Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-06-19
which the department have had the use Of the

A NEW THING.-The Worcester street rail
way company has just adopted new invention,
to be used upon the long cars on the New Wor-
cester route, which will serve the double purpose
of diyerting all the money and fares received by
the conductor into their proper channcl-the
treasurers ofIlce-and of aiding the conductors
in making up their way bills of passengers car
ried without unnecessary work. The apparatus,
called the railroad register, is very neat little
affair, in which punch, a small but very sono-
rous bell, minute clock dial, and a receptacle
for the paper cut out by the punch, are COM
bired in an ingenious manner. The conductor
is supplied with two long strips of card board,
one for seven cent and the other for three cent
fares. Upon the edge of each card is a row of
figures beginning with the figure seven upon
the seven cent card and three on the half fare
card, and ascending in a regular series. When
the conductor takes his first cash fare he punch
es a hole in the strip through the first number;
the motion of the punch strikes the bell, moves
the hand upon the dial one place, and the piece
of card cut out falls into the receptacle; upon
taking up each successive fare the same process
is repeated, so that he can tell at any time by
reference to the figures punched the exact
amount OF money taken on the trip. 1t Il com
mutation rubber check is offered in payment of
fare the punch is worked, which strikes
the bell and moves the hand upon
the dial Persons entitled to free pas
sage, employees of the road and others are
furnished with cards which are punched in the
the same manner. The dial and receptacle for
clippings are placed inside the machine ard
guarded by Il lock so that they cannot be opened
except by the treasurer. At the end of each day
the conductor takes the machine to the office,
where ii is examined. The position of the hands
| upon the dial indicates the exact number of
persons who have been on the car, and the num-
| Der of clippings of different colors show the
amount of cash fares taken, and the number of
persons who have been carried free. The money
| turned in by the conductor must of course cor
respond to the amount called for by the figures
on the tel-tale machine. If conductor neg
lects TO punch the card upon taking fare, of
course the bell does not sound, and he renders
himself liable to be reported at the Office for
neglect of duty.
The register, though seemingly complicated
in description, is really very simple, and is adj
mirably adapted for the purposes for which it
is designed. Since its adoption in Brooklyn, it
is said that the receipts of the road have been
increased nearly twenty per cent. Of couse no
such result is anticipated here, as the Worcester
conductors are not so subject to irregularities Of
| this nature rs their brethren in the vicinity Of
the metropolis, but it will guard against any
lOrgctfulness on their part, and at the SAME
time save them good deal of unnecessary
bother in their system OF, bookkeeping.
The managers of the road will, during the
summer months, run the long cars exclusively
on the New Worcester route during the after
noon and early in the morning, but the short
cars will run as heretofore on the Claremont
street line, and to New Worcester in the fore
|