The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-11-21
BOSTON & MAINE MEN.
Off cials Meet Them and Talk to
Them.

Off cials Meet Them and Talk to
Them.
Employees Have Greatest Interest in the
Road-Faithfulness and Honesty APP
preciated.
An interesting meeting of the Boston
& Maine employees was held in this city
at Congress hall last evening. Admis-
sion was by ticket, and those not en-
ployes were not invited. Nevertheless 1t
was an interesting meeting, even to one
not a railroad man. The attendance was
large. MIR. R. A. McClutchy presided.
OF the officials of the road there were
present Messrs. E. j. Rich. W. A. Bar
keT. George Smith, j. E. Robinson, D.
81. Putnam, and e. M. Grover.
The general object of the meeting
seemed to be the cultivation of more
thorough understanding and sympathy
between the road and it's employees.
MIR. Rich addressed the meeting first
He called attention to the organization
of great railroad. with it's board of
directors to settle large questions OF poll
cy, and its staff of superintendents to
carry on the administration. Upon the
personnel of this staff depended the lot
Of the employees. 1t was the good fortune
of the road to have a staff of men W no
had worked up through the ranks. The
general manager had been clerk, one
superintendent had been freight brake
man, and the others had been similarly
employed. These mon knew what rail-
road work was. and could sympathize
with the employees The speaker thea
went on to tell of the largeness of heart
of Mr.. MoKinnon. and his ust dealings
with the men.
The men should not forget that their
interest WAS to do everything for the
good of the company. There were 6, 900
stockholders, and Is, 600 employees. The
5000 stockholders got yearly out of the
road u million and quarter of dollars.
while the employees got nine millions of
dollars. The interest of the employees
was eight times that of the tockholders.
Il should also be remembered that
while in the last fsw years of hard times
the dividends had been diminished, the
general level of wages had not teen low
arad.
The road was loyal to its employees,
and expected them to show the proper
spirit Of loyalty to it.
Speaking Of discipline and of General
Order, No. %, just issued, Mr.. Rich
said that the change of the system of
discipline was based on right principles
Formerly for an offence man was laid
off and his family suffered. Now
mans record is kept, and if that record
after fair length of trial shows man
to be. unfit he is dropped. This system
was fairer and better.
In the matter OF claims for injuries
Sustained by employees, thu plan of set
Ting according to principles of equity
was established. If man came frankly
and stated his injuries, the road always
treated him justly, aud often allowed him
half or even full pay when they were
not legally holden to allow anything.
But If man came clustering and
threatening, the road never paid him
cent unless compelled to by the courts.
Out of about thousand men injured
last year, only thirteen had brought
suits.
Mr.. e. NJ. Grover, the claim agent,
was introduced and began by telling
happily the story of Little Johnny, whose
mother prepared him for the minister's
coming. "Now johnny" said the moth
er. 1.-THE minister will ask you your
name. and you must say Johnny he
will ask your age and you must say five
years; and he wifi ask you where bad
boys go, and you must say to h-l'
So the minister came aud seeing john
ny said: "Why, my nice little boy, what
sysur name?' "Jnhnny, five years old,
60 to Ill.," replied Johnny, braoing
up.
Mr.. Grover then went on to describe
the functions of the claim agent, and to
explain that he was not very terrible
official after ALI
He also spoke of the railroad Y. NJ. c.
A. at Concord, N. H., which was very
promising institution. Among its OTHER
attractions were large number of rooms
where railroad men who has to stay over
may get clean bed for ten cents. The
railroad off Gals are interested in this
institution, an the prospect is that they
will seek to have similar Y. M. e. A.
buildings established at many other
places on the line.
M. Grover spoke to the men of the de-
airnbility OF their leading clean lives and
having clean mouths, even though til ey
could not always wear clean clothes.