The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-11-12
TO ABOLISH CHECKS
Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany Considering a Change
Of the Pay System.
employees. TO BE PAID IN CASH
Advantages of the Cash System
Railroad Companies Trying to
Effect a Reform.

Everybody knows that the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad Company pays its en-
ploys by check. but everybody doesn't
know that the compan is considering
the practicability of paying its employees IN
future in cash. The plan is now under
discussion by the heads in Philadelphia.
and a general order subverting the old
plan is daily expected.
When an employee puts in two weeks
or a months work he receives a check.
There is only one place where that check
may be oashed by him, and that is at a
saloon, and, Of course. he leave a few
niokels there for a drink. The saloon
kesper provides for the Pennsylvania
pay day by laying in a large amount OF
change, ard by the accommodation he
is repaid, because on every check cashed
he takes out on an average half a dol
lar, sometimes more per man.
Often some slick fellow FORCES these
checks, and then the s%aloonkeeper is
ont. a case like that occurred in Jer-
sey City a few years ago when three
welI-known saloonkeepers were bitten
TO the tune of several thousand dollars.
The scamp would nave ever made a big
ger haul if he had only waited one day.
i CdoltCo l1lo SlOSN5 FS1
before the checks were usually issued,
and the fraud was discovered. Had ne
cashed them the day following it would
he at least one month or more before
The company would have noticed the
swindle.
TOO MUCH PAY DAY
This is one of the reasons why the
change from checks to cash is proposed
- =. II. +lo+ +hn oochinor of checks
in a saloon induces drunkenness among
the men and it is not uncommon for a
large number of them to neglect turn
ing up at their work the next day, pc
cause the previous day was pay day.
On a great system like the Pennsylvania
Railroad, serious results may accrue from
such absenteeism and not only he P.
R. R., but all the big TRUNK lines are
d~iScOuraging the caShlng OF pay cnechS
in the saloon.
If the men would only cash their checks
at respectable places of business like the
main saloons down town in Jersey City.
where drunkenness is not encouraged and
railroad men are not almost compelled
to spend a certain sum on the vlest OF
liquors., not much harm would be done,
but it is a fact hat in several dives ad-
joining the freight and passenger yards
and engine shops of the P. r. r., the
men are literally robbed and the wives
C1ll0 1ill0 IA ct tlOiAiO ~ khS
MANY CASES LIKE THIS.
A very prominent railroad official, con-
versing on this subject this morning with
a News representative. said that is
come to the foremen of departments
and complain that out of $50 paid by
the company to their husbands for two
weeks pay, they la received the next
day ~one-quarter of that sum to a for
rent and provision for a whole month.
zone brakeman is q constant sinner in
ant 'and l am begged most p~iteously not
to give him a check because he goes to a
lessly drunk and half his money gone.
Next day he is laid up and that is an adj
ditional loss"
Should the system of payment be
changed a great saving of clerical work
it is Stained, will be another feature.
With every la paid by check am eaeh
number, amount and name, the saving
in time alone will be remarkable.
The officials in ersey City have. not re-
ceived any news of the proposed change.
and they have nothing to say about it.
But it may be an official order before
tonight's News" goes to press.