The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-07
MORE INDIGNANT VIRTUE.

Another Ex-COnductOr's Statement How
He Pockctcd a Stated Sum Daily for
Himself and His Drfver-Hardships Of
Railroad Life.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
My attention was called to-day to an article pub
lished in your valuable paper of the I'd inst under
the mead OF Indignant Virtue" by an ex-Eighth
Avenue conductor, for the publishing OF which you
richly merit ana receive the gratitude OF very
many who, through the force of circumstances
and misfortune are compelled to seek that slave
ike and thankless position in order to support
themselves ana families. Had 1 not been very
busy at the time you published the article OF which
the conductor complains l would certainly have
addressed you pertaining thereto, and am now
constrained to do so in defence Of an overworked
and greatly abused class. My short experience az
a street car conductor has July convinced me-
that there are very many gentlemen, In the fullest
sense Of the word acting In that capacity who.
through financial embarrassment or misfortune,
have accepted 1t, not OF choice, but necessity.
sltion now VINO have honorably filed important
o1ces in society,", and several VINO nave peen
worth from $5O.66O to 100000.
Ny own experience was quite similar to that or
the ex-cOnductOr before referred to. Alter being
out OF employment more than tour months. during
winch time l answered hundreds OF advertise
ments, personally and by letter. and more than
once offered to work at any thing Tor whatever the
Procuring a position SOME two months since on
the Eighth Avenue Railroad as conductor. very
soon found that in order to run good book, or.
In other words, to make lair returns, the driver
and the conductor had got to work together. II
the conductor does not pay the driver he win
almost invariably pass carelessly by many paeBen-
gers whom he would otherwise walt Tor. The con-
ductor would also pe liable to miss collecting many
fares during the day OF passengers who enter tho
served by the conductor; while II the driver Is paid
he will keep watch and inform him OF their en-
trance. Upon realizing these facts commenced
paying my driver twenty-five cents per Gay. TINS
they pay their conductors but 81. Thinking I
about seventy.fve cents a day, twenty-five or
which gave to my driver, making our pay equal.
worked for the company about iour weeks and
soemnly swear that this Is q true statement and
full average OF what took. Ii did not earn this
you may Judge for yourself when state that I
NJ, and did not get done until after eleven O'Clock
at night. Very lew know how much int0ierans
street cars, and many times while faithfully per-
forming their duties In accordance with the ruies
OF the companies. Their hours are sucn tnev arc
Obliged to sacrifice ali social home comforts arc
compelled to take most OF their meals away iIom
home, are exposed TO all kinds OF weather, ana
not only serve nom fourteen to eighIeen hours per
Yesterday, the Sd inst, l had occasion 10 step
into the room occupied by the empl9y "s =, ,uo
In one end OF the room was large snowdrift:
Most of the floor was covered with mud
and water in some places almost 20 Inc c 81
ana drivers were huddled around miserable
broken apology for stove, when was aimoss
the lew minutes allotted TO them between trips.
iris is only fair statement OF the abuses heaped
upon our street car eoaauct0fs py the nonoraoe
pudence In their reports to their employ e.
OF pocKetine one-tnird OF their receipts.
think they must Judge q S SShe,S morals BY
NEW YORK, Feb. l. 1874