Omaha daily bee., 1897-02-28

to lose their positions means to lose the
much priced wheels.
While the boys buy their own wheels, they
have had their wages increased in a proper
ton that fully makes up the extra expense
Under the old system the boys received from
S12 to $15 per month, but now they get $ls
and extras. The extras mainly consist IN
the charge for street car fare which now
goes to the boys instead Of to the street
railway company. This often amounts tc
SO or 81 a month, so the boys are really bet
ter paid than before.
THEY ARE RACERS, TOO.
The Western Union force has turned ou
some of the best young riders In Nebraska
One of them is Harry Edghill who won the
six-day race at the Coliseum a year or two
ago. Edghill also knocked big chunl
from the state record for an unpaced hal
mile at the Charles Street park last summer
Lundsford Sawyer, who won second place II
the Douglas county road race last May Il
another Western Union boy and Ralpl
Brown and r. T. White have also developed
into really clever riders.
The wheel was not adopted by the Ameri-
can District Telegraph company until veal
ago last spring or nearly two years after
it was used by the Western Union. But
the results have been no less satisfactory
and the force already includes number o
crackerjacks in fast and trick riding. Man
ager Ryner says that the service Is i'm
proved in every respect since the bicycles
| fewer boys and much better time is made
| The corps now consists of twenty-five boys
while thirty-fve or forty were formerly re
| quired. The boys bought cheap wheels al
| first but these have been discarded and the
| force Is now fully equipped with those or
| high grade. The wages Of the boys have
| been materially increased. Previously they
| were paid $12 to SIS per month, but nov
| the scale runs up to SIS and $22. Manager
Ryner claims In George Phillips the bes
| trick rider in the state, and number O.
the other boys are capable of giving an ex
| hibition as good as is usually seen on th'
| variety stage.
The bicycle corps of the Postal Telegraph
| company is much smaller than those OF tn
other two companies. Manager Fuller ha
! only eight boys, but he is fully convinced
| Of the advantages OF the system. He say
| that better service is secured in every wa.
| and in case of rush, the force can handl
the business with rapidity that was i'm
possible before the wheels were used.
! The following is the personnel OF the mes
| senger service:
Western Union Telegraph company: .
Manion, Amos Ewell, Arthur Kelly, J..
| Donnermeyer John Bell, Charles Kelly
Lunsford Sawyer, NJ. ]. Donnermeyer Joh
O'Connell. Thomas Kennedy, II. Johnson, "
Appleton. Lee Wright, Glen Roberts, Ralp
Brown, Oscar Bloyer, Frank Edghill,
| Bush, r. T. White, f. Armstrong, NJ Shaf
non, c. R. Pyburn, Ed Kennedy, Charie
| Jensen.
American District Telegraph company:
Gember, w. Peterson, C. Shea, E. Hamli
T. Church, e. Taylor, NJ II. Byrnes, j. Ha
rigan, r. selby, d. Gordon. G. Brown.
Phillips, e. Lumbeck, ]. Cougar, F. kirscl
ner F. Linder, F. G. Bowyer, S. Barker,
Pausen, A. Blozier, s. Gainey, q. Delane
L. Barrett, NJ H. Brown, c. Morrison
Postal Telegraph company: Fay Crowlan
Ernest Brown, c. Huntley, Claude Bonne
James Arnol1i, r. Hosford, Roy Fox,
| Rluck