The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-02-28
RAILROAD news.
Plea For System in Selection of
Railroad Employees.
Claim Agent of Northwestern
Road Says 1t is Necessary.
DEMANDS ATTENTION.
Employment of IneOmpetentMen
Expensive to Roads.
Should Receive as Much COnsid-
GRAFTON as Equipment, Etc.

In the last issue of the Railway Age.
r. c. Richards, general claim agent Of
the Chicago & Northwestern railroad,
has an interesting article on the "Sys-
tematic Selection of Employees" The
article is a plea for system in the en-
ployment of men for railroad work.
and in conclusion he suggests the es-
Enlistment of joint employment agen-
cies, in charge of competent judges of
human nature. Mr.. Richars says:
rs it as important to have good en-
ployes as it is to have good structures.
roadway, and equipment
Should there be as much attention
paid to the matter of getting good en-
ployes as there is to securing good road
way, bridges and equipment?
Ought the men who are to operate
the complicated machine called a 10
connective and the men running the linn
tied passenger and freight trains carry
ing millions of passengers as well as
millions of tons of freight across the
country at a constantly increasing rate
of speed, whose duties are growing
more difficult each year, to rank as high
in the human family as the machine or
train they run does in the inanimate
" Orld2
If so, what system or method should
be adopted by the railroad companies
to get the best help the wages paid by
them viii hire, and how and by whom
should the men be selected?
"a million men are now employed by
the railroads in this country, several OF
the large systems employing sc, 900 each.
About 20 per cent, or 100000, are en-
gagged in the engine, train and switch
ing service. Every year from to 10
per cent of that number is added by
the increase of business and changes
caused by promotions and natural
causes: and yet, little or no systematic
plan has been adopted by the railroads
to secure the best men, although by rea-
son of the high wages paid by them and
the natural attraction and opportuni-
ties for advancement that the service
gives they ought to have the pick of the
ambitious young men of the country.
Having been for years thrown more
in contact with men than with things
and having constantly brought to my
attention the bad and expensive results
caused by the employing of men, who,
by reason of their mental, moral or
physical makeup were not fitted for
service in the operating department of
a railroad, and, after giving the mat
ter much consideration as to how to
remedy the trouble, as every wrong is
supposed to have a remedy I have be-
come satisfied that the only way to do
it is to change the system or method
of employing men, and give the matter
the same attention and thought that is
given the questions of determining
what make of engine, car, bridge, rail
or structure is the best as we'll as the
most economical for the companies to
adopt. These questions are today
given consideration by the best minds,
as well as by the most experienced men
in the service, from the president down,
while the matter of inquiring into and
passing upon the qualifications, charac-
ter and record of applicants for employ
ment who are to operate the engines,
cars, signals. track, etc. in the pur-
chase or building of which so much
money is expended and so much con-
sideration is given, is left to a clerk or
a subordinate official in the transporta-
ton or mechanical department. when
any inquiry at all is made in the mat
ter