The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-12-28
The Trip Of q Pay Car.

cit is a great deal of work to pay of
all the men employed on this road
said the paymaster of one of the
Northern railroads to q Globe reporter
yesterday.
81 should think so, indeed" said the
reporter. "May l ask how it is done?''
well. 1 suppose the part of it which
would most interest the public. is that
relating to the monthly trip of the pay
car. We have a car fitted up for the
purpose just like bank office, with 8
burglar-proof safe, and ali the convent.
ences for transacting business. We GO
out from Boston and pick up the men
just where we find them, at the stations
or along the track. On pay day the
meh go about their ordinary business
just as on any other day, and we find
them just where they happen to be at
work. At the stations we make stop
long enough to pay the station agent
and all the men, half hour to an hour
being required at the larger stations u
''Do you send out word and have the
men come to some point of the line on
payday"
ave don't have to do that; the men
know about what time the pay car is
due and they come around without need
of any extra summons. Our train is 8
wild train, of course, and has to be
tagged all the way. The train ahead
of us carries flag and the men see it
and know the pay train is coming. We
have one engineer who always runs the
engine which draws the pay car, and he
understands the business. II we meet
a gang of track-repairers at work the
train stops right among them, and the
men file on board and get their pay.
No matter if but one man is at work in
a place, we stop for him. The road
master goes with us and identifies the
men,"
Il have heard wonderful things about
your CELEBRITY in paving men," said the
reporter. Il have heard that you have
been known to pay at the rate Of 100 a
minute
That's ridiculous. I pay on the av.
erage three or four minute in the car.
The men have to be identified, then
names must be found on the register,
the money is given them, and, of course,
they must count it before they finally
sign their names or make their marks
in acknowledgment of the receipt.
Sometimes we can 90 quicker than that
when there is pressing need. Occasion.
ally where there is large gang of men
at work the foreman arranges them in
line in the order of their names on the
payroll, as soon as the train comes in
sight. We have the money all counted
foS them, and they are rushed aboard
the car, paid off. and we are gone before
they know it. In the case of gravel
gang, where nine out of ten men would
have to make their mark, this can be
done very quickly. A shop gang, where
all would write their names, would re.
quire more time"
'.If any man happens not to be on
hand when the pay-car comes around
how does he get his money!"
"We return over the same track foi
the most part, and the men would be
pretty sure to be on hand then If
man is sick when a car comes along he
goes to the nearest station as soon as he
is able and gets his pay from the agent.
Our trip takes about three days; we
have 1900 men to pay"
ut must be great deal of work."
Certainly it is, but there are pleas
ant features about it. We make the
trip almost an excursion. The party
that 90 in the pay-car have known each
other for long while; they take it easy
and manage to have pretty good time
out of the trip. The Improvements that
are made from month to month interest
US, and of course there are stirring OF
incidents connected with every
Trip. We have to be careful and look
out for the other trains, and take care
not to get stuck on sidings where there
IS no telegraph within reach. There il
one thing in our favor, and that is we
nay be sure that everyone is anxiously
cooking for our arrival and genuinely
glad to see US when we come. Boston
Globe