The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-01-16
Economy In Small Things.

Believing strongly in the efficacy
OF the old adages, economy in wealth
=.d drops Of water make the mighty
ocean, the man in charge Of the sup
ply department OF the Chicago Sc
Northwestern railroad has set TO work
ne savs Annually 20 che carrying ecc.a-
pany betWson s20. COO and 92b. 600
(which ha believes IN che e.=ss A== lean
uselessly spent. Els crusade against
injudioious expenditures and extrava-
giant asages recently hos heon launch
ed, and his plan IL reform has brought
ineo play car which the employees Of
tks read Informally have christened
the Economy Special" This car is
In charge Of an inspector whose duty
it is 70 look after the supplies Of all
departments on the Galena and Wis
consin divisions.
i a short time ego the purchasing
agent Of the road, Charles Hayward,
assumed charge Of the supply depart
mont, replacing Edward Osgood, who
had been the supply man for about 10
years. Immediately upon the assum-
ing charge Mr.. Hayward began to work
out his plan of reform. He appointed
an inspector. and, after consulting
with the superintendents Of the Gale
ma and Wisconsin divisions, w. E..
Moorse and T. "A. Lawton, respective
ly. he decided to introduce the service
Of sae Economy snecial." Tkea he
sent circulars to all agents on the two
divisions urging greater economy.
The inspector started out with lot Of
pencil holders, which he distributed
as means for getting the good out Of
pencil stubs too short TO WELD effec.
lively.
| II is estimated that every year $500
worth Of pencil stubs are thrown away
by the employees who have occasion to
write and figure. Too many pen
points, too, the supply man gave out,
were discarded before their usefulness
had fully passed. He told the en-
ployes that instead OF throwing avey
pen points when they became weak
they would be expected to revitalize
them by heating them with lighted
matches. He ordered shopmen, ma
ohinemen and engine cleaners to re-
turn their used waste to general head
quarters instead Of throwing it away.
The old waste now is cleaned by a
PROCESS and returned for further use.
The inspector now issues limited
amounts Of waste, enough to meet the
requirements, but not enough to war
rant reckless and extravagant appli-
cation of it.
The reform has opened another busi-
ness to the Vanderbilts and other
owners of the road. It provides for
the return Of all inkstained impression
cloths used in Offices. These cloths,
very great number Of which are used
annually, are collected by the chief of
the Economy Special" carried back
ITO this city, sacked and sold for old
rags. Furthermore, to make the sur
plus showings moro gratifying to the
stockholders the supply agent has or
dered that every lampwick be used un-
til there is not enough of it left to con-
nect with the oil in the bowl. Tiny
pins have been provided to the lamp
users to kees the short pieces Of
wick in position for continued SER
vice.
| Trainmen have been ordered to prao.
tice more marked ecor omy. They
have been given to understand that
links, pins, lantern globes, lard oil,
flags, torches, torpedoes and other
things in COMMON use are valuable,
and shat they. would be expected to be
as careful with them as they could
be.
The inspector takes the Economy
Special out every 80 days, visiting all
places on the two divisions. At each
Office he checks up the supplies on
hand, notes what is needed ard gath
ers in the old waste, bent pins, twist
ed links and other things that have
lost their worth in the service. The
old pins and links, If too badly out
Of shape, are sold for old iron. CHI
,ooo D,,,~J