The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1922-01-26
INLAND HEAD
DISCUSSES
SITUATION
ViCe-President Adams of In
land Shows How Today's
Wages Hamper

CHICAGO, Jan. 26.-That railroad
rates and the uncertainty OF their
permanence is a large factor in pre-
venting general buying or iron and
steel products in the way that prevail
ed In the prewar days. is the opinion
OF E. NJ. Adams. first vice president
Of the Inland Steel Co. Indiana Har
Dor. That present high rates also are
setting to localize distribution Of steel.
by erecting ba rriers Of high tranSpor-
tation costs between producing centers
IS another factor. in that it limits COM
petition that formerly prevailed.
Mr.. Adams looks at this subject
from q point OF view, much broader
than most steel men can attain, since
ne started his business life as a tele-
graph operator and station agent for
q western railroad and spent several
years in various capacities in the rail
road industry before entering the steel
business.
LOOKS INTO CONDITIONS
While he believes lower rates slvdid
prevail TO stimulate business and re-
move the heavy burden Of rates now
imposed upon all shipments, he also
has some insight into conditions fac
ing the railroads in the high labor
costs they must meet which affords
real argument for retention OF pres
ent charges.
Adams. Il was telegraph operator and
station agent In small town In
northwestern Illinois. l was paid $50
q month and also had a small commits
sion on the express collections OF the
station. I had student helper and
the section men placed one OF the
switchIIghts which was at a distance.
we scrubbed the station, delivered
srefrh1 took train orders. @s fe Was
wateTtank station ana kept all the
books, as we'll as sold tickets and sent
telex-an1s and carried the mall to the
Sostofice.
The freight traffic from this sta
tdor consisted OF livestock and tobac-
co. several hundred carloads a year.
and the usual package freight for
town OF 800 people
LOST ITe BUSINESS.
AT present this station has lost The
tobacco business. which now goes to
.. Auytag center in sou uthern Wisconsin
and 10 shipped from that point. other
traric has not increased. The water
tznk has been removed and practically
no train orders now are sent there.
The package freight has not Increased
Yet with this reduction in the volume
az traffic the railroad now pays the
station agent, who was my student Of
che former days. much more than
got per month. He has a helper at
nearly as much and q janitor to care
Cor the station Tho cost for this sta
ton thus has been increased several
fold ard the income-paying freight is
aess.
-~TEts process has been repeated at
every point along every railroad, with
the stationInen, the section workmen
and the shop mechanics. The roads
are not allowed TO hire their work
men IN the open marSe. but must pay
wages dictated ~ one government
body and must charge rates dictated
ay another government body. AS long
as the expense cannot be reduced rates
estust stay UP and the business OF the
country sufTor.
7 honestly believe could step back
into the old Job and do all the work OF
rhat station alone in less than an
hours application each day. and at
mach less than the present cost TO the
road.
While this condition obtains. Mr..
Adams sees no help for high rates on
freight tonnages. The readjustment
thus is delayed and business is held
back.