Northern Pacific Purges Ranks in Consolidation
A master mechanic travels to Vancouver to test the fitness of workers on newly acquired rail lines as wage standards are adjusted.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
James Bruce, master mechanic of the Pacific division of the Northern Pacific, left for Vancouver yesterday afternoon to examine enginemen and machinists on the recently acquired lines of the Washington, Oregon and the Portland, Vancouver and Yakima lines and decide upon their fitness for continuing in the places they now occupy. Some two months ago the two lines mentioned were consolidated under the title of the Washington Railway & Navigation company and the branch lines were placed under the control of the Pacific division officials of the Northern Pacific. On Monday of this week the Northern Pacific scale of wages went into effect on the recently acquired lines. Under this scale there will be a material increase in the payroll. Machinists and engineers will earn from $10 to $40 more per month than they have been getting. Other employes will also have their wages increased. In speaking of the matter a railroad man said to a Times reporter: 'It means that there will be many changes on the lines of the W. R. & N. company. The men who can not pass satisfactory examinations under Northern Pacific rules must step down and out. The increased wages now in effect mean that we must have the best of service.'
“The men who can not pass satisfactory examinations under Northern Pacific rules must step down and out.”
Consolidation of rail lines and the subsequent 'sifting out' of workers for efficiency reflects the high-pressure labor environment of the early 20th century. Today's tech and corporate sectors often use similarly ruthless 'upskilling' or 'performance review' mandates to filter staff during mergers.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.