The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-14
Also and with an interest in both trafics (as the
Burlington and the Rock Island havel, there Is
| probably less liability to Disbursements.

The Coming Reform In Railroad Service.
The good works of J. 81. Devereux, late presi-
dent of the Bee-lire system. live after him.
About year ago he instructed the heads Of all
departments to arrange their respective depart
ments to do as little work as possible the Sab
bath; superintendent were asked to run as few
trains as they could consistently, yardmasters
were requested to do only yard work which was
actually necessary; clerks at offices were in
structed to keep their work up in such a manner
that they need not be at the Office on Sunday,
and everything practicable was to be done to
bring about better observance OF the Sabbath,
and the effort has been fruitful of good results.
Agents, clerks and employees have been able to
spend much of their time on that day with their
families, and trainmen, who had previously
hardly seen their wives and children on that day,
it having been used for a clearing-up day, have
become, under the new rules, acquainted with
them and best Of all, the business of the road
has not suffered in tine least by the humane act.
There is a movement on foot which Is gaining
considerable Roadway with employees looking to
doing less Sunday work, and it is to be
hoped railway managers will encourage such
reform. If railroad employees could
be given the Sabbath to spend with their fami-
lies and attend church, if they desired to do so. it
would elevate them morally, make them better
citizens and better railroad men. The Brother
hood of Locomotive Engineers and of Locomo-
tive Firemen have done good work in elevatng
in every respect their membership and the ne xt
general move should be toward better observ-
ance of the Sabbath. While it would probably
be impracticabe to stop all trains, Is per cent Of
the business could be we'll done on other days.
1t IL all wrong to press all freight. and even pas
senger crews, into service Sunday, that it may
be a general cleaning-up day.
VIII Not Go to the Colleges for Managers.
Charles Francis Adams, in q lecture before the
students Of Harvard University, spoke of rail
way management as q profession, in the course
of which he said: tin the beginning of the build
ing of railways. $1,000 900 was deemed a large
capital for railroad. The capital Of the Union
Pacific is represented by $270, 0O0 900 of securi
ties of the forty or fifty roads which are com.
bired in this general system It's income is $685.
600, 600 year, and in profitable times reaches
$500 600 a day. It employs 200 men, and has
monthly payroll of $500. 600; 1000 cars are
run by $50 locomotives 25 900 tons of steel rails
are used in replacing worn out rails, and 2.000,
600 ties have to be used in keeping the road
in condition.
'If you compare this with the United States
government, the affairs of the latter, during the
first fifty years of its existence, were trifing.
Yet this is only one system. and there are i've
more by the side of which. for example, the
Pennsylvania, the Union Pacific is insignificant.
If this is the growth of forty years, what will
be that of sixty or eighty yearsa confess that
l am unable to forecast it. This great principle
of consolidation and aggregation, like the prin-
cpes of gravitation, has yet but begun to de-
velop its results; and feel confident the future
managers of the railroad will be men of much
greater capacity and ability than those of the
present day" The Railway Reporter says:
while Mr. Adams tells the truth, in saying
that the railway managers Of the future will
have more ability than those of to-day. he is
much mistaken if he intends to convey the i'm
preston to the young Under graduates of Har-
ward that railway stockholders of the future
will come to the senior class of that institution
for its railway managers The railway mana
gers Of the future will come from brakeme n,
linemen, and men from the ranks generally.