Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-11-18
DESIRABLE INNOVATION TO BE
INAUGURATED SOON,
ON THE RIO GRANDE ROAD
Object Is to Abolish the Pernicious
Fee system-Northwes Lines
Watch the Experiment With Much
Interest-The Public Eager for the
Change

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indeed if girls were really substituted
for negroes as dining car walters, for,
with this innovation the vexatious
| tip system would go. Girls will not
humble themselves by accepting gra-
tuities. But, according to reports from
! Chicago, the change is not likely to
come at present in this part of the
) country The action of the manage
ment OF the Denver and Rio Grande
road in announcing that pretty" girls
would soon man" the diners of that
line may have no immediate effect on
other roads, but officers of local lines
say that the experiment will be watch
ed with interest" The idea of us
ing girls or women as mattresses in
dining cars is not a new one. Several
years ago the Lake Shore investigated
the scheme thoroughly.
General Passenger Agent Miller of
! the Milwaukee and ST. Paul said. II
don't think women walters in dining
cars will be a success, not because
| they do not serve just as well as a
man. but because of the trying condi-
! lions of railroad life. Women are neat
and clean in their work, but they
must be treated with more considera-
ton than men. There is no room to
spare in a dining car and in the mar
srow aisles / am of the opinion the
dresses of mattresses would be some
what of handicap. With a few ex-
| ceptions men are used in all high
class restaurants and hotels in the
country" 1t is said that the opposi-
ton to the tip system was one of the
causes of the change on the Denver
and Rio Grande.
| And, speaking of the tip system, it
(, has been observed with vast satisfac
ton by travellers of late that porters
on sleeping cars on the St Paul road
no longer hang around for fees as
zealously as in the past. The road
that first forbids entirely the accept
ance Of tips by it's employees will make
big hit with the public and do much
to encourage a manly, self-respecting
spirit among it's men.
Passes.
Passes for professional bondsmen of
railroads along the lines of the west
ern roads are to be materially cur
tanned. These bondsmen are usually
heavy shippers and this, say the rail
roadmen, is but another way of Civ
| ing free transportation to influence
business and has been abused by COM
peting roads At meeting of the ex-
ecutive officers of the western roads
held in Chicago recently it was pro
posed that after Jan. 1 but one bonds
man in each county be employed. Now
there is no limit.
"By cutting off Is per cent. of the
bondsmen's passes much will be done
toward a better maintenance of rates,
said one of the managers who attend
ed the meeting. ut is one of the
worst features of the transportation
question. These bOndsmen are
counted by the hundreds along every
railroad. 1t has been, suggested that
instead of using shippers or others as
bondsmen the railways turn the bust
ness over to guaranty companies
wherever possible"
1t was decided at the recent con-
ference that the exchange of annual
passes issued to officers of railroads
will be continued the coming year as
usual.
Wholly New Trains.
Contracts have been let by the
Northwestern road for the equipment
Of ten new overland limited trains,
The orders call for ten new trains,
each to be made up of an observation
car, two sleepers, one buffet, one bag
gage and one diner Each train will
cost $4,000, the total cost of the ten
being $1,2O0,OOO.
Extension in Dane County.
There is no doubt now but what the
Chicago & Lake Superior railway
will be extended to Rockdale from
Cambridge. Henry Herman, general
manager of the road has accepted
proposition made by citizens of Rock
dale for the extension of the line to
that village The proposition is sub
stantially as fellows: The right of
way from Cambridge 10 Rockdale, on
iy few miles, lrCluding four acres
of land in the latter village for depot
grounds, stockya~ds etc, also to pay
deficiency over and above the oper-
ating expenses of the road, if there be
any, for the next 10 years, the said
deficiency not to exceed $500 per year.
The people Of Rockdale do not feel
very much alarmed about the road not
paying operating expenses. They
figure that, with the natural resources
which surround them, properly de-
veloped, the road can be made paw
ing investment in the course of a year
or two at the least The people are
wide awake to a realization of what
they have before them and have gone
to work with a will in securing the
right of way. depot grounds. ETC., and
no one need be surprised to see the
work of grading commenced any day