Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1919-09-12

become so infatuated with the deIu-
sive siren of private owned railroads
that they can not break away from
her hypnotic influence?
We, the working classes, have
helped to send a body of learned CD
men to Washington, to make laws for
the good and welfare of all American
people, and what have they done ?
What are they doing? What are they
going to do? First-Passed a dry
law and threw thousands of Ameri-
can citizens out of their jobs. q don't
drink.) Second-Quarreling about
the League of Nations and peace
treaty, (before they act on it they had
better sign one among themselves
Third-Try to find some excuse to
keep the Plumb Plan from becoming
a law; for they have placed their arms
lovingly around the neck of this siren
and believe every word she utters
concerning high wages eating up all
the profits earned by the roads. But
there are few men employed in the
railway shops that can point out
where thousands of dollars, yes, mil
lions, have been expended for other
purposes.
When Uncle Sam borrowed the rail
roads to rush war supplies and SOL
diers to the front, they were in very
delapidated condition. Road BEDS
were run down and unsafe, lot of
old straggly box, flat and gondola
cars, and hundreds of old shaky scrap
heaps, called engines. When they left
the terminal we did not know whether
they would run back or be brought
back in sections on hand car. There
was not iron enough in stock to patch
a wheelbarrow, much less a locomo-
tive; not lumber enough to build q
bird house, let alone repairing q
freight car. Something had to be
done, and done in that good old Yam.
kee way, in hell of hurry. Agents
got busy and the yards began to fill
up with lumber; the price was sky
high, but Uncle Sam had to have the
cars and have them in a safe condi
tion. 1t was not the old story, it car
make another trip or someone else
will get it. 1t was do it right, and USE
the material. But even at that some
one forgot the fact that the Yankee
did things quick. Result, there is ;
surplus of lumber on the grounds her,
in Newark that five years inclusiv,
supply would not reach.
This was the first expenditure
Next the boiler making department
had nothing to work with, and Uncl
J Sam, being a great believer in safet,
first; would not take a chance wit
an old leaky kettle, so the iron agen
! got busy and there was another sur
plus. l don't believe they have ha
as many different guages and a
much tonnage of boiler material il
ten years inclusive as they have Of
hand now; and this was not donate,
either.
Then during the summer of 191!
someone discovered there was n,
cave spouts or roof drains on tn,
shops, and being practically new, ii. e
1922, it was necessary to pay thu
small sum of so cents per foot to have
this done. Before these drains anC
spouts were put on the water rar
down the full length of the roof anC
made a nice little stream which the
sewer took care of. Now it shoots
down the various spouts and makes
rivulets and lakes. Of course there
was only 1000 feet of this at SO cents
per foot.
Then came the discovery that the
air compressor was inadequate. The
new one cost $4,000. Next $4,000
for stoker for the stationary boil
ers, which for causes unknown has
been, under shed roof since last win
ter; but they are putting it in place
now. Then slot cutting machine at
$4,000; and they are getting foun-
dation ready to set a 45-inch wheel
lathe that cost $4,000, without the
freight or the time of the men unload
ing it. This machine has been needed
here for the last six years at least and
have been told it was ordered two
years back, but it was delivered under
Uncle Sans jurisdiction and will be
charged in the expense account that
reads U. S. A., DR..
When we stop and figure new ma
chinery, lumber, boiler iron, black
smith iron and few other surplus ar
ticles, it will run over $349,6OO for
this terminal alone, and if the other
twenty B. & o. terminals have done
the same that means an expenditure
of $6,752,000. There are 159 other
roads mentioned in General Order 81
and that would total $1,080,000,00O.