Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1896-06-06
NOTES AND COMMENTS.

opposite side. Don't trifle with {
man who is accustomed to burying
people You are sure to be showed
under.
Considerable independence AMI
changing was manifested in the
Fourth ward. They will repent a
leisure the effect Of a hasty action
Some persons are made to believe
every crooked report that is raised OF
candidate.
Cyclones have been doing fearful
work in some portions of the country
How fortunate we are, and how thank
full we ought to be. Providence ha:
nearly surrounded this beautiful val
ley with protective mountains as a
barrier from storms and cyclones, an6
the people are happy and prosperous
Again we say how thankful we should
be to the Giyer of all good for the
many blessings that have been lavish
ed upon US.
There was ripple of excitement
about the B. & o. machine shops here,
during the past week, when it became
noised around that great changes were
to be made in the official force here.
Many were the conjectures and sug.
gestions of how it would be and the,
II knowed it" and, 81 told you SO S"
have been numerous and are still on
the increase. On Saturday evening,
the little cyclone struck the shops and
while the buildings are all intact and
solid, some of the employees no doubt
are badly shattered by the sad effect.
The position of master mechanic has
been abolished and is now known as
general foreman, at reduced pay. Mr..
S. B. Taylor, who was general fore
man, has been offered work in the
shop at River Side, Md, while Mr.. ].
M. Marstella takes the position vacat-
ed by Mr. Taylor. Numbers, of ma
chinists were put off, together with
some yard laDorers. The position of
car inspectors has also been abolished
and the former foreman dropped from
the company's rolls. Effectiveness,
hard study, with continuous labor and
unbounded success in management OF
the minor officials here, cuts no figure
with the company. Those who were
dismissed from the service have the
consolation of knowing it is not from
neglect of duty or misfortunes from
oversight OF work in detecting and
remedying the numerous weak parts
which requires an expert to discover.
New officers always make new laws,
sometimes disastrous, occasionally
otherwise. We are pleased to know,
however, that this management
whether it be good or bad will not
affect the progress, the development
and upbuilding of our own beautiful
city. Improvements are coming,
buildings by the score.are being erect
ed. population increasing daily. These
little railroad cyclones can't hold us
down. We are on the road to progress.
Our people have finally concluded to
pull together. and what they have
done and intend to do needs no CON-
ment. Its industries stand as monu-
ments, with more to follow, as i'm
movable as the rock of Gibralter, we
only mourn because parting brings
sorrow.
We were very much interested in
the truthful sayings of superintend-
ent of a western railroad He read a
paper at one of their meetings entitled,
Railway Ethics" a small portion of
which is as follows: IA man or a
boy enters the shops of a great rail-
road and becomes part of a great
machine. Nobody notes that his
work is good, that he is sober and in
dustrious, though quiet and retiring.
Some day he ventures to suggest to
his foreman an idea which he thinks
is good. He is told to attend to his
work, and not concern himself with
beyond his province.
Naturally diffident, he is easily crowd
ed into corner, where he remains.
He becomes Indifferent and mechanic
al; takes no thought to surrounding
but plods on because he
must working for the whistle and pay
car. He might have been encouraged
to make suggestions and have become
a more valuable man, but his foreman,
from ignorance-jealousy it may be,
Or desire to show his authority, or
possibly simply from lack of knowl-
edge of human nature-holds him
down. Perhaps he goes into train or
engine service. and in course of time
to take charge of locomotive
Or train. He runs for years with
out trouble or expense to the COM
pany, when one day he is involved in
an accident which costs considerable
He is called before the super
or master mechanic, or both.
The master mechanic is very busy
and anxious to get back to his shops,
the superintendent liver is working
badly, they are both irascible, and the
man is summarily disposed Of by be-
ing sentenced to thirty days-not at
hard labor-better in many cases if it
were, but thirty davs enforced idle
ness, for with all lr progression we
have not progresses beyond the old
fashioned way of Furnishing for acct
dents. Thirty days in which to come
andgoat will, degraded before his fam
lily and his fellows-thirty days for the
street perhaps the saloon and the gam
ing table. The thirty days have cost
him SIoo more or less, though profit