The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-07-18
Civilian Employees at Naval Air
Station Resent Inadequate
Transportation Facilities.
SEEK BETTER
CONSIDERATION
City Commissioners Receive
Manager Electric Co., and Also
Committee of Employees.

TWO hundred civilian employees OF
the naval air station quit work yester-
day morning and returned to the city
as a protest against the Inadequate
transportation facilities to the yard.
The workmen stated that frequently
upwards of an hour and a haIf is re-
quired to make the trip to the yard,
and yesterday morning they We're de-
tanned almost an hour on a switch
When the men are late in reporting
they lose an hours time. They main
tain that the loss of time is an in
Justice to them and state that they will
not stand loss resulting from no fault
of theirs
III is reported that work at the yard
was seriously delayed yesterday as a
result of the walk-out but no official
statement was obtainable from the
commandant.
There was a persistent rumor that
the government will take over opera
tion of the bayshore line, under alI-
thority recently vested in the presi-f
dent, but there was no verification of
the report that such recommendation
has been made. Should such action fol-
low, it is not probable that the line
would pass into control of the railroad
administration. but would probably be
d
The city commissioners are deeply
concerned over the situation and are
doing their utmost to improve condi-
tlons. They held a conference with
Thos. j. Hanlon, general manager OF
the electric company yesterday amer
noon and later conferred with repre-
sentatives OF the civilian employees.
Mr.. Hanlon admitted frankly that the
service Is poor, but stated that he Ii
unable TO make betterments unless he
can obtain money with which to pro-
vide needed improvements. He stated
that his company has already pur-
chased new rail costing $4,000. which
has been delivered for construction OF
the new line, and that the u III. Turner
Construction Company has almost I'm
ished the new trestle across Star lake,
one OF three treStles on the new line
Mr.. Hanlon says that additional
motive power is urgently needed, that
sub-station should be erected to
provide more power and additional cars
secured.
He recently spent seven weeks in
Washington, petitioning the war
finance corporation to loan the money
needed for the improvements. He was
supported by letters from Benedict
Crowell, assistant secretary of war,
Assistant Secretary OF the Navy Roose-
veit and Chas. Piez, of the shipping
board, but says that his application
was rejected
Mr. Hanlon states that an effort is
now being made to obtain the needed
money through the financial depart
ment of the Stone Il Webster interests.
His explanation of the present de-
plorable condition is that the sudden
Increase In traffic was greater than the
facilities of his company could han
die and that his company is not In a
financial condition to make the needed
improvements.
from the Tampa Electric Company.
four from Annapolis, Md, and four
are rented from the G. r. & A. Rail-
way, but these are not sufficient to
meet the demands.
conference will be held today be-
tween the city commissioners, Cap
tain Bennett, commandant OF the naval
air station, DR.. Louis de NJ Blocker,
president Of the chamber of commerce.
and Mr.. Hanlon. The entire situation
VIII be gone over at this meeting and
plans decided upon for improving the
service to and from the station.
At O'Clock in the afternoon a com
mittee representing the workmen as
and gave their side of the situation,
which at best is not pleasant one
This committee was composed or
Messrs. Kelley, Schofleld, Brandon and
Gale and each of them took part in
the very interesting joint conference
Commissioners Hinrichs and Pou also
came in, and the committee detailed
one thing after another which they had
been subjected to in the way OF an
noyance on the bayshore line. Nothing
OF these annoyances figured in the COM
plant Of the committee, how ever, these
incidents having been mentioned in the
course of recital OF what the work
men were forced to put up with while
engaged in government work
One OF the committee. citing some
OF the annoyances to which he per-
sonally had been subjected to, tola OF
ne had suffered one morn
iue recently when a conductor refused
To take a brand new treasury note.
saying that nc was afraid it wasn't
no good" He told this to add to the