The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-08-20
brotherhood of Railroad Firemen
Call on Director General
For Bid Advance
MANY OTHER COSTLY
CLAIMS BEING MADE
Expense of Operating Railroads
Mounting to Dizzy Heights
Halt Must Come or Failure

Cleveland, Ohio, Aug IA 35 to SIS
per cent increase in wages is de-
manded for $4,000 fremen and
hostlers on railroads in the United
States and Canada in a. wage scale
adopted before adjournment today by
300 general chairmen of the Brother
hood of locomotive Firemen and En-
ginemen in session here since Tues
day.
Another demand to be presented to
the director general of railroads is
that all coal burning locomotives in
road service weighing 100000 pounds
and over shall be equipped with me-
chanical stokers and that two firemen
shall be employed on all such locomo-
tives until they are so equipped.
About half of the $4,000 engines IN
the United States will come under this
proposal. only about 5000 of which
are equipped with mechanical stokers
at present.
In accepting the report of the wage
committee appointed at the opening
session last Tuesday and which only
completed and presented it's report
Saturday, morning, discussion of which
took up ysterday's and today's con-
ferences, some notifications were
made, but the report was adopted in
the main.
The more important sections of the
report follow: :. -.
Rates Of pay for fremen and help
ers in passenger service $3.50 per day
of 100 miles or less, except when NAL,
let engines are used, when $3.50 shall
be paid.
Overtime in passenger service will
be computed on the present basis at a;
speed Of 20 miles an hour.
In freight service on engines weigh
ing less than 100000 pounds fremen
shall be paid $3.50 and on engines
weighing over 100000 pounds $3.50
per day Of 100 miles or less, overtime
to be computed on present basis at
speed of IL 1-2 miles per hour.
Firemen and helpers employed in
local or way freight service mixed
trains. mine runs and other service
shall be paid a minimum Of SO cents
per 100 miles or less in adition to
the through freight rates
Firemen employed on all other
trains in unclassified service shah be
paid through freight rates according
to class Of engine used.
Firemen employed on Mallet en-
giues In al service except the yard
service shall be paid $40 per day
for 100 miles or less
1,n1y ,,1O1-o6
yard service shall be paid $3.50 per
day Of eight hours or less. except
when Mallet engines are used and
when rate Of $3.50 shall be paid.
A demand for time and: a: half over
time in all classes of service is made
which will apply when men are used
on Sunday or holidays.
Inside hostlers shall be paid $3.50
per day and outside hostlers $3.50 per
day, and hostle-s helpers $3.50 per
DAY. eight hours or les constitute
a days work. all time York in excess
of time and half.
In addition to the demand that all
coal burning locomotives in road serv-
ice weighing over 100000 popnds be
equipped with mechanical 'stokers, a
demand is made that all coal burning
locomotives less than that weight
shall be equipped with mechanical
coal passers, a mechanical device op-
Grated by steam to keep the coal with
in the reach Of the fireman and that
all coal burning locomotives shall be
equipped with power crate shakers
and automatic fire door openers.
It is estimated that it will cost $500,
100000 to equip the locomotives in
the United States with the difficult
mechanical devices demanded by the
firemen
Another working condition demand
ed is that on railroads where f1remen
are required to clean locomotives they
shall be relieved of such work and
that firemen shall be relieved of re-
moving tools or supplies, loading coal,
filing lubricators, etc.
London, Aug 18.-Lloyd George