The Penn's Grove record., 1883-11-17

sylVania Railroad, Philadelphla, Is .
binding which has been erected within
a year at a cost of about $4,000. 1t Is
intended to afford a temporary refuge
for men employed on freight trains,
when of duty or away from home. Most
of these trainulen live at Harrisburg,
Columbia and smaller towns along tbs
line of the Pennsylvania Railroad.
When not at work there was, until re
Gently, no place in which employees
could spend their time, except the cabin
cars or the taverDs. The building was
erected by the company on faith, it,
proprietors not being sure that those fol
whom it was designed would appreciate
efforts made to improve their condition,
But these men have shown that they cal
and do appreciate. The pleasant rooms
are always in use. Especially is this
the case on Sunday, when the library
often acts a a preventive OF Sunday
dissipation. The READING ROOM, y as ii
is generally called, is a plain, substan-
tial structure of red brick with trim
mings Of tiles and a sloping slate roof.
1t stands east of Fifty-secoDd street,
upon part of the old Heston property,
in a pretty green lawn, shaded with a
number of fine trees and enclosed bv a
neatly painted picket fence, with a gate
opening upon F~iity-second street. Tue
house Is so planned that the first story
proper is opposite the railroad bank and
connected with it by a foot ril ge, the
ground floor really constituting a base
ment. The building is, Theodore, three
stories in height from FIfty-second
street and but two from tie railroad.
The path from the FIfty-second street
gate leads to a door opening INTO the
basement entry.
This basement has a solid flooring of
cement, while, in common with the
the woodwork a beautiful oiled oak.
Here are the heaters and coal-bins, a
large wash room with towels and hand
basins. and three commodlous bath
rooms, all provided with hot and cold
water. A staircase leads to the main
floor, which is divided by a wide entry
into two nearly equal portions, the
eastern containing two small rooms,
the western one large one. The small
room at the head of the stairs Is a smok-
Jug room. This contains a large table
for games, chairs and an immense ice
cooler with a capacity sufficient TO sup
ply an army. No smoking Is allowed IN
any part of the building except this
room. Checkers and dominoes are pro-
vided, but other games are forbidden.
The large room towards the west Is the
library aud reading room. This Is
amply lighted and ventilated by SIX fire
windows, shaded by striped awnings.
The floor is carpeted with a quiet-tinted
rich body Brussels; the walls are
adorned with large, framed photographs
Of Pehnsy lvania Railroad scenery. Two
large tables pear the centre of the room
are covered with a choice collection of
current literature, comprising all the
standard magazines, several copies OF
each, and the daily and weekly papers
of the principal cities In the Union, as
well as Of the smaller towns along the
railroad. Settles and chairs are plenty
so that there are ample Accommodations
tr all who desire to avail themselves OF
these priylege s. One side of the room
is devoted to bookcases, which are of
oiled oak and plate-glass. They are not
yet filed, but they already contain a
very good collection of volumes, includ-
ing all tine works of Dickens, Scott,
Thackeray, Cooper, Shakespeare, tine
poems OF Lonefellow and Byron, s veral
Valua l. religious works, as the "PIi-
grim S Progress and farrar's Life of
| Christ and a number OF standard books
OF reference. The very first donation to
the library was d handsomely bound
copy of the Bible. but it seems 10 be the
book least in demand. Webster's una
briiged, on the contrary, Is often o
suited. Altogether, except that the
bookcases are not yet filled, the library
and reading room ls as fine a one as can
be found III most private residences,
even pretentious ones.
The third story is a large lodging or
resting room, 1t is provided with iron
cots. with green oil cloth mattresses.
No bed clothing is needed, as the men,
having usually but a short time to spare
lie down in their clothes. An arrange.
ment is made by which any man can be
called in time to go on duty, hui re-
lieving him from all care III the matter.
There are no dining looms O any
meals served on the premises, ss the
trainmen have cook stoves III their
cabincars and generally leave home with
provisions enough to last them several
Gays. One is struck with the wonder
full neatness and cleanliness everywhere.
The floors, glass and woodwork fairly
shine. Tie library is the only room
carpeted, thu others and the entries and
stairways being supplied with strips OF
cocoa mating. According to the rules
the institusion splitting on the floor or
defacing The building or furniture is
forbidden. Other rules prohibit loud
conversation likely to disturb those read
ing Oh sleeping, proiane or ungentle-
manly language, carelessness IN hand
ling books or removing books from the
library. Altogether the appearance OF
everything weuld do credit to any com
munlty or association. For the use OF
the building and Its privileges the COM
pany makes no charge whatever. All is
provided freely, the only restriction
being that freight employees; for whom
it is intended, must not make a practice
of bringing others In, and must, more
over, conduct themselves properly while
enjoying these benefits.
The small room fronting on the rail-
road, in the eastern part of the first
floor. is an office for railroad business.
Here an applicant for any position con-
nected with freight trains is examined
by the proper officials. Not only must
he be able to read and write, but he
must read large print and small, and
distinguish the separate letters at me
distance of so many feet or so many
inches. His sight, hearing and color
sense must be within certain limitations
cultivated to perfection.
To test the eyes the examiner places
upon the candidates nose a pair OF
spectacles, literally without glasses. A
movable disc of ire is placed before the
right and left eye alternately to deter
mine whether he can see or read equally
well with both eyes. Wearing these
peculiar spectacles he reads printed
cards upon a movable frame and also
upon the wall across the room. From
these tests his capacity for sight Is
marked according 20 a graduated scale.
The test for hearing are made according