New-York tribune., 1921-03-13
Offices of Eight General
superintendent Are
Abolished; Salaries to
Drop $50 to $4,000
HarbOr Strike Is
Threatened Here
lO-Hour Day Plan Cause;
Upstate Shops Closed;
Erie Raises Laborers

Seven developments of major i'm
portance occurred yesterday in conncc
ton with the country wide railroad
wage and financial situation. They
we're:
First-The New York Central Rail
road announced that a drastic reduc-
ton IN the executive branch of it's lines
would be put into effect next Wcdnes
day, This action will wipe out at one
stroke the positions of eight general
superintendents and reduce the salaries
of 1850 other high officials.
Second-The possibility of big
harbor strike in the metropolitan area
loomed large when the marine EN-.
ployees of the railroads declared their
intention of resisting to the utmost
any attempt to reduce their wages or
increase their working hours.
Third-It was said yesterday that
the railroads entering the metropolis
tan area would attempt next week to
get their marine employees to accept a
ten-hour day at the same wage they
now receive for an eight-hour day.
Fourth-The West Albany shops of
the New York Central Railroad, en-
ploying 1,200 mon. were closed down
indefinitely yesterday.
Erie Raises Laborer's Wages
Fifth-The Erie Railroad increased
the wages Of its common laborers to
the status prior to January 81, when q
cut went into effect This action fol-
% tjcic of D.;
road Labor Board, and now places the
Erie in the same position as the other
railroads petitioning the board on the
wage question.
sixth-The Lehgh Valley Railroad
sent out notices declaring that reduc-
ton of wages affecting the skilled
workers throughout the entire system
would be effective April 16 next
Seventh--The Boston & Albany posted
notices, of prospective wage reductions
that will affect 1900 of its employees
including clerks and mechanics, to &C
into effect on April 16.
The action Of the New York Cen.
trail in its sweeping reduction of ex.
ecutives came without warning, and is
expected to lead to a large number OF
designations. 1t was reported yester-
day afternoon that some of the super.
intendents already had resigned, but
this could not be verified
The Offices of the eight general su.
perintendents are completely abol-
ished and the incumbents reduced in
rank to superintendents, with a CORE
spending reduction along the line. From
now on the work Of these eight execu.
tives will be transferred to General
Manager Fripp and his assistants. The
division superintendents will hence
forward report directly to the general
manager.
Other Offices Abolished
In addition to the general supern-
tendents the Offices of the assistants tc
the superintendent of motive power. and
the chief engineer will be abolished, as
will also the positions of engineer OF
maintenance of way and superintendent
of telegraphs. What will happen to the
present incumbents was not said, but it
is understood that they will be dismissed
Virtually all of the executive officers
will be reduced in salary in amounts
ranging from $3.50 to $4,000 yearly, it
was said.
Among the changes already an
the following: W. F. Schaff. general
superintendent at Toledo, will 90 to
Chicago as supe erntendent; A. E. Lloyd
whom he replaces. will be sert to Al
lance, Ohio, as superintendent of the
Alliance division; +. H. Wilson, gen
eral superintendent Buffalo to Toledo
goes to the Cleveland division; f.
Thwaites, who is displaced by this
change, will be transferred to Toledo
as superintendent of the Toledo d.
vision; j. R. Todd Michigan division
superintendent, becomes assistant su-
no, int of< L,.,o i
Brown, superintendent of the Alliance
division, goes to Cleveland as assistant
superintendent.
The changes and reductions in status
affect men who have been in the COM
Continued page twclvel