The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-05
N OF THE
RAILROAD r
~ JAMES o'FAGAN,
Author Of "ConSessioas OF . Ratl-
way SignaIman.

WI
What do the people. the generality OF
people you meet on the street. the
voters. In fact. know about wages and
working conditions on American rail
roads? 1t goes without saving they
know very little indeed.
Consequently. when the news Is sud-
denly FLASHED into print that the sum
of one hundred million dollars or there
about Is soon to be added to the rail.
road payrolls and. incidentally. to the
expense bill OF the people. with the
alternative of a general tieup OF trans
portstion on every steam railroad in
the United states. ii would certainly seem
as IL a campaign for the spreading OF
information on the subject Is urgently
In order.
The situation. then. briefly described.
Is something like this Nearly 100000
men. about the highest paid workers in
the railroad service. ask that their wage
day I've light hours instead OF ten. and
for n work over eight hours that they
he paid one and one-nalf times the
hourly rate for the eight hours. II Is
announced that they have decided TO
make this demand upon the railroads
this spring. and II IL is not granted a
strike will be ordered on all the rail-
roads in the United States, and. fur
thermore. that they will not consent to
any form OF arbitration.
ON the other hand. railroad managers
have estimated and published the in
formation that 10 grant this demand
would mean an increase of IS 10 a.
! per cent. in operating expenses. and
| even at this cost 1900. 900 railroad en-
ployces would get no benefit. as only IL
per cent. OF the railroad army are in
| volved in the movement.
The average wages OF employees IN
| the train service in the year 1914 showed
the following increases over those paid
In 1908 Engineers. 80 per cent. con-
iuctors. 3. per cent. iireuen, Al per
cent. trainmen. A. per cent.
The actual wages. 81 the average. r"-
ceived by these men in their different
sections to-day cannot very easily he
| estimated, because they vary according
to the classification OF tho particular
job and the overtime received but ~ "A
general way the regular daily wage,
not including overtime. say on a typical
freight run of Io3 miles. is as follows:
Enginemcr. $3.50; conductors. SIZE:
frcmen. $3.50: trainmcn. S7a.
The Payroll situation.
This payroll situation on railroads q
surrounded by safeguards and other con-
s!derations OF "A very interesting nature.
such as:
When q man j. called for work he il
guaranteed q full DAYS pay. no mat
ter how few hours he works nor how
few miles his train runs.
Every item IN the employees d'l.
work and payroll interests j. pro
tected legally and absolutely b. his
schedule.
In other words. No. tho employee. is
morally. cducationtliy and cton"m'-
cally protected by the managers, Pub
lie opinion and armies OF men now
adays insist upon far and generous
treatment.
The duties OF men IN the train SER
vice are inseparably associated with
difficulty. danger and responsibility.
the nature of which can only he par
tally appreciated by the general pun
lie. Consequently II IL in great meas
ure a public obligation to see To II
that both wages and conditions or
service ON railroads ar" continually
keyed UP 20 the highest reasonable
Level.
Furthermore, there are y few features
connected with worN and wages on rail-
roads that deserve particular attention
on account Of their relation to the c'Sht
hour proposition.
Practically no employee in the
train service now works more IMAM
ten hours for , dai's pay.
utN : 'DIN III ~ 't i"f
ordinarily depend unon the time re-
uuired 10 run n train between ter
minals or over carefully planned see
TORS.
Tie length OF these sections ana
the distance between turnouts ana
freight Yards Rave been figured out
in the past as nearly az possible on
the basis of ten or eleven hours for
"A days work,
Consequently, the chang from tho
ten 20 the eight hour basis as row
proposed is going 10 play havoc with
Tho pl,ysical aud economic as Wen as
with the financial situation OF every
railroad IN the country.
To negotiate for a straight increase
,f wages on in" ten liour basis =
and always VII be a far business
proposition
ON the other hand,
A. railroads are constituted today
any kind ~ am eight Gour wurkday