The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-11
HOW MoToRMEN KEEP WARM
New York Trolley Drivers Wenr an
ArmOr of Wool.

From the New York Commercial AdvertiserO
On the general principle that there are
enough things to worry about without the
addition of undeservng cares, it is perhaps
in order to assure the kind hearted that
most of their sympathy for street ear
motormen. exposed to cold and storm. is
misapplied. AS a rule, standing out for
several consecutive hours through an as
sorted lot of New York's winter weather
is conducive to a strong inclination to get
under shelter somewhere, but in Judging
of the sufferings of certain working classes
allowances should be made for distinct
eircumstantial factors-viz.. hardness of
the men and their acclimatization Go to
the motormen themselves. and hardly a
man will be found who says that he suf-
fers from the cold.
I'VE don't get cold" said one man. of
course. we would if We didn't wrap up:
but with these thick clothes were all
right We get the full benefit of the
weather on the front platform, and on the
very cold and windy days it strikes pretty
hard, but there's lot in getting used to
IT.
In starting in as a motorman new en-
ploye has TO supply himself with a regula-
zion heavy blue overcoat. weighing about
fourteen pounds and costing S14; a heavy
pair of blue trousers, and a cap which
may be pulled down over the ears, the en-
tire outfit costing little short of $50.
Those must be paid for by the man before
he is placed on ear. When it was sug-
gested to an old hand that this regulation
might come hard on some candidates he
said with dignity that mOtormen were not
such a poor class as all that" Coverings
for hands and feet are not prescribed but
all those who know their business" as
the old mOtorman said. supply themselves
with heaviest procurable boots and gen
orally goloshes to go over these on wet and
cold days, and heavy mitts given an extra
lining of wool at home New men some
times buy gloves. but these do not prove
as warm as the mitts where the fingers are
together.
The motorman does not dress on cold
days-like the tenderfoOt spending New
Years in the eountry-with two waist
coats, sweater. and innumerable muffers-
He generally dresses at all times uniform
ly, varying his protection by turning up
his collar and pulling down his cap. IN
derneath his weighty outer covering ne
wears only the usual number OF garments
and these of ordinary heaviness' VIVA the
exception of ali extra heavy sur OF Iluef-
wear. Thus the runner of the surface cars
wears an average thickness of about elsht
inches of clothing. Behind this there is an
culatiou that the housed civilian might
have for his constitutional ideal. And
this is the one real reason why the motor
men do not suffer at their work.
From the men themselves 1t is found
that the final selection of motormen is
matter of survival OF the iittest. Most
applicants for the work are men who have
always been accustomed to outside work.
They know their job. The first day out
they have supplied themselves with the
complete eight-inch costume, and they
merrily dance about a bit on one foot
and then on the other when the wind gets
keen. Less hardy men unused to outdoor
work, trying this, often, because they
need employment, have to learn their job
and most often learn that it is not for
them. They generally start in UNDERGRAD
and are forced to dance to keep warm in
a way that resembles work, but they are
soon knocked out-within few days
while their harder competitor simply con-
tinues his occasional jigging as the wind
turns his nose from red to purple and from
purple to white.