New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-05

| NOT ONLY draws several cars, but travels longer
distances than the Bridge man and has fewer
waiting spells to relieve the tension on MS
nerves
| Doubtless there is more responsibility In man.
aging several cars than in managing single
car and perhaps the tendency OF the Brooklyn
Rapid Transit Company 10 scale It's bridge
trains down as nearly as possible 10 single
car each does not initiate in that particular
against the justice Of the scale. nevertheless
we wonder whether or not the order or the scale
would be reversed If there were more Bridge
and elevated motormen than surface motormen'
and the payment of the smaller wage to the last
named meant the longest payroll for the highest
paid men. 1t is just possible that WIN such IN
additional stimulus for studying the exact char
acter Of the respective occupations some new
| light might be thrown upon their respohslpih-
ties and It would be discovered that the trolley
car motorman really carried on his shoulders
the greatest burden, was kept In the most con-
slant anxiety and had human life more HI the
mercy not merely of his soberness ana ATTENTION
| 70 duty hut of his ouickness and good judg-
ment We think good case could be presented
from that point Of view. 1t could be argued
with much show OF plausiblllty that the extra
care required of man moving several cars was
on which he rnn and the regularity of his stops
His work, exactIng ne IT Is, once learned so mat
a motor and train are held well in hand, be-
comes i'm q way matter Of routine. lie runs on
schedule sees that his machinery is working
smoothly. watches certain plain and dennlte Sig
mails al perfectly we'll known points and stops
every time at regular stations. lie does not
meet an emergency one run out Of hundred
,;,h, u le 10
I. not kept In constant fear that II he winks
something will get on the track when an IN
slant before was clear He does not have to
make the full speed Of an express train ana az
tho same time be able to stop anywhere on the
instant.
The trolley chr motorman, on the other hand.
must ALWAYS he on the strain himself, and, as
one might say. be naggng his vehicle. He must
always take the chance Of going just FAR enough
and no further No clear and fenced In track
with regularly placed signals and a known stop
ping place invites him. He must push his way
along over crowded pavements He must be
quick to speed over ten feet when that space IS
before him and let no cart have chance 10
come in front md delay him. 1t is jump along
bore sion suddenly thcrc. avoid this woman
who dashcs across the track push up close on
ont stopping till It is out of the way and not 80
much as grazing its wheels. Then when there Is a
clear space II the schedule Is TO be obeyed, some
high sneed must be made speed That makes
Quick stop impossible But II a child runs al
most under his fender he must do the impossible
or be charged with mansaughter and probably
he compelled 10 shoulder all the blame himself
for colnz faster than the company orders in
irving 10 make a trip in the time the company
reouires He may not be so skilled an operator
OF machinery rs the train motorman. but as
mere driver his task Is UNNECESSARILY more DIM
cult. A child that could harness spirited horse
and drive IL on a country road would be helpless
with the gentcst nag in the maze or broadway
man may be expert In running trains VINO
would endanGer every life intrusted 10 him on
trolley car.
II there IS n class Of men on whose readiness
IN an emergency and constant possession OF
their faculties people are dependent II Is the
streetcar motorman The long list OF deaths
from the trolley and the almost daily report OF
moro or less serious accidents show how often
he falls at a critical instant and how necessary
I. IS that n high class OF labor should be en-
ployed at this exacting business Tho motor
man Of train may have more lives In his
charge ut a particular time. but he has fewer
emergencies 10 meet There IS less danger or
disaster IN his case from momentnry lapse or
Intelligence 10 which all men are subject. The
wear and tear on the strectcar man is greater
md the danger 20 the community therefrom IS
moro imminent Therefore he might with some
show OF reason assert that II any distinction
was 10 be made among motOrmen 1t should he
In his favor. that the ablest clearest headed,
host conditioned man Of his class may be placed
on the front platform Of the trolley car.