Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1883-10-06

eran conductors who have seen
railroad service in all its phases;
William Edward is Master me-
chanic in charge of the shops; Alfred
Beall Is his assistant; Samuel Aler is
foreman in the machine shops; John
Marstella is foreman in the repair de-
partment for passenger engines; Henry
Grim is foreman of the blacksmith
shops; the boiler department is in the
charge of Harmon Bohda; Thos. Baker
is foreman Of the carpenter shops and
VIM. Armstrong is foreman Of the cop
per and tinsmithing departments.
About fifty trains arrive and depart
from this station each day. Each is in
spected here, and this department is in
charge Of A. T. Rustler.
At the shops the work done is Of a
very diversified character. Locomo-
tives are rebuilt and in the car depart
ment not only are all manner of repairs
effected but many new cars are con-
structed each year. In the shops, too,
are scores OF men who have been in the
employ of the Company for great
many years. Mr.. Edwards, the Master
mechanic, has been with the b. a. O.
forty-one years: Mr.. Beall began learn
ing his trade in the shops here, 30 years
ago, and has never been employed else
pany's service as track hand in 1865,
and the position he now holds is evil
dence of the manner in which he has
discharged his duties--in other words
permanency and position rests with the
employees themselves, for the company
Is a liberal and appreciative employer.
Forty freight conductors make Mar
tinsburg their home. Among those
longest in the company's service are:
Thomas Fost, Frank McAneny, Lloyd
Harper, Pat Healen, A. s. Chambers,
A. j. Ringer, g. w. Edmunds, Daniel
McGinnis and Mr.. Thompson-Mr Fost
has been running trains for nearly or
quite 80 years.
The sales Of passenger tickets at this
point aggregate $40 900 per year; the
receipts for freight are something in
excess Of $100, 900 per year. The freight
shipments largely consist Of flour,
grain, phosphates, spokes, lime, ma
chinery ETC.. while the receipts are gen.
eral merchandise, lumber, coal, imple-
ments, etc.
The End Division, of which Martins
burg is headquarters, has ever been one
of the most fortunate ones of the whole
line. There is reason for the fact. The
employees are, as 3 rule,a superior body
Of men. Hundreds have homes aud
families here; they are among our most
industrious citizens, and the merchants
Of the city unite in pronouncing their
RAILROAD trade as of the best. The
character OF the men is further shown
by the fact that b. & o. man, seeking
employment upon another road, is IL
most invariably gwen precedence--oth-|
er railway companies recognizing the
fact that their training has been
thorough. Another point we would
like to elaborate is the "B. & O. Relief
Association" Members are assessed
pro rata, according to their salaries
from IS cents to 81 per month, and at
least 94 per cent. Of the men of
the and. Division are members.
L hi s asso G. alton pays salaries
in full when Q memberis inca
pacitated for work by illness and also
provides "death fund.-" The officers
OF the b. & 0. road are interested to this
extent: the Company pays all expense
account of the association, and every
dollar of assessment goes directly to
the purpose for which assessment is
made.
Not only has the Company thus en-
couraged a mutual insurance scheme
but it has also provided Savings Bank |
at Baltimore, for which each station |
master is agent. This bank receives
sums of from 81 to 800 each deposit, |
pays four per cent. interest, and the Il. |
a o. stands godfather to it. 1t is a |
scheme designed to further the well
fare of employees Of the road, and might |
we'll be initiated by other great corpo-
rations.
The large sums of money monthly dis
bursed by the Company at this point
serve to sustain many a private enter
prise, and to the b. & o. Martinsburg
must ever remain indebted for much
Of its growth in the past and for the full
fillment of many hopes for the future.
BURKH4RT & 90.