Omaha daily bee., 1896-12-13

heard the guard sing out "Tidsley Bunks."
The station passed. Sir Richard called the
guard and gravely treated him to a lesson
! in pronunciation. Returning toward evening.
| when the same station was reached he had
the satisfaction of hearing the guard call the
name correctly, though with some hesita-
tion. But just as the train was starting
again Sir Richard heard roar from third
| class apartment:
| "Lord-here's our SAM"
| And forthwith there was a lively scram-
! BILE of working men out of the compaIt-
| mcnt. They had failed to recognize their
station under the new names Thereafter
! Sir Richard left pronunciation of the guards
| alone.
THE MANAGING FORCE.
! Associated with the London and North
Westerns management for an even longer
! period, and likewise one of the most re-
| markable railroad men Of the day was Sir
| George Fndlay, who was the general man
ager of the line down to his death three
years ago. Findlay came to the road with
one of the lines represented in the con-
| solidAtion, and remained with it, rising
! from one position to another throughout
his entire life. His successor and present
active manager Of the road is Frederic Har-
rison, for a long time chief goods manager,
a position corresponding to but rather more
important than that of general freight
agent in this country.
The huge corporation is ruled by board
>
Sutherland Is allowed to name one. The
business head is the chairman of the board
and under him Is the general manager and
then come the chief goods manager and
the superintendent. The line is divided
into ten districts each of which Is in charge
of an inspector, and there are likewise six
district goods managers. Each is held
strictly accountable for the conduct of his
department and so in turn is each subor-
dinate in charge of some minor division.
Whether it be the system on the strict
regimen iraugurated by Sir Richard Moon
II Is certain that the London 4 NorthwCtt-
ern is one of the most carefully. prohtably
aud perfectly managed corporations in the
world.
1t is, evertheless exceedingly conserva-
tive, and mtny curious old customs still
obtain; the guards of the road still carry
huge time-pieces suspended on a leather
belt, decorated with heavy silver braes
buckles, and pursuant to resolution
adopted more than a generation ago the
sunday traffic is still discouraged as much |
as possible and kept down to a minimum !
Ihis, however, does not prevent it from
carrying something like 10000 900 passen- |
gers, and 3S,OOO.0OO tons of merchandise |
and minerals year.
THE ARMY OF EMPLOYEES.
The employees OF the London G. North |
western alone comprise an army of 60 900 |
men, At Crewe, where its machine shops |
and rolling mills are located is a man
i"S toMH ol oJ,UOV people, supported |
entirely by the railroad. Here the road
builds all its engines, all its cars, rolls its
own rails, makes its own machinery; in
short, does almost every variety of man
which the road requires. The
machine shops and rolling mills of Eng
land or the rest of the world might close,
but this colossal enterprise would 20 on
1t even owns its own coal
mines and does its own laundry work.
1t boasts OF $500 engines in actual use
all built at Crewe, which last year covered
upwards of 100000 miles on the North
Westerns own lines and some 2OOOOO 900
miles more on adjacent lines. The roll
ing stock comprises over 5000 coaches and
half again as many more vehicles carried in
the passenger trains, and il has IS 900
goods and coal wagons (freight cars) and
some 1000 miscellaneous cars, chiefly bal
last wagons.
II is with the aid of these, an enormous
1umber OF freight vans and horses for dis.
that the Northwestern Is able 10
'ericrm feats of quick carriage and delivery
II goods that seem impossible in this coun.
ry. merchant may buy a stock OF good
n London one morning and find it delivered | .
Il his door in Birmingham or Liverpool the
leXt morning. In this country the average
merchant 10 happy II he gets consignment | {
'ithin week In this regard the Eng!isa :
always are unquestionably far ahead OF our
wn.
with all it's vast traffic policy OF rigid !
nd almost scrimpinB economy prevails The 1
nglnee are painted black because black Is I
he cheapest paint obtlinable and many OF
he parts Of their machinery are made of cast I
ron and painted, whore In this country they
re- made Of nickel ana polished daily for I
he pleasing appearance they present. Acct. Y
ents are surprisingly few. and Sir Richard G