The Banner-Democrat., 1902-01-25
PROBATION M0TORMEN.

PROBATION l0TORMEN.
WORK or APPLICANTS BEFORE
THEY TAKE A CAR OUT.
som. of the Expsrisucss Of . "0resn"
Hand on His First Trip with Sea-
sonsd Ceaeh-One Of the Greatest Trou-
bles which Proves Hard to Overcome. |
To the ordinary rider In the modern
trolley car, the qualifications the mo-
torman must possess are seldom given
q thought. and the passenger taxes
his place In the car trusting absolutely
to the skill and courage of the man on
the front platform. ANY one can run
q trolley car" IL . much-abused SEN
tence that usually expresses the av-
erage persons conception OF the mo-
torman's abilities. But the days OF
training he goes through. and the rig-
orous attention he must give to all
the details Of his business, are forgot
ten in the hurry and hustle OF the busy
passengers life.
The making Of . motorman Is Sc
rious problem for the trolley company
as small percentage of those who ap-
ply for positions prove to be Mt ior
the place. BY long experience the
man on the desk, who. hrst judges OF
the applicants ability to I'LL the posi-
tion successfully, can separate the de-
sirable from the undesirable candi-
dates at . nrst hearing, and his judg-
ment il usually upheld by the mans
performances on the car. Goodness and
sound common sense are two OF the
primary requirements necessary to the
motorman's success, and coupled with
these must be the ability to think and
act quickly in q crisis. for upon the
Judgment and precision exercised by
the motorman often depend scores OF
lives.
u The process Of selecting the candi-
dates to be given . trial Is a tedious
one and requires patience Of q high
degree. From the man on his uppers
to the prosperous mechanic for the
!. time being out Of work. they all file
, their application and come up for in.
spection. A clean record must be
, shown to entitle the applicant to con
, sideration, and no one under 81 years
Of age is taken.
, When he has complied with the rules
of the company and his appearance
! and manner justify . trial, he Is reg
t istered and . day set for the first o.
! a series of lessons In the art OF con
E trolling a car. His first duty Is Il
: familiarize himself with the various
: levers and brakes by which the ca
!, is stopped and started. the curren
J. turned on and OF, the emergenc'
;, brake. bell tap and numerous othe
( implements he must handle and con
! troll. Before leaving the car barn o.
his first trip he has become familia
t to a certain extent with the knowledg
e of how they are operated. he is read
for his initiation in the practical en-
e Of his work. Then his trials begin.
VI An old motorman, tried by years
Il experience and familiar with every d.
Is tail of the business, is detailed to CIV
70 the newcomer his first lesson In rur
!? ming q car. The candidate accomps
nies the "old hand" ON all his trip
living up to the same schedule th'
governs the movements Of his instruc
v or. His first two or three days on II
a. front platform are usually spent as
N spectator, watching the "old hand
8. start and stop the car with the facil
re ty and ease that comes Of long pra
n tice. His next step brings him to Il
as controller. On the quietest and safe
III portion of the road, as far as possib
rs distant from any danger OF collisio
I'd he begins his career at the controlls
m For a short distance he IL allowed
Of run the car. stopping and starting
e. as required, and fulnlling all the d
Mt ties Of the motorman, while his !
'e. structor stands close by within ca
ge reach of thescontrolling lever, ready
ls- take immediate charge should dang
en- from any source arise.
se, With the return Of the car to t
crowded districts the beginner is
lie lieved and resumes his position
an spectator. When hrst the new m
i'd undertakes to operate the control
lie It is necessary for the experienced n
Of torman to guide his hand, for until
D." two hands of the newcomer become {
De- customed to working In opposite
he rections at the same time, there
as danger Of his pulling the controlli
Ith lever the wrong way when trying
his stop the car; thereby sending the
en forward with increased speed inst'
en of bringing It to = standstill. It is
nd possible to overcome their desire
an work both the brake and the cont
DIS ling lever In the same direction, {
an though given thorough trying
they never make successful or 9
motormen on that account.
The motorman's first trip throt
ay. the crowded districts of the city
VIII trying one, and 1t requires all
the watchfulnes of the experienced hi
the to prevent accidents. Many new Z
ms have been known to give up the
tempt after one experience Of the ki
Ign and II he passes through it with CT
led he may be depended upon to succ'
ses fully finish his course In the art
and car running. It IL only after CON
nds erable experience in the outlying
wos tricts, and when he has become pl
ack cient in the handling of the contro
en- and brake that the new man is allo
nth to guide the car on its perilous jour
s through the crowded streets, and
the only when the car is comparati'
'urs empty.
After he has successfully pa
,uu through the various ordeals that C
:" prise the education OF the new mo
tne- man. II his instructor considers