The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-10
Regulating Railway Watches.

From the Chicago Chronicle
The conductors, hrakemcn, engineers
and tranmen generally OF the different
railroad companies must look to their
watches these days. \ decree has gone
forth that makes each employees time
piece the most important article of his
personal belongings. Both the Santa Fe
and the Illinois Central railroad compa-
MES have issued special orders referring
to the watches of the trainmen, orders
which are most emphatically worded and
disobedience to which means dismissal.
The instructions given to employees of
the Illinois Central railroad contain the
following sentences worded by General
Superintendent Sullivan himself:
1T has been brought to my attention
that some OF our employees attempt to reg
ulate their watches themselves, and in
some cases have taken them to watch
makers other than the regularly appoint
ed inspectors, to be regulated before pre-
senting them for examination and COM
parlSon. The effect of such practice is to
defeat the purpose of the watch inspection
system and is fraught with danger to the
service. AS any standard watch pBr-
chased from an authorized inspector
which fails to run within variation of
30 seconds to the week will he redeemed
by tho inspector and also by the manu-
facturer without expense to the owners.
there is no object in attempting to evade
the inspection requirements.
1T is therefore required that hercaf tcr
conductors, tiremen, engineers and other
trainmen shall not attempt to regulate
their watches themselves or permit them
to be regulated by persons other than the
authorized inspectors. Failure to com
ply with these requirements will be con-
sdered sufficient cause for dismissal"
Referring to the above order a promi-
road said:
THE watch inspection order is not on
actly a new regulation, hut We merely
require our men to have their timepieces
examined by the watch inspectors en-
poNed by the railroad company. We have
from 20 to $50 men employed in the watch
inspection system all along the route,
who examine the timepieces of the train
mon constantly and infinitely. as a sec
ond's variation in accuracy might mean
wreckage and disaster. The order has
never caused any opposition on the part
of the trainmen, for they all readily con-
cede its necessity and its safety"
On the Santa Fee railroad the former
customary monthly watch inspection has
given pace to a stricter regulation. Train,
men are now requested to sign a daily
register. Watch record cards inscribed
with the name, occupation and address
of the owner of the watch, its name and
the number of its movement, will be is
sued to each train empIoyc. On the back
of the card four lines correspond to the
four weeks in the month. and once ii week
local inspector examines the watch aud
records his impressions of it's veracity on
the back of the card register on the line
corresponding to the weeks position in
the month. The owner of the timcpiecc
is not obliged to consult the same inspec-
TOW .A4t, L. l..,4
month the registers are all forwarded TO
the trainmaster for rigid examination.
1--WE 20 through this inspection every
month"; explained Il Santa Fee official 80
as to be sure that no employee is the owner
Of an inferior time piece. Befpra oacl
trip the conductor and engineer of i train
are obliged to compare their wa,ctes 50