The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1890-08-23
HEDGED IN BY L
Some Of the Tribulations Of Sleep
ing-Car Portera.

Queer Mandates and Regulations Issued
by tho Pullman and Wagner Com
panics-Questlons Asked Of Men
Seeking Employment.
The life of a porter IN a sleeping-car
is usually pictured as one full of trials
and t%ribulations, and his work as lack
ing sufficient remuneration. All this is
in q great measure true.
Most men who enter into the duties
of q "car-service man," as the porters
are called, recognize that they are work.
ing for a vast corporation, and there
must exist a strict system Of discipline.
1t has been said that among the orders
issued to the porters are those to wear
clean, white linen, ''stand-up" collars
and bright and clean uniforms. They
are furthermore forbidden to speak to
the lady passengers, unless first spoken
to. In other words, as one Of them put
it: I'VE are expected to dress like
dudes, but not to act like them"
A Chicago News reporter spent some
time the other day talking TOT few Pull
man and Wagner porters. The mon
were not at all disposed to enumerato
their little grievances. A railroad
official remarked that it was because
they did not have confidence in the in
terrogator's identity. "They may think
you are a special agent" he said. eyes,
we find lots Of things that VIC are
ordered to do unnecessary and not very
~1n.,oo%S co;1 orn rortnr nm a uaCti-
buled st. Paul train, "but it would not
do for me to complain. The officials
would find me out and tell me if l did
not like the work to get out and make
room for q willing man."
superintendent Lincoln, Of the oper-
ating department of the Wagner Sleep
ing-Car Company, wal interviewed. He
showed tho reporter tho printed instruc-
lions issued to porters and conductors.
They are almost identical, section after
section, with those of tho Pullman COM
pany. ga porter or conductor travels a
rough road to secure his position" said
MI. Lincoln. ''The number and nature
of the questions asked the applicant
very often startle the man. He must
be able to read and write, to state his
antecedents, education, physical condi-
ton, names, addresses and businesses of
each Of his employers within five years
at least, stating his position with each
employer, and when and why cleft the
employ of each man. The applicant is
also asked: Are you willing to go
wherever sent?' Are you in debt? do
you use Intoxicating liquors" DO you
ever play games of chance for money or
; gamble IN any way?' These are sample
questions. A porter, when he is ac-
,, copied, is told his duties and supplied
with badges, buttons and white jack
cts. The uniforms, summer and winter
i weights, he must purchase. The porter
is not asked to wear a white vest. That
is a portion of the conductors summer
uniform. The vest in cold weather Is
covered up by the coat, which is but
toned clear to the top. A white stand
ing-collar and fat scarf are demanded OF
the porters for tho sake OF having uni
formity and preventing gaudy or
Sporty neckwear. The shoes or boots
must be kept polished, and our company
prohibits the use Of slippers at any
time while on duty. The Pullman
company allows its porters to wear
slippers, after all passengers have re-
tired, or when lying at a waiting point.
The summer or lightweight uniforms
are worn from June l until October 1.
Porters are requested to remove their
caps when making up or putt; lg away
berths or attending to other sil--ilar du-
ties. They are provided with white
duck jackets by the company to be worn
over tho uniform while doing this work
only, and the porters must see that
they secure enough to have a clean one
for each night. At no time while on
duty is q porter allowed to play cards OF
gamble. This seems like a startling
array of rules, but if the men are will
ing to do the work they are employed to
perform they can not consistently com
plain"
slave you any system of rewarding
old and efficient men?"
"Yes; they get the best runs like
those to New York on the limited. We
have portcrs who commenced working
for us fifteen years ago. They like the
work, and, as I said, they get the pref
erence of the best runs. These porters
earn much more than the conductors
There is one thing which very often
disgusts a Pullman porter. His berth
is supposed to be that in the smoking
room, but should the smoking-room be
'sold," he must take upper l." Il
that also is occupied, tho porter must
either remain awake or crawl up on the
roof and sleep. Between the hours o.
ten p. m. and three a. m. the porter IL
monarch Of the car. He can lie with
one eye open and watch any. number o.
passengers enter the car at a mair
station, but, though they call loudl,
for their berths, he never moves. 1t i.
his sleeping time, and the conductor
must then make up berths.
villages Built in Trees.
People who live in trees or employ
them as places Of refuge are apt to b
particularly miserable specimens of the
human family, for their choice of a home
invariably implies that they are moi
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