The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-11-16
With Long Records o.
Care and Luck Expect
to Win Prizes Offered
by the Company.

WRITTEN TUX II SOHpA M
The inducement to exercise care, when
General Manager A. B. Dupont of the st
Louis Transit Company IS holding out to
the employees of his lines will cost him a
pretty penny, II the law Of averages holds
good.
A few weeks ago. Mr.. Dupont announced
that he would pay $3.50 to every emplcye.
motorman or conductor, who had a years
record free from accidnet behind him.
Discriminating influences obtain in the as
signment of these premiums.
Accidents not caused by negligence Of
motorman or conductor do not count in the
summing up of the record.
Each motorman is responsible for acci-
dents caused by him.
They are not considered against his con-
ductor.
The reverse holds good in the case of the
conductor.
The Transit Company employs about 5000
motormen and conductors.
The law of average, according to the
authority Of A. P. Richardson. from his
twenty-seven years observation. is that one
half Of the men go year in and year out
without a single accident.
Taking this average as a basis, the Tran
sit Company will be called upon to pay Its
careful and lucky employees the tidy cum Of
$54. $50 in a years time.
This is equal to paying 5000 men a weeks
and a days wages for nothing at the rate
Of q cents per hour. for ten hours work.
It is by no means difficult to find men
on all the Transit lines, who nave Tot had
an accident in a fulrs years time.
The system is full of men Of this record.
Many run for a number of years without
costing the Transit Company q penny N
damages.
DOC" HOBBS IS
SOLDIERLY AND DIGNIFIED.
Some have been running cars for ten
years and over without the slightest mis-
hap.
One has a record of twenty years without
$50 much as even getting his car
scratched" as he expresses It.
William P. Hobbs, a veteran motorman
or the Laclede line. has been asstreet car
4 mRp In st. LOWS fQr ~seysQteen years-
He has been running that entire period
without a single accidesa- ~
he came here after the strike seventeen
years ago, and passed through several diff
ferent administrations Of his road.
Among his colleagues he Is known as
DOC" Hobbs, because he looks very much
like a professional man.
His countenance Is stern. and his dispo-
eition even more so. -,
Hobbs can seldom be made to change his
mind.
The element Of care and foresight is en-
bodied in his makeup. which Is soldierly
and digni6ed.
Several months ago Mr.. Hobbs was pro-
NOTED to a mail car, the favorite service
In the business.
When a man once reaches a mail car
position, he IL comparatively free from
trouble.
He doesn't have to stop at every corner;
he doesn't have to keep his eye open for
passengers.
And, besides. he has by that time reached
the highest salary, q cents an hour.
Before M. Hobbs. who lives at No. 20
North Compton avenue, took to the mail
car he held the best day run on the Laclede
line.
While In this position he was always as
signed to the duty of breaking In the new
men, teaching them the ways OF the care
full motormen as well as the tricks Of the
motor and the handlebar.
Frank Austin, q conductor on the La
clede line. is rounding out his eleventh year
of service.
VETERANS WHO ARE PROUD
OF THEIR RECORDS.
During eight years he had for his motor
man Tom Chambers. who now runs the
owl car on the Laclede line.
In these eight years the combination Of
Chambers and Austin was too strong to
permit accidents to happen.
Mr.. Austin is very proud Of his record,
and feels sure that he WI. be in the list Of
the prize winners.
I'm eight years I have not cost the COM
pany a penny" he says. as he refers to, his
good chance for a premium at the end Of
the year.
Charles 7. Brown. who is now conductor
OF the No. ! run on the Olive street line,
has a record of nearly twenty years free
from accident.
For his careful ane intelligent handling of
his car he now holds what Is considered
the best run on the road
1t begins in the morning and ends before
dark at night
II there Is. any. extension in time by which
the car crew can make more money. that
time Is usually tackled on to what is called
the No. 4 run.
These runs are given to the best men in
the system. and are always earned as a
promotion.
Emil Jass. another conductor on the Olive
street line. has a record free from accident
: OF twelve years.
Paui Kelly. or Kelly Paul" as he ia
known on the line. has been in the service
OF the Transit Company for.two years with
out an accident,
In that m he has had some of the most
lying routes In North St Louis. where
turns and grades are sharp and freouenf
c. w. Leonard. conductor on the Market
street line for more than a year, feels conf,
dent OF finding his name In the rrjze-win.
ming category of careful street car men.
&C. L. AsSSLER HAS A
SHARP BLUE EYE.
L kessler has a capital record as a
motorman on the Market and Olive street
lines for almost two years.
Like all lookout. men Mr.. Kes,,e, b.,
very clear. sharp blue eye. which can ses
itlocks ahead. 80
A pioneer in the street car service az 81
LOUIS Is Edward B. Simpson, Of No. aoss
Manchester road. WV
Mr. simpson began to drive a street car
more than twenty years ago wbar ~. -
icleoe line ended at Grand avenue
Mr.. Simpson himself throws some verv
good light on the subject and prefaces his
statement by saying. that he never as
much as scratched his car"
First Of ali" said Mr.. Simpson. II have
my mind on my business all tina dime.
IT know nothing but my motor, the track
ahead Of me-. the side of the street from
which my passengers get on the car. and
at every crossing both sides Of the street
ell the time I am behind the motor.
Ions experience and watchfulness has
mnds M almost automatical In shifting my
Wss ct these given points.