Evening star., 1921-08-15
PRIVATE COMPANY
| LEASESER|E SHOPS
Railway Service Corporation
Takes Over Repair Work
at Marion, Ohio.

MARION, Ohio. August Is. - The
Erie Railroad Company today an
nounced that its local shops and round
house had been leased by the Rail
way Service Company of Marion and
would be operated by that concern, be-
ginning Immediately. The Railway
Service Company is an organization
founded by local manufacturers and
capitalists and it will take over all
repair and other work now done in
the shops. an announcement stated.
Manager Baldwin's Statement.
Announcement of the new plan of
operation of the shops was made here
today by W. A. Baldwin. manager of
the Ohio region of the railroad, who
declared that all repair work former
ly done here by the railroad would
be continued under direction of the
new company. Between 400 and 500
persons are now employed in the
shops
Mr.. Baldwin's statement said that
the plan was adopted with the idea
that local conditions can best be
appreciated and most intelligently
met by the knowledge and interest
of local supervision and support"
Much of the maintenance and con-
Struction work of the railroad has
heretofore been done by contractors
in communities through which the
road runs, it was said
Text of Announcement.
The announcement follows:
The Erie railroad has long been
of the opinion that the most favor
able result to both the railroad and
the community it serves can best be
obtained by the fullest cooperation
and amalgamation of interests so far
as possible. 1t recognizes that it's
duty to the public and the communi-
ties along it's line is that of furnish
ing transportation and that all the
energies of its employees and officers
should be directed so far as possible
solely to this end.
1T has. therefore. in the past. under
favorable conditions. contracted much
of the work of maintenance OF road
beds, buildings. structures. etc. as
we'll as the maintenance of it's cars.
companies whose stockholders, Off
GERS and employees are citizens of the
community and where favorable re-
suits bring profits and assist in the
prosperity of the nsighborhood.
Local conditions can best be ap-
by the knowledge and interest OF
local supervision and support The
Erie railroad has here shown it's ap-
probation for the interest in it's well
fare indicated by citizens of Marion
and now that there is opportunity de-
SlreS tndt us ACTIVITY SHdil NC even
more in common with the interests
of the citizens.
Company Accepts Opportunity.
THE Erie has accepted an oppor-
tunity to lease its shops and round
houses to the Railway Service Com
pany, whose officers and stockhold-
erS are all substantial and respected
citizens of Marion and whose inter-
ests are those of the community.
These men. headed by John d. Owens.
as president. have had ample ex-
perience in the character of work
to be performed, and have made
success of previous undertakings. and
the railroad feels fortunate in having
its work of repairs conducted by such
a local company and the employees
of the Railway Service Company are
assured of fair treatment in accord
ance with the practice of the exten-
sive manufacturing concerns of
Marion
Railway Board May Intervene.
CHICAGO. August 15.-Announce-
ment at Marion. Ohio. that the Erie
railroad has leased it's shops and
roundhouse there to a local operating
company, which will handle the roads
repair work, may bring intervention
by the United States Railway Labor
Board if there is any evidence of
concerted plan on the part of the
roads to follow the practice generally,
a member of the board said today.
"If it is done to such an extent as
to appear to be an evasion of the
transportation act" the board member
said. this board no doubt will take
some action"
The Railway Service Company, formed
at Marion to operate the leased shops,
would not be subject to the boards
Jurisdiction under the transportation
act, it was pointed out as it is not a
common cartier within the defini-
the board said. it's employees would not
come under the boards wage rules.
If the road is following the leasing
plan generally it will have the effect,
a member of the board said, of remov-
ing the shop crafts from the benefits
of the Esch Cummins act. He ad-
vanced the opinion that the board
would have the right to consider such
a step a violation of the law.
Il doubt. though. whether in normal
times the roads can get the work
done as cheaply by another company
member said, land I think this fact
will automatically prohibit any gen.
eral adoption of the outside work
plan.
Figures brought out before the In
terstate Commerce Commission some
time ago. when the unions complained
the roads were running up their oper-
ating costs by having their work done
outside. apparently show the carriers
can do the most economical repair
work with their own men and equip
ment."
The question of outside work was
raised at a hearing before the board
last week, when John G. Walber,
manager of the information bureau
of the eastern roads, declared the
roads. "in the interest" of economy
would be forced to let their repair
work to other companies unless the
board granted their demand for piece
work schedules. =
The unions, at the rules hearing,
opposed the piece work plan. The
board is expected to render an
opinion on this subject in the near
future.
MARION. August 15.-Mr. Owen,
the president of the Railway Service
Company. is manufacturer and
banker and is a member of the
Marion Employers Association. an
organization of local manufacturers.
A number of the larger manufac-
turing plants of Marion are repre-
sented in the Marion Employers AS
sociation, and all of these are
operated on an "open shop" basis
CONTRACTING FIRM SUED.