The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-10-08
SEVERE TESTS
FOR TRAINMEN
How Railroads Pick Out Their Re-
Spective Employees.
THEY TAKE ONLY THE SOUND.
Men in the Least Degree Defective
Turned Away-Eyesigbt, Hear
ing and Physical Fit
ness Carefully Tried
THEY TAKE ONLY THE SOUND,

a man has to pass almost as stih a
physical examination nowadays TO get a
100 In train service on the big railroads
as ne does to enlist I'm the regular army,
said an old railroad man in conversation
with q reporter for the Chicago Inter-
Ocean.
he had been out Of work almost the
entire summer and now. when the over
coat is crowding out the alpaca he
has been hustling about the railroad yards
for employment. lie had just come from
q physical examination by the surgeon of
The Chicago. Burlington and Quincy rail-
way (Which he could nOtpass), and his
slOIy. as he told 10, shows the care the
latter-day railroad managers exercise in
the selection OF their employees.
This man had credentials signed by
men OF high standing in the railroad
world, but unless he could get through
that well-nigh impossible barrier 10 one
who has passed lies meridian, the sur
geon's Office, his application" is thrown
out The conditions Of employment in
Chicago are about the same as in other
larse raj road centers. employers every
where insist upon a high standard Of ply
steal and mental development and absO-
lutey perfect eyesight.
"The man looking for work on a rail-
road, no matter TO whom he may, by
chance. apply. is always referred TO the
head Of the particular department in
which he wishes employment In my
case II was yard work. and / applied 70
the general yardmas4r. The Chicago,
Burlington and quincy. on which he was
employed. was hiring men almost every
day, and I thought my chance was good.
! was given the usual 'applica ion 10 an
out, IN which l am supposed 10 give my
entire railroad career tel every railroad
/ ever worked for. and The reason Of my
leaving their employ. ! must give age.
height. weight color OF hair and eyes.
and, If have ever sustained any injury.
It must be described in full. In addition
10 this ] must attach 'clearances' COW
erlng the last five years, from the rail-
roads ] may have worked for during that
time. II is useless TO attempt to lie in
any Of the statements made in these APP
plication, as IL is traced out by CORES
ondence and any untruth means dis
charge
COLOR TESTS FIRST.
II filled out the paper in my case salts
factoriIy, and. not knowing that a stand
ard Color-bind examination had been
afoptod by tine read since | had worked
FOR il last, was dgurative'y patting myself
on the back over my good luck when the
G.. Y. NJ. said:
Now. Mr.. -, you just go down and
see DR.. Denney. our chief surgeon. and
bring your color-blnd certificate 10 me
and ri put you al work at noon
II thought then that ! could see my
finish for can't read fine print without
glasses
However. I decided to make a bluff at
II md presented myself ~ the surgeon
ofice for examination. First came the
tests with colors. A great bunch Of
worsted yarns In skeins. over 100 Of them
we're handed me- and | wRs tod to select
all the shades OF red, then all of blue and
fnaly all OF green-the principal co'ors
In railway signaling. This test | passed
suc6 ssfully. and / began 10 again have
hopes Of EMPLOYMENT Following this was
a simple teet 70 the average railroader in
naming the colo-s Of miniature semaphore
and signal lights as they were exposed,
md finally came TIE fags-Fed, green.
blue. end white-such as are in actual use
every day In the actual course of business
IN the road Then came the test Tor
visual acuteness. and | dropped over %
per cent
Tn the { 81 Tor visual acuteness the APP
plcant Is harnessed into a pair of tight
itting goggles with no glass In ether
side. one eve Is tested at a time. and the
other is blindel by a metal disk placed
In the frame of the goggles. The nrst
rial Is In reading print A card Is
handed out on which are dozen lines
Of print varying from type with n
face down 10 what ! expect |
is the finest print that could be found.
could not read over half way down that