The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1901-1903, 1902-10-19
SPOILERS ON TROLLEyS.
EVERY ELECTRIC TRACTION COM
PANY HAS A LARGE CORPS.


Motormsn Rules Governing Dutiet.
In all large cities having an electric
railway system there is an important
branch Of service which never reaches
the gaze OF the public, states the Phil
adelphia Record. Few people have
any idea that the company pays
number Of men to ride on its cars as
passengers every hour of the day The
object is TO keep q strict watch on
its conductors and motormen for any
breach CT the rules. These men are
called inspectors by the company, but
the employees call them spoilers.
1t is not only the passengers who
are ignorant of the identity of these
men, but no one connected with the
company except the chief Of the in
spectors know them. In making their
reports ell the inspectors must sign
by numbers
These are given then by the chief to
use instead Of their names. The chief
is not permitted to give the name of
any Inspector TO any one except the
auditor when the payroll is made out
each week. Another element in the
absolute secrecy Of the service is the
fact that inspectors do not know each
other They do not work IN pairs. as
in other secret service, but each man
works independent of any other along
certain lines of directions given by
the chief
The duties of these men are many
and eXacting They must make
careful study OF all the rules, regula-
lions and orders Of the company and
any infringement Of these must be re-
ported These include the proper and
polite treatment Of passengers, care
full running OF the car on the part Of
the motorman in respect to Cross
streets. pedestrians. wagons and the
application Of the power and brakes.
Perhaps The most important duty OF
all is To see that all the fares are col
lected, and, what is still more import
ant. that they are all registered cor
rectly. 1t is this duty that requires
tact good judgment, an understanding
OF human nature and good eyesight.
The Inspector must keep constantly
In mind the fact that the man he is
watching may be a little sharper than
he aui any false move on his part
would prove fatal to his usefulness on
that car Ea@h trip made by the In
spoctor must bear record on his final
report. lie must give the badge NUM-
Der of the conductor the block number
of The car. the street and time he got
on. the street and time he got off, to-
gether with the register statements.
All these facts must he kept in mem
DRY until he gets off the car when he
makes a record OF them on his "trip
card
At the end Of his days work he must
make a final report of all trips made
amount OF cash paid out for fares and
a ful descriptive report of any wrong
doing or accidents Witnessed by him.
These reports are given the next iay
to the chief ON reporting tc the office,
who in turn forwards them to the gen
eral superintendent
After a careful reading by The SUI
perintendeat all the men who have
been inspected and have no bad re-
ports against them are given good
credit on their record. On the other
hand. if any have bad reports male
against them the reports are placed on
file. and ii any have been reported
for stealing or where number OF com
plants of q minor nature are on file,
the man is ordered TO he specialized
BY this is meant rhat on every trip
the suspected man makes ia day,
week or month. he mas on his ear an
inspector. This fact shows how care
fully the man is watched. Each in
spector who goes en- n special detail
is required 10 make a full detailed re-
port. either good or bad OF the man
actions If majority Of these re-
ports agree as to wrongdoing the SUI
perinten leUt makes the basis for dis
cipline.
The position in itself is not perma-
nent. nor does it offer any chance Tor
Advancement These facts are tolS
the applicant with emphasis on his
first interview with the caicf A
working day consists OF nine and
half hours. with a sliding schedule
of reporting hours for every week. He
can have no holidays ard very few
Sundays OF About twice week he
starts at ! a m, and on two otner
days at , %. M The other days OF The
week are means between these eX-
tremes. The wages of an inspector
arc S225 per day and cash paid for
fares
Another thing to remember is that
an inspector is on different divisions
each day His work is assigned each
day by the chief and as a result he
seldom rides a division more than once
a month. OF course. he cannot in
spect every car on q division in one
day. SUIT he is expected TO make at
least Is trips OF about 20 minutes
each.
Although carefulness and secrecy
are tus watchwords Of every inspec-
tor. the time soon comes when they
are known to the motorman ana con-
ductors. This may he due to some
slis~ht IN discretion OF movement on