The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1916-05-12
MAKE GOOD WAGES
IN SHORT HOURS
IN TRAIN SERVICE
some Interesting Figures AZ To Act.
ual Earnings OF Men On
Southeastern Roads.

Washington. D.. C.-In connectio,
with the movement OF train and en-
CINE employees for increased wages
> frank statement of the earnings o
men employed in freight service il
the southeastern territory will doubt
less be Of interest.
For engineers the prevailing mini
mum rate in through freight service
ranges from $5.15 to $5.65 per day
for engines of ordinary types. in loca
freight service from $5.25 to $500 TO,
engines of ordinary types, in bott
through and local freight service
from $6.25 to 500 for. Mallet type
engines.
Fol white fremen on engines O,
ordinary types the minimum rate
ranges from $2.75 to $3.50 per day in
through freight service, from So. 90 to
$3.50 In local service: on Mallet
engines in both through and local ser.
vice from $500 to $4.25.
For conductors the standard mini
mum rate In through freight service
Is $4.10 per day, in local service $3.50
per day.
For white brakemen the standard
rate in through freight service is
WIS per, in local service SO per day,
The foregoing are the minimum
daily rates that must be made by the
railways to each employee in the
classes named who does any work at
all In a day, irrespective of how few
hours he may be on duty or of how
Few miles he may actually run. These
rates are paid for any work up to
100 miles with additional pay for
overtime If the run is not completed
In the specified number OF hours.
On the other hand, the earnings of
employees frequently exceed these
figures as the actual earnings depend
upon the number of miles run and, in
the case Of fast freight runs, the
earnings are much higher for COM
paratively short hours.
Taking as an illustration a fast
freight train running over q division
$50 miles long where the daily run
can be made in Z hours and 80 min
utes, the engineer would receive for
Z IL hours on duty the sum OF
$50. the fireman $40, the conduc-
tor $6.15, and the white brakeman .
$40.
Thus while the first figures show
the minimum that can be paid an
engineer, fireman. conductor, or
brakeman for a days work, the lat !
figures SHOW the wages that can
and are being made ty train and
engine employees on fast freights on
long divisions, such as are being run
every day in regular service by a :;
number OF roads In the southeast for
handling live stock, perishab,es, and
freight which it is necessary
20 move on expedited schedules,
In yard service the standard rates
or white employeesrvary from $500
o $3.50 per day for day switchmen,
M from 1920 to 1870 for night
'witchmen. and from $3.50 to $3.50
or day foremen, and from 1910 to
for night foremen. These are
he minimum rates that can be paid
or a day or any part of a day I'D to
o hours, after 10 hours pro rata over.
is paid. /
Under the mems proposals the low
st yard employees who now receive
for a 10 hour day would re-
GIVE $500 for an 8 hour day, or
ALP for the work at present per.
in 10 hours, and the night
ard conductor now receiving $500
or his 10 hour day would receive
his $500 for his 8 hour day, or $3.50
or the work at present performed in
@ hours.