River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-05-15
MUST BE A DIPLOMAT.
The Duties OF a Private Secretary to
Railroad Magnate.

Railroad Magnate.
Life in a private railway car is ro-
mantle. Arailway official is many times
criticised for riding around the country
in an official car and putting on STYLE"
but such criticism usually comes from
an ignorant person who perhaps never
rode foot anywhere but in the day
coach. and knows nothing about the
necessities of the railroad man. To the
manager of large raiload system the
private car is as much a necessity as is
his Office at headquarters In fact, it is
his Office when on the line and great
deal OF business is transacted therein.
With the aid of his stenographer, who
always accompanies him, he is able to
transact his routine business almost as
clean as If he were in his Office. The
car is equipped for work-as much so as
the Office. In the observation end is
the desk, the letter press, copy
books, typewriter and every thing
down TO the waste-paper basket His
mail is sent to him daily, or addressed
TO him ION line west" or ION line
east" and the baggageman who car
riers it by" is eligible to a thirty-day
lay off. The secretary keeps track of
all letters and documents and Is sup
posed to have them on tap when called
for. The duties of the secretary arc
numerous and such a situation is not
sinecure, as people seem to think. lie
must know the road, keep his eye peeled
for kilograms, send answers to them. and
keep the car supplied with the daily
papers. just when and where 20 get
them he must know. The secretary
often has half dozen officials TO serve
when they go out together on an in
spection tour; in such cases his duties
are multiplied. Usually the secretary
has good knowledge of telegraphy, in
fact, it is almost a necessity to be able
to handle the key, for it often happens
that the operator is out and tho
secretary must send important
messages over the wire. If it
has the general managers signal
on it that will secure him the circuit
over all except the danger signal, which
outranks all others. tits amusing when
stubborn operator is fighting to keep
the circuit, to see how he will drop it
and close his key when he gets ninety
seven" But very few secretaries are
entrusted with the discretionary power.
to use the signal. More often than
otherwise he must obtain permission to
use the private signal. These young
men sometimes do great amount of
travelling. ] knew one on the Santa Fe
road to travel 1000 miles within thirty
days. But he is well-treated both by
the officials, who are usually consider
| ate, and by the train-men, who always
admire him because he is sort of
sharks pilot" or barnaele of the high
official. Usually he knows every mile
of the road, and if he awakens in the
night time he can tell in less than two
minutes, almost to certainty, what
| part of the line he is on, by the motion
of the train or the action of the engine.
| To hold such a position, one must be
an expert stenographer and be able to
write legible shorthand notes and
operate typewriter while the train
is running fifty or sixty miles an hour.
In fact, his head must be as clear as
bell, and he must be equipped with an
accurate pair of ears, quick motion
! and the best of Judgment. He must
! scout around stations when the train
makes thirty-second stops and not get
| left behind. He must be well qualified
to take care of himself He is, as
rule, we'll paid. He must know how to
order carriages, buy theater tickets and
select the best seats in the house.
Railroad officials are generally modest
and seldom want boxes. He must have
nerve, but exhibit only his modesty.
1t is often necessary to ride sixty miles
an hour The official usually wants to
ride fast. | know one official who will
cover 500 miles a day and transact bust
ness at various stations as he goes
along. He must be educated up to that
point which tells him just when his
presence is desirable and when his room
is preferable TO his company. Above
all he must have a faultless memory.
He must get weather and train reports
at division headquarters, post the train
men where stops are to be made when
travelling special" and keep off the
| Chiaano Iournol