Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-11-03

From the Philadelphia Times.

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Upon the fourth floor of the magnificent Broad
street station building, in the corner facing 18th
and Market streets are the quarters occu-
pied by conductors OF passenger trains and
others employed about the depot when away
from home or off Of duty. Part Of this space is
taken up by bath and dressing rooms, with num-
bered closets, in which passenger employees
keep their uniforms and other clothing. and
part by sleeping rooms These differ from the
resting places at the retreat for brakemen at
bedding and other accommodations, so
that the men who use them can STAY all night
as comfortably as they could at their own
homes. The remaining part of this space is
| filed by the conductors library and reading
room. This is larger and finer than the brake
mems. though hardly so well-lighted, as it has
windows only upon one side. few glances re-
veal the fact that it is intended to cater to tastes
of high order, as though the company consd-
cred its employees Intelligent, cultivated gen.
tlemen, and intended to treat them as such
1t is carpeted with a handsome body brussels
and provided with a number of chairs. SOFAS
library and chess tables. The chairs and sofas
are neat and substantial, of different patterns
walnut with cane seats, or upholstered in hair
cloth rep. The library tables are covered with
daily papers, magazines, aliases encyclopedias
and handsome pictorial volumes, as PICTURESQUE
America. Chess, checkers and dOmnOeS are the
only games allowed. The walls are literally
covered with large photographs of Pennsylvania
railroad scenery, portraits of prominent rail-
road officials and number of fine engravings
The immense bookcases are filled with re-
markedly good collection of several hundred
volumes. embracing nearly all of the standard
works of English literature. The books are
neatly and uniformly covered with heavy, dark
paper outside of their bindings. There is q
librarian in charge, and all using the reading
room have the privilege of taking the books
home. Most of the volumes were provided by
the railroad company. but several donations
have been made by outside friends. The same
is true of some of the pictures. The finest gift
was that of handsome Steinway piano. pre-
sented by Mr.. Reed, of Philadelphia. For this
the passenger employees, in body. thanked the
donor in an elegant set of engrossedresolutiOns
violin keeps the piano company. Some OF the
conductors are fine musicians and elocutionists
Upon the evening OF the 25th of every month
they hold in this room an informal concert or
entertainment among themselves The perfor-
mances are ususly by amateurs, drawn from
their own ranks. assisted by their lady friends
Occasionally professional talent is enlisted
Quite recently they we're treated to a lecture BY
Mr.. Robert J. Burdett of Ardmore
Conductors and other railroad employees take
the greater part Of their meals in the building
They use the same restaurant as the passengers
but as they wear citizens dress when off duty
they attract no special attention among the
throng. The company supplies them with res
taurant tickets by which arrangement they can
obtain table-bOard at the cost price of the food
This is the only charge made them for any &C
cOmmodation on the premises.