New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-25
COUPiNY AND EMPLOYEES.


tan Traction Company has recently explained IN
considerable detail the system which the com
panv has adopted for the training Of It's en-
ploycs and the treatment Of complaints Drought
against them He explains how moormen and
conductors are taken on probation. drilled To
perform their duties kept under constant OBJ
servaticn and made the subjects OF car"ful
and explicit record. In pursuance Of this sys-
TEN the company has made large progress III
the creation of permanent service. 300 of the
100 men employed as conductors moforlnen
ard gripmpn having been with IL for more than
three years. whereas 9i per cent Of them for
ncrly held their places for less than year.
Assurance is furthermore given that every com
plaint is treated as serious matter and investi-
gated with scrupulous care.
We have no reason TO doubt the truth of these
statements which. far as they relate TO the
Investigation Of complaints. correspond 10 what
we have observed and heard. At the same time
We are not prepared 10 admit that the just
causes for complaint are diminishing. On the
contrary. ii seems to lis that the suferings of
Passengers the lines of the Metropolitan
Traction Company are more and more the sub
iect Of publ" and private comment. 1t is on"
of the commonest things to hear person say
that he. or more probably she. never gets into
streetcar except under actual necessity. pre-
fcrring 10 walk even long distance rather than
encounter the annoyanccs and dangers its use
involves. II must be acknowledged that this Is
lot certainly and altogether thc fault of the
company or its servants The increased speed
of the cars, the growth Of population and the
eXlgcnt temper OF the people have brought
about conditions from which il would he impos
sbe wholly to escape without going back to a
period upon which the present is no doubt gen
orally considered Il great improvement. 1t may
be impossible to avoid overcrowding in city
shaped like New-York and inhabited by people
who would generally resent and endeavor 10
thwart a regulation requiring Them TO walt
when they wanted TO be moving. There may
also be disposition to ask too much in some
ways Of street railroad employees whose man
ners have not been assiduously cultivated from
childhood and a large part of whose work is
necessarily done under exceedingly trying con
ditions But there is one constant and we think
growing abuse which could be and ought to be
plihed in the case Of VI. Tissot. and our opinion
is that the company has power to reduce II TO
far smaller dimensions If not virtually to
abolish II.
We refer TO the fact that II Is the general
practice Of conductors and mOtOrmen to avoid
bringing their cars 10 a full stop when man
signifies his intention TO get on For a woman
they naturally do stop. if they pay any atten-
ton TO her signals. So much they have to con
cede To her seX-its physical inequality its raj
mcnt and It's traditional prerogative. But our
observation and all the information we receive
lead us 10 believe that in nine cases out of ten
a man. in order 10 get aboard ear Of The Met
ropotan Traction Company. must get aboard
while it is in motion. though an occasional
chance 10 accept the alternative of chasing il
for half block Is offered. striking illus
tration of the truth of this accusation IS found
in tho statement now constantly made that the
present excavations along lines on which the
motive power is being changed n real con
venience. since they practically compel a full
stop At crossings. Are the companys employees
chiefly TO blame for this outrage: We doubt II.
There is reason to believe that the penalty Of
not keeping up 10 their schedule is the principal
reason for their conduct. II is impossible 10
suppose that tho company is helpless TO change
what has indspu'ably become a feature Of It's
service.