The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1915-02-05
PASSENGER RATE INCREASE
Endorsed by Improvement Associa-
tion.-Earnings Favored as Basis.

| senger rate. The resolution offered
previously, indorsing a flat rate of two
and half cents per mile on all Michi-
gan roads, was made the basis of the
discussion but i'll view of the fact that
the railroads have since decided that
the old law fixing the rate on passen-
ger earnings per mile seemed to meet
with more favor throughout the state
and bill to that end had been intro
duced in the legislature, the resou-
tion was not favored. In its place the
following resolution was adopted after
quite Il lengthy discussion, most Of
those who opposed its adoption being
of the opinion that the railroads are
entitled to the increase but favored
some concessions in the way Of freight
rates first. while others favored an
investigation of the proposition by the
railroad commission. The resolution: !:
Resolved, That it is the sense of
this meeting that the Owosso I'M
provement association favors the pas
sage by the legislature at present in
session of bill fixing the legal pas
senger rate in Michigan at rate,
based upon the passenger earnings
per mile, which will be compensatory
to the railroad, provided that the
rate shall not exceed three cents per
mile in any case.
j. W. Hurst and Geo. Mclaughlin,
representing the local employee of the
Ann Arbor road, were present and in
their behalf Mr.. Watson spoke briefly
and presented the following:
Owosso, Mich, February 2, 1915.
Owosso Improvement Association,
Owosso, Mich.
Gentlemen.-Th interests of railz
road employees to our fesnployers are
identical with th6se whom you en-
ploy IN your banks, stores ana factcr-
~ s,si-f eseonfmerciaf.str .fve4eYs 30
come to your office soliciting business,
In this progressive age, II an en-
ploye is to be worthy of his hire, his
employer should receive first consid-
Grafton He must first be a student
of economy. He must be willing to
give one hundred per cent efficiency.
He must also be considerate and
In speaking Of the locomotive en-
gineers and other branches of train
service employed on the Ann Arbor
railroad, We as employees are anxious
for an extension of business. We
want to haul your shipments from
the mines and mills. We want your
merchandise. 1t matters not how
much or how little; be it box of
soap or box of silk, it all sums up in
the years total.
Our slogan, Prosperity for the
Ann Arbor railroad" should be your
slogan. Why? In order that our
men may prosper. If business is
good, our shops can run full time
our men are kept busy hauling trains,
and they may be able to make fair
months pay. You business men know
too well what short hours and short
time mean to employees in every
branch OF service. The Ann Arbor
pays to the employees situated at
Owosso approximately thirty thous-
and dollars per month, which would
mean three hundred and sixty thous-
and dollars year, which passes
through your banks and places of
business. We feel that we can ap-
proach you as business men and have
heart to heart" talk over the con-
ditions that confront us. We as en-
ployes appreciate the heavy expendi-
ture in keeping up mile of track,
locomotive or box car per period of
one year. A locomotive will possi
bly, make from seventy-five to one
hundred thousand miles and will de-
preciate in value to the extent IL Will
cost from two to five thousand dol
lars to rebuild it. The same is true
in everything connected with the rail-
road During my twenty-siX years
experience with the Ann Arbor rail-
road, | have seen steel rail renewed
on two sections of the road and
think | am safe to say they could use
a hundred miles of new steel rail to-
day If the company could afford to
purchase it, We as engineers want
your patronage on passenger trains;
we are anxious to maintain our pres
ent motor car service, which has CIV
ell promotion to seven engineers, five
conductors and five train and bag
gage men and ten machinists. The
amount paid out by the company in
Owosso to maintain this motor car
service means approximately twenty
four thousand dollars a year, which
Is strong factor in the power Of men
We as employees appreciate finan-
cial difficulties with which our COM
pany is confronted, and feel no hesit-
ancy in asking your consideration on
the present bill calling for more
-enumerative passenger rate. We feel