On the basis of the month in
which they were presented, the added
expense would be $1,000 900, or about
ii pei GENT. Appiltu w tHt lotdl pay
roll of the affected companies for the
year, this would mean nearly $40,-
100000
over 5000 more miles were oper-
ated by the affected companies in 1914
| than in 1910, yet net operating income
after taxes in 1914 was $15, 900 less
than in 1910, and nearly $4,000, 600
less than 1913
600 mn
600 less in dividends than in 1910, and
! in 1913 $14,000,000 less than in 1910.
| In 1914 there was carried to surplus
| $24,000,000 less than in 1910, while the
surplus in 1918 was $12,000,000 less
than in 1910. In five months of the
current fiscal year there has been a
drop of $29000,000 in gross revenue.
1--WE face this situation as to the IN
come of the railways involved, al
though in three years to June 80, 1918
they spent over $66,000,00 in i'm
provements and extensions to proper
ty, and out of this devoted over $780,
100000, or practically one-third, to-
ward the purpose of increasing effici
ency and safety and expediting trair
movements. 1t is true that heavier
power and equipment have been in
SJdllCuy DuL ldpoi -ofNIAo uCFlNCo "L'
increased wages have more than coun
terbalanced any added work or re
sponsibility placed upon the men b,
the heavy power.
Through the elimination of grade
and curves and other improvements
the employees have been able with tn
larger engines, and consequently wit
higher pay, to haul trains at the sam
speed as light trains were formerl
, handled With heavier power Their
! has been constant improvement in Ia
bor-saving devices such as automati
q stokers, automatic doors, coal pusf
ers, sloping tanks, power crate SHAH
ers and automatic ash pans now opel
ated by compressed air, which reliev
the fireman of the danger of going b
meath the locomotive.
"It is an evident fact that increase
in wages granted in 1910 in the ives
ern concerted movement, GOVERN
specifically heavier classes OF powe
were more than commensurate Wi
the added work, and schedules MAJ