The Glenwood post., 1923-04-05
Plans to Raise Money Frustrated by
Strikers Hence Road Could Not
Give Service Expected
PRESENT FORCE TO Be RETAINED

A short time ago Governor Sweet, in
an interview, disparaged the recent ser
vice performed by the Denver Rio
Grande Western railroad and criticised
the attitude of the company towards
those employees who went out on striks
last July, in what is known as the
shopmen's IS strike, and also criticised
Receiver J. II. Young for his refusal
to discharge the men who made it
possible to keep the road running, and
to take back the strikers.
The governor IS interview was given
wide publicity.
Judge j. Foster Symes of the United
States district court has taken notice
of the governors structures and has
addressed to him the following letter,
explaining Mr.. Young's attitude, and
making plain that he was acting under
court orders:
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
=. DISTRICT OF COLORADO
Denver, March 80, 1928.
"Hon. William E. Sweet,
"Capitol Building,
"Denver, Colo.
"My dear Governor Sweet:
Mr.. Young, the receiver of the
Denver & Rio Grande Western rail
road which is now being operated by
this Court, has informed me of his
conference with you in regard to TAX
ing back the shopmen who went out
on strike last summer, and of your de-
sire for an improvement in the service
rendered by the road. I appreciate
your very proper interest and realize
that the people of Colorado are enti-
tied to know what is being done by
the Court in a matter that so vitally
affects their welfare.
''1he Court appreciates fully the
poor and inadequate service rendered
by this road for several years past,
for which there is no legitimate ex-
cuse, especially last summer and fall,
and its direct and adverse affect upon
the prosperity of the state.
Upon the appointment of the re-
oeiver, July 81, 1922, the Court pub
licly announced that the giving of the
best service possible to the people was,
and must be, the sole and paramount
consideration in its operation of the
road. Therefore a special master was
appointed and directed to conduct an
exhaustive hearing on the condition
and needs of the system. AS result
thereof he reported that $23,OO0OOO
was required to put the road in first
class condition. Realizing the impossi-
bility of raising any such sum, due to
the heavy indebtedness of the road,
the Court cut this program to $15,0O0,-
900. In addition the receiver was Or
dered to carry out an emergency pro-
gram of $1,70O,O00 to be spent on new
rails, bridges and Improvements Of
wnv. This work is about completed
IL following plan was devised to
ra.se the $l5,0O0,000, viz: Equipment
Trust Notes, $5,00O,000; Receivers
Certificates, $5,OOO,oOO; surplus earn
ings, $5,00O,000.
"on July End, 1929, 97% of the
shopmen employed on this system
struck, and for some time it was very
doubtful if the road could even be
kept in operation. They went out be-
cause they were unwilling to accept
the arbitration decision Of the United
States Labor board. Further, at that
time it was impossible, as you know,
for the receiver to get the old en-
ployes back on any terms ,as they
would not return until the strike was
settled nationally, in spite Of the fact
that they admittedly had no grievance
against this road. The strike has new
er been called off. The Court was