The Saint Paul globe., 1899-12-24

sengers have retired and sleeps three or
four hours, when he relieves the other
man on duty. The object is never to
leave the car unguarded for one mo-
ment.
Failure to put off a passenger at the
right station, to serve the proper portion
Of buffet supplies-and too much is Just
as bad as too little-and irfraction of
custom or excise laws are punishable by
from twenty-five to fifty dement's. In
the matter of dress the rules are r1gidIy
enforced The uniform, which is fitted
and made by a flrst-class tailor must
never look worn or crushed, and to al
low the buttons to tarnish even means
certain number Of dement's. On the debit
side or one mans account are these
items: Bow tie worn, shoe broken,
badges tarnished, out with white Jacket
on The porter must wear a four-in-
hand or Ascot, and that must be black.
He must wear linen, not celluloid, cuffs
and collars. Neither can he wear tan
shoes. Before the porter starts out on the
road he looks as spick and span as
new dollar He must have his hair new
ly cut and be shaved-a barber's shop
being an adjunct to every car yard.
PAY OF PoRTERs.
Porters receive from s25 to se5 a month
from the Pullman and Wagner companies,
according to the service they are in The
private and special car service pays best
and oftens runs to $40 a month; parlor and
dining cars and sleepers follow. It is
chiefly in the last fourteen years that
the private or special car came into
vogue Usually a porter who has once
served an Individual or party on such g.
car Is asked for If he proved satisfac-
tory the:+f1rst time This is the porter
who IS envied by his fellows. He eats
of the best of the land, his duties are
limited and light, he receives the high
est wages paid, and a tip of $50 is not
| unheard Of, according to one who has
spent the greater part Of the last ten
years in the special lear service in the
Wagner company. He is employed reg
| ularly on a sleeper, but whenever a re-
| quest is made for him the superintendent
! gladly puts man in his place until his
return to it. Often party after party
| ask for him, keeping him for months in
! the special car service Some of the old
| porters know intimately some Of the
best known men in public and private
life from spending months together with
| them on trip over the continent Pri-
vate cars cost from $50 to $50 day. the
occupants paying also for the railroad
! ticket at the regular rates. If they wish
| to have the larder stocked, 1t is done
= for them by the company at wholesale
prices, an additional 10 per cent being
charged for service. A crew of three,
cook, waiter and porter, goes with each
ear. When the car is being equipped, the
linen-an especially fine quality being
used in this service-china. glassware,
etc, is counted out to the porter, who is
charged for them. When anything is
4 missing he is held responsible, but if he
can explain where and how it was lost,
and can get the conductor to certify to
/ the truth of what he says, the loss will
| II. mkt
applies on dining cars and sleepers as
we'll.
PLACE FOR WOMEN.
A feature Of some of the new limited
| trains is the maid, who is a sort of fe-
male porter. Maids are employed for the
special purpose of looking after ladies
and children, particularly elderly ladies
and those travelling alone. They must
move about the train, rendering assist
! ance where necessary. They are caution
ed to maintain a proper department while
on duty, and any familiarity they allow
on the part of the crew or passengers
will be met with dismissal. No excuse is
accepted for violation of this rule.
1t should be stated in regard to the
| discipline-by-record system, that to COM
pensate for the inequalities in volume of
travel, responsibilities and liability to err
ror of employees on the various lines of
the Wagner company, allowance is made
or credit given for time served, graded
with respect to the difficulties and exi-
gencies of the lines upon which the serv-
Ice is rendered. These allowances are so
scaled that the credit given an employe
for each three months service expunges
or offsets the number of demerits he is
permitted to accumulate within that pc
riod without falling below the company's
standard. Credit is given for notably ex-
cellent conduct. deeds of heroism and
loyalty, good judgment in emergencies,
etc, with proportionate merit marks.
Employees may bring to the attention Of
their district superintendent services
which they feel are deserving of special
credit records. Due consideration is Civ
en- these records in making selections for
promotions and reducing force. BY nota-
bly, good and faithful work, he can accu-
mulate a stock of credits that will prac-
tically insure him against dismissal in
case Of some oversight or error that 9th
erwise would deprive him of employment.