The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1891-11-07
MISS ETA SPENCER.
How Her Work is Appreciated by
Her Fellow Employees.
THE WOMAN TRAIN DISPATCHER
Mr.. q. T.. Newton Writes Commencing
the Article Recently Published by the
"News''-"smartest Woman They Ever
Knew"-PIeasant Words for Miss Thayer
Also.
70 the Editor OF The Providence Ne,us.

To the Editor Of The Providence Neirs
The public and corporate bodies in gen
eral are so slow to recognize faithful SER
vice and capability in the gentle sex that
your article in THE PROVIDENCE News of
November 3, partially disclosing the talent
and energy of our train dispatcher, Miss
Eta Spencer, of the New York and New
England Railroad, gives pleasure to every
employee of the road.
Your types give her longer term of
service than the circumstances warrant
as Miss Spencer Is yet young and full of
life.
Operators and others coming under her
supervision have noted the watchful care,
the business-like management, the uner-
ring judgment in the direction of affairs
appertaining TO all the departments Of
railroading long before your scribe placed
her before the reading class, and il may not
be out of place for the public TO know how
those under her charge look at the matter.
We will commence by saying without
fear OF dispute that Miss Spencer is the
peer as an all-round operator of any per-
son, man or woman, that grips n key in
New England to-day. Her great
superiority in this department lies in the
fact that she can receive from the fastest
pressman or the incipient plug and never
X, lA
and when received by sound or by the
Morse ticker the characters are as plain
as letters cut in steel.
To persons who understand the art, the
difficulty of receiving from twenty TO
thirty different operators all writing va
riable hands, is apparent in ordinary bust
ness. Apply the same difficulty to the
skill required in the dispatching of trains
10y wire and we have known many "A cool
man To get himself in a fine mess, but
never Miss Spencer.
| merely voice the sentiment of the EN-
ployes of the road when | say she is the
smartest woman we ever knew, and all
employees unhesitatingly obey her direc-
tions, for they have the most implicit con-
fidence in her capacity.
Ii the special talent of women was half
as we'll appreciated and paid for rs that
displayed by men, she would have had the
position, by well-earned right, as superin-
tendent OF some large railroad long ago,
and | know none among the employees of
the road who would begrudge her the po-
sition either. But they would all rejoice
to see such reward for natural ability,
supplemented by welldirected energy.
We have no doubt Miss Thayer has
well earned her position on the New Lon
don Northern. Well do we remember
her spirited action and decided work at
Plainheld junction years ago. But il
must be borne in mind that when there
she was under the direction of Miss
Spencer, and must have gained from her
that confidence and self-rcliance that have
carried her to the top of the profession.
To place Miss Thayer alone on the ele-
vation advanced by the New York S,m
would not please that very amiable and
capable lady, and would call forth many
solemn protest from parties who ali
know the duties of each dispatcher. and
who are as well able to judge the work
of each as a reporter on the staff of the
luminary that has such hard job AT
enlighteniug the world. Yours truly,
O. Il. NEWTON.