The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-04-21
ROLLING RAILWAY OFFICES.
Manager. Do Much Of Their Most I'm.
pOrtant Work In Their
Private Cars.

| VVFt0hk "OFk IN Vhe1E
Private Cars.
A great many men spend most Of
their time in walking, others in sit
ting, while others roll around the
greater part of their lives. The gen.
eral manager of railroad company
is on wheels more than half of his life.
time. He feels more at home in his
private car than he does at his hotel
Tor house in the city. Ask nine out of
ten railroad officials and they will tell
you that they can do more work and
Tar more thinking in their private cars
than when in their offices, no matter
how well they may be guarded from the
public by the faithful private secretary
or watchful messenger, for in spite OF
these defenses people will call, tele.
grams and letters must be received and
given attention. Once on the road,
however, they are separated to Ger.
tain extent from the world about them
and can plan schemes with the aid Of
a good cigar which cannot be thought
out when at headquarters, says the st.
Louis Globe-Democrat.
Many railroad official in this coun.
try starts out in his private car and
never sees the inside of hotel or res.
taurant until he returns, although he
may be absent 4 week or ten days.
Sometimes he covers 1000 or 5000
miles without leaving it. Whenever the
car stops those in the town who have
business with him transact it in his
Office.
When the engineer opens the throttle
and the train starts he resumes his
correspondence or conference with
some other official, which has been
postponed during the stop. Before be-
ginning the trip the secretary has had
an idea of the places which would be
reached on certain days, and directs
that mail from headquarters be for
wardcd accordingly. 1t may be sent to
the division superintendent or to tho
station agents.
If change III the arrangement is
made and no stop is made at certain
point the telegraph operator at that
place is notified ahead, and the mail
sent on to the next stopping point. AL.
though the average is not over one de.
livery day on Il big system, it is
enough to keep the officials staff busy
in attending to it. kilograms are, of
course, the most important, and FREE
quently the special train is Gagged"
for the purpose of delivering such mes
sages. The conductor only waits until
the manager has had time to glance
| 70 RI {,,1,
ed to the operator, and on goes tho
train, the engineer pulling out little
to make up for the unexpected delay.
Perhaps the car of an assistant SUI.
perintendcnt or division freight agent
has been hitched on at the last sta.
ton. He sends for that official, and
for an hour or two they get their
heads together over some special sub.
ject which cannot be attended to by
correspondence. Perhaps he desires o
look over improvements on the line,
and has the porter place u chair on tho
back plat form, where he can examine
the track as the car passes over it at
the rate of 45 or SO miles an hour. Spc-
cial trains arc generally noted for the
fast time they make.
One reason for this is the officials
aboard get an idea of the condition OF
track and road bed. If the car runs
smoothly at high rate of speed and
does not jolt or rock they know that
it is well balIastcd, the rail joints are
even and that it is in condition. Ex.
perience has accustomed them to note
every jolt and jar and the reason for
it. Many section foreman has been
hauled up after trip of the superin.
tendent over his part of the road and
told to put it in better condition.
Railroad men have to do Il great deal
Of thinking, and in trips along the road
where the train may run two or three
hours without stopping they have an
opportunity to get by themselves,
which is denied them even in the quiet
of the private Office. The car usually
contains u half dozen stuffed easy
chairs and Il sofa or two, in order that
the manager or superintendent may
Tx himself comfortably while his mind
is at work. 1t has plenty of little push
buttons around the side, so thate u
touch Of The finger is only needed to
bring the porter with the cigars or a
glass OF something good. These little
| things have wonderful effect in
helping the mind work smoothly and
rapidly.
lie has plenty to do for his assist.
ants, but takes care of them as well as
he takes care of himself. They have no
second table, but are all with the man.
nger while on the road, unless he should
have n party of friends as guests. 1t
is rather monotonous and lonely at
times when he is obliged to spend four
or five days in travelling. He cannot
talk ito his secretary as he can talk to
an intimate friend. no matter how con.
| fidential may be their relations. and is
very glad to entertain some of tho
stockholders or directors of the line.
Many big railroad deal has been
arranged in these private cars. With
time enough to talk over matters and
no possibility oebeing disturbed, ex.
cept by collision or other accident,
many an hour in the forenoon or even.
ing can be spent discussing deals which
may involve millions. The average
capitalist and investor is well aware Of
the comforts of travelling in this man.
ner, and has The opportunity if inter.
ested in the line TO examine the por.
tons over which he passed and can
judge of this or that feature by actual