The New York herald., 1867-08-19
THE CITY RAILROADS.


Da,.r,, P,nctice-"An Hands'' Payins Them.
seiyss-The Car Licenscs-Liabiiity OF the
seeond aud Third Avenue Lines TO Pay Id-
esnse-The Original Grants-Complaints ~ |
the Police.
IT'S said that rich monopohes are tho most ehary OF
shoiI money and the meanest In the payment and
mept Of their employees Their wealth is great and
she manner In which they make easy that tb ,y be-
come Independent or, 10 use better v ord. 80
syrannoal, 10 ignore all wants claims necessities.
ss,side their This of condV e. IL reason
would only DO listened TO- would appear rnpct,c in its
nction, injurious 70 the employers spd demorazing
70 the employed, IN its resus. man receiving for
hong hours OF hard work bat sna miserable pay insun
cieut 70 his wants and totally inadequate to
the support of family, is sure II chance place The op
portunity in his way, TO help and he would call IL
pompeusate himself for il ths, ether
souny is the familiar sy e,eci Of knock down gen.
orally sesorted tc in this IL has becose sueh ins
tution profession hn 10 many casos. especially with
esrtenders so sssssrt requires bot years practice
70 enable aim TO opon BUSINESS On ''his own hook
And the results OF this Of falseeconomy
IN ps.o depatr1ent the system gs1eralIy put
IN force and the result opcr1 exhibited as in tho
naDas and conduct OF thoc;y raresd companies
Of New York. " may, having view government geld
mines bo rtle astray tc say tina. tho railroads
the greatest ssaount Of "hrccSing down is done but
IN proportion TO The amount received they bave a
ssvoiabiy relative position.
On ehe csy railroads very largo rlmber Of men are
daily emp.oyed aud thoir work isor most srduous,
and resp,rsble kine There sre s,able
10 Nke OF the torsos iaH ughters for lighting
Abe cars and other psoce incidental to the rarosd work
ing and also for trimming lamps eweepers who the
OARS yecevers, starters, drives copauc,c,s. The
two iat'er are p.;d two dcllars per day for
which they work FOR perlsis varyog from twelve
70 eighteen houre On come OF the lines, the
Yonr,h for instance the snd conductors
20 duty eight in the morning leave OF at
hail hour after mdnght On tho Blocker street line
Me work steadily from eight A. NJ. to eleven p NJ
and on the Third'avenue the honrs are the ruc
Tho Belt road works s men about sne number of
hours each day. w,th two hours extra on seu rdays
During all this time the drivers supposed MAINTAIN
steady hold OF iho hcrscs with baHd and the
break when necessary with the othor They have con-
santy on the lookout TO guard erans, nccdents
and at dierent stations Of the road pull up their teams
duotors hkewise obliged TO be constantly on tho
alert 10 be on the lookout for passenger 10 remember
where passengers require 10 get Oh" 10 collect fares
and control the driyers and yet all this is expected
from men who must arise ri leas,at five O'Clock
morning possibly get to their beds earlier
than two heurr before dnight They cannot possibly
bavo The necessary nervo or watohfuiness 1t is
therefore CD this account that one would bo inclined
70 attribute tho blame OF ali tho accidents on the city
railroads 70 the rich aud indifferent owners of the
roads and not TO the tired and wornout drivers and
conductors Poor pay may make iheso men careless;
better compensation would undoubtedly act as a stm-
The laeerng men Of The companies paid even less
Shan the drivers and conductors ami yet they
cleaned proper working order Their pay varies
from 80 TO 81 80 per day They are subject to
slant robuns from tyrannous foremen and lead
~ all but an amusing or exhilarating life
There s another class of employees called 'extras-
chance Of a for day OF two or hoy are sometimes
put late at night and In many for six
moro.
Tho companies derive large revenue from the sur
plus seven ghths OF cent which they chane above
hhe authorized The 10 ina
chat from ths fund they have q certain privilege to
draw pleasure for their own wants and necessities
and oD tnem in turn prey flock Of cormoran.s who
70 use their own anguagc, try TO beat the conductor
hands are paid pretty fairly and that In spite Of the
most active exerons Of the companys higher officials
aucor on a street car has very pleasant place Of it
Tar better than the driver but the very is the
very moment he "a admitted once until dis
charged. He commences by taking the oath re-
WIN honest returns and 10 then expected
ay, forced TO break II Immediately by his associates
per eoDage from tho receipts order TO give ,he ex
pected allowance TO all hands IL not his tenure of Office
irEsoms and upproatablc. He is III. only W man mn
handing the cash, and the receivers, starters,
require from him their dividend Of the spois Then
commence the troubles OF the conductor II he 30 |
honestly inclined be cannct hold his place for great
ienstn Of time He has therefore, adopt the other
alternative, and 10 commence he pays the driver fixed
more and II satisfied start. the victim
ahead Of time the next car win have time TO
spare pick up passengers The recever-
cha. the psrson whom receipts each trip are
returned, sdopts more ingenious and dignaed plan.
II the duty of each conductor Keep account Of his
receipts In a small book, which with the money ne
hands 70 the receiver ST the end OF each Trip This is
senbod for and acknowledged by the receiver
ln the meantime the conductor has only few seconds
20 spare and the instant the whistle sounds be
starr nmediaey under pain of dismissal The receiver
easily ssy the change incorrect that IL is short
% much, and the conductor viii not have time oppor
tuny 20 dispute 1t. The following conversation which
ccturref AZ OF TIE cepOts will this
mode Of preceding
Nrw CONDUCTOR tfaniing 10 his book and money!
Three dollars and lft- cents, sir.
Rncsiyss counting the monsyl-short fifteen cents.
REoryrn Tin a rough manner and sweeping money
toward the conducoTl-Take away, take IL away it is
wrong.
The whistle sounds; the conductor has neither |
time 70 gather the money enter into further dis
pute and la. consequently TO hand over ths fifteen
sents receiver for the future now that his
eye has been opened to the rules OF the order" the
same amount or has TO be paid tie receiver throo
four Ave times regulary day The starter is
Aeo 70 be psd. otherwise the unfortunate conductor
will be started either before after his proper time
whichever is the most to his dsad vantage; and as
specimen q tho tyrsnnouc manner in which this dvi
dsnd demanded by the starter the following incident
% rvsn aud be vouchee for-Ahout soven o'clock
one vet morning some two months sinco, conductor
gu ope Of The reads returned from trip upon which |
he bad not, probably, received more than nity |
cents fare The starter asked what he was solng
. cigar The starter, in cruz voice sald tha, the
conductor and bis cigar and drnk might go te
sonduetcr to pay for The other tia, would
be too mnch-he could not afford IT, 1he starter then
reared go on sounded his wi istie aud away went
conductor. ahead OF tue. In many other similar ways
DO the starters enforce their nGh,s aud oblige the
conductor 70 be continually cheating tho companies
young man q oon3ucicr Of the liues was d g.
missed some time age for, rs IL was sleged 'rhsvlnsr
She comrany He went 10 the presdeut and very |
eandidy told him that he was not surprised al beins
discharged nor did he blfne any one, only that lie
thought II was useless aeor for whesver they should
Get c take bis pkce would dc tue came that he would
be obliged 70, spc could not possibly help a. II will
therefore, bs very easily econ that neither the drivers
eal MIA
hves especially the latter who have 90 az the puuder
tng and thcn divide among the oihefs. Tney must DO
very religious regards the company osih bot In all
.cther they are aloHed the NOS. perioc, liberty Of
rouscience
The starters have another little way OF "tSFnlng an |
boussf penny" In ths absence OF the president or SUI
perntsnden the starter has power 10 appoint tem-