Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-09-02
A NEW sTREET-CAR CoSprcron
The Training He Has to Undergo Beror. >,
Becomes Proficient Hr

Inc training He Has to Undergo Beroro Y
Becomes Proficient, nv
II was during commission hon.
day last week when reporter hoa.a. oHe
Fulton street car bound to,vor1 ;, CD
New York. The conductor was No Nase
uniform was new, and an atmosnba MS
newness surrounded him. II evida5S Vl
was his first days experience on The L 10y
PLATFORM and he felt this position keenl-
The most casual observer could MOI s.!,
to notice the conductors awkwardness
and the fact that he was being trairas
was more apparent when the presence rs
a scared and experienced veteran of ~.
bell-rope was seen beside him. Even tbo
patience OF an experienced man is so,,a
times tried when he has load of passan
gers aboard with fares unpaid in the mia
die of the car and with but little chance
OF collecting them. Under these circpr-
stances what must be the feeling of =
new conductor? The presiding eeniors
of the car on which the reporter rode was
a tall and sinewy Irishman, with the mo-
elegant brogue Imaginable. He was q,
times inclined to pull the Dell-strap more
often than is customary, but this was ev.
cused by everybody, with the exception NJ
the driver. This individual scowled al
most necessarily during the trip. and ~
stated intervals turned a face expressive
of the utmost contempt IN the direction
of the rear platform. Drivers are oueer
specimens of humanity, and contend that
horse-car conductors are born, not mada
Taking into consideration the crowded
condition of the car, and his inexperience
the new conductor did comparatively we'll
Such slight inconvenience az being CARR.
ed dozen blocks beyond the streets, and
having their toes crushed by the conduc-
tor, who was unused to the swaying
of the car, were passed by as nm
worthy of notice by many of the passen.
gers.
After the car had become comparative
ly empty the reporter made his way to
the rear platform, and engaged the old
conductor in conversation. He said:
Before a man can become successful
candidate for conductors position he
must pass rigid examination as to his
knowledge of the streets across which his
car is to pass. A man must be able to
tell street by the appearance of its cor
ners, as it often happens that many streets
don't have their names on the lamp-posts.
The principal duty of new conductor is
to keep his car on time, neither too fast
nor too slow. 1t is also necessary to OBJ
serve the city ordinance which requires
cars to stop on the further crossings and
his leaves the thoroughfare open. new
man sometimes has to be trained for
week before he becomes proficient. Men
who show themselves to be intelligent
learn i'll few days. OF course new con
ductors receive no compensation while
learning. One of the most difficult things
for new man to acquire is to make his
accounts come out straight They are
often short and but seldom over. New
men are apt to use the indicator too freely,
or so short. They are of course, obliged
to make up their deficiency"
"Are conductors obliged under all cir
cumstaSces to turn in an equivalent in
money for the number of fares register
ed?" the reporter asked.
mo, occasionally instances will occur
in which a conductor will ring up the
fares of passengers who find themselves
in the wrong car and are compelled to get
off without paying. In case this does not
occur too often the company will allow a
reduction of the fares so rung up. The
days when car conductor lived in
brown stone-house, and at the rate of
81 600 year, are passed. Honest men
can live on the salary paid, and the com
pany has no use for dishonest men," said
the conductor in conclusion.