New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-09
RAILROAD UNTNDNICS.

II cannot have escaped the attention or me
most careless that with the advance I'm tho ne
chanlcal perfection of the railroad the duties of
the brakeman have dwinded. Even his name
is now msnomer. and his work seems TO con-
siS chiefly in calling the names Of stations In IN
unntcligihle manner thar has long furnished
valuable material to the professional humorlsis.
Efforts have from time TO time been made To
enhance his usefulness by improving his cnun-
ciation but We believe. hitherto with conspcn-
Gus ill-success. The latest attempt in this drec-
ton has been combined with another improve
mcnt Of such farrcaching significance rs to
merit more than passing notice. The move
mont I'm question has been made by an impor-
tant railroad doing large business with New
York commuters whose troubles have indeed
gained notice before, but not the adoption Of so
radical measure
Rrakempn under this reform must not be con-
tent with poklng their heads inside n half-open
door and shouting an un!ntclliglble targon or
clipped consonan's and slurred vowels that only
the most hardened commuter Of tho line can
understand. They must enter the car. shut the
door behind them. advance 10 tho scrond seat.
come to n full stop and cali ont tho station in
clear voice: then repeat r. This Is an impress
sivc manruvrc but the element Of chief value
* thar the brakeman must now continue with
n warning Please don't forget Your parcels"
As alrrldy stated. this railroad does n large
hn>inc>S IN commuters. The new order OF
things is thus n highly commendahle effort 70
improve tho condition " this suffering class Of
traffic ard will dousr'css be appreciated Ivy
those who spend 50 many hours Of their lives
carrying parcels 10 the suburbs. II is NJ the
same time pathetic revelation Of The mercilcss,
order IS necessary Most men get Injured 10
hardships the sevrr,rt tasks, even those con
trary 10 the normal conditions Of human life.
may in time come 10 be performed automatically
hy those upon whom fate imposes them. Not
so. however with the commuter. II has long
been known and here IS renewed evidence Of II.
that rhe commnier. under tho most favorable
circumstances and In an atmosphere saturated,
so 10 speak. with commutalon. cannot be- sure
Of remembering his parcels
Parcels to a commutcr mean all the difference
between life and death. starvation and well-fcd
conenmcnt, domestic ease and uneasiness.
Families have been broken up over them. Gen
cral social unrest IS produced by tho unyieldlng
pressure All can remember the great excite
mcnt a year or two ago eliminating In actual
riot and boodshed and police Interference over
n
men In n small way 10 travel on thc suburban
trains II was all phase Of tho same question.
II was nm attempt to relieve the commutcr Of
part Of his burden. The more parcels thus cx-
pcditcd homcward tho fewer 10 bc carried and
remembered 10y the harried suburban resident
himself Relief was not forthcoming then: per
haps the present step Is sort of atonemcnt for
that refusal.
- t.trft ,,,i- ioP ,ilI
worse. OF ronical or contemp'uous depreciation
Of the value Of an innovation that has led
tain brakemen to depart from the admirable
model established by the ccmpanys rule. and
add such warnings as Leave no children be-
hind" or even Remember the Maine. There
is very little reason to believe that either Is mt
all needed by any section of the American pub
llc We do not wish to bc UNDERSTOOD however.
as prcludging the possibilities that exist here
The utilization of the utterance of brakcmen-
after IT has been properly trained SO to be In
truth "a clear voIce"-may have much In store
There are many things that the urban resident
needs 10 he reminded Of ms we'll as the suburban
Of his parcels the days for registration. for In.
stance; or the facts In Chief Devcry's record or
the last day for paying internal revenue taxes.
now unhappIly past for the present-a thousand
ard one things come up In the course Of the
year that citizens forget who should remember
If these could be brought home to the conscious
ness Of all who travel in elevated train or sur
face ear by means Of guards and conductors Mr.
Gould and Mr. Vrecland would contribute much
more largely to the sum Of civic wellbe than
they do now These things. however are I'm the
future: for tho present may he content with
celebrating n great amelioration in the condition
Of commuters