Evening journal., 1922-08-04
men live HIGH
AT rail SHOPS
Served Good Food Prepared
in Screened Kitchen at
Todd's Cut
FOUR MEALS DAILY;
SLEEP IN SHOP, TOO

r. p. Whitman, master mechanic
OF the Maryland division OF the Penn
sylvania railroad. who is IN charge
OF the Todd's Cut shops. today in
vited representatives OF the news
papers 70 visit the Todd Cut shops
and 20 see for themselves the living
and sleeping quarters provided by
the railroad company for the men
employed there. Mr.. whitman met
the press representatives and escort
ed them 70 the various departments.
first vising the offices OF the execu-
tive branch OF the plant.
The employment files OF the com
pany were referred 10. and occord-
ing TO Mr.. Whitman the total num-
Der OF craftsmen employed at the
plant today Is about $50. OF this
number. Mr.. Whitman said. 465
we're old employees and he added
that 40 OF the men who walked out
have returned 20 work. The remain
der OF the men at work are new
men secured from this city. Philadel-
phia, Chester. and other places. he
said. The normal working force at
the plant. according 20 Mr.. Whit
man. is 1857. The figures as given
out today did not include $50 who
are employed as laborers.
Mr.. Whitman. in speaking OF the
work being done at the plant said
that for the first two weeks OF the
strike the plant was handicapped
but for some time past the plant
has been able TO turn out all the
work that had been sent there and
even the heavy engine work. such as
repairs TO locomotives. has been
caught up with. until today little. II
any. inconvenience is being exper-
fenced there. he assened.
From the Offices the newspaper
men went TO the employment bu-
reau, where men seeking employ
ment are provided with working
clothes and their records. such as
names, addresses. etc. are taken.
From there they so 70 the medical
department for examination.
Those accepted are assigned 20 the
various shops. The men employed
there. or at least a majority Of them.
sleep and spend their spare mo-
ments at the plant.
The passenger car paint shop has
been fitted up as sleeping quarters
for the men and there s4s cots are
arranged in rows. Each cot had
clean linen on Il. as well as a blanket
Mr.. Whitman in reply 20 a query
as to why signs stating that sleep
ing with shoes and overalls on for
hidden" were posted. said that the
men appeared 10 want 10 sleep with
their shoes on and this caused some
trouble at first.
From the sleeping quarters the
wash rooms were next visited.
These are equipped with modern
wash founts with hot and cold
water, and adjoining this depart
ment are shower baths. The sleep
ing quarters for the negro workers
are furnished in the same manner
as those OF the white employees, and
they have their own wash room
and shower baths.
The kitchen department proved
to be the most interesting. The re-
porters arrived just as the employees
of the back shops were sitting down
TO their MONDAY lunch. The en-
ployes are fed in shifts OF two
tables. beginning at 1890 standard
time. One hour Is allowed the men
for their meals, and four meals
are served daily, they being as fol-
lows: 5 O'Clock TO o'clock: 1880
o'clock 10 1880 o'clock; 5 o'clock 10
At
Mr.. whitman said that when the
first started feeding the
men. many OF the employees suffered
from overloaded stomachs and even
now some OF the men at work on the
day shift remain awake until mid
night to secure a meal at that time
The food for the men Is prepared in
a screened kitchen by a force OF i've
cooks for each shift. The food 10
served by twenty-eight walters and
they are assisted at times by the po-
tato peelers, four men. The dinner
today included fish. potatoes au
gratin, macaroni and cheese, april
cots. coffee. bread. butter and cigars.
some idea OF Just what is required
to feed the vast army of employees
was shown by the records Of the Gull
nary department. These showed that
FIVE barrels OF potatoes are used at
a meal, 500 pounds OF FISH. and when
beef is served It requires four quar-
tiers OF beef.
The Negro workers are fed at
different tables from the white work
ers but they receive the came food
at the. same time. Mr..
Whitman then took the visitors TO
he car erecting shop where add
tional sleeping quarters are provided.
Mr.. Whitman said that at first the
had trouble in procuring
'oodstuffs for the men but now the
food is shipped direct to the plant IN
rar load lots. The perishable food
rar was inspected and Il was filled