Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1916-05-12
MAKE GOOD WAGES
IN short hours
IN Train SERVICE
Some Interesting Figures As TO Act,
ual Earnings Of Men On
Southeastern Roads,

Washington, D. C.-In connection
with the movement of train and en-
CINE employees for increased wages,
a frank statement of the earnings Of
men employed in freight service in
the southeastern territory will doubt
less be of interest
For engineers the prevailing mini,
mum rate in through freight service
ranges from soils to $5.65 per day
for engines of ordinary types, in local
freight service from $5,25 to $500 for
engines Of ordinary types, in both
through and local freight service
from 1925 to $500 for Mallet type
engines
For white iremen on engines Of
ordinary types the minimum rate
ranges from $2.75 to $3.50 per day in
through freight service, from $500 to
$3.50 in local service; on Mallet
engines in both through and local ser,
vice from $500 to $425.
For conductors the standard mini
mum rate in through freight service
is $41o per day, in local service $3.50
per day.
For white brakemen the standard
rate in through freight service is
$2.75 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
paratiyely short hours,
Taking as an illustration a fast
freight train running over a division
$50 miles long where the daily run
can be made in Z hours and 30 min
utes, the engineer would receive for
this 7 ~ hours on duty the sum Of
$50, the fireman $470, the conduc,
tor $G15, 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
Ter figures show the wages that can
be and are being made by 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, perishables, and
other freight which it is necessary
to move on expedited schedules.
In yard service the standard rates
for white employees vary from $500
to $3.50 per day for day swltchmen,
and from $500 to $50 for night
switchmen, and from $500 to $3.50
for day foremen, and from $50 to
$500 for might foremen These are
The minimum rates that can be paid
for day or any part of a day up to
10 hours, after 10 hours pro rata over
time is paid.
Under the mems proposals the low
est yard employees who now receive
$500 for a 10 hour day would re-
ceiye $500 for an hour day, or
Sap for the work at present per
formed in 10 hours, and the night
yard conductor now receiving $500
for his 10 hour day would receive
this $500 for his hour day, or $3.50
for the work at present performed in
10 hours.