The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-29
PASSING OF THE PAY CAR.
Old Custom to Make Way for Modern
Method on Southern Pacific.

New York Evening Post.
A break in the mechanical regularity of
the daily services of $1,000 men has been
filled up by an order issued from the man.
agement of the Southern Pacific Railway
to the effect that hereafter checks are to
be mailed to officers and employees once a
month from the treasurer's office at San
Francisco. Only those who have anxiously
waited and watched for the monthly arrival
OF the pay car can appreciate what this
really means.
On most roads the pay car is an ordinary
passenger coach of standard color. About
two-thirds of the car is partitioned across
TO serve the pay master and his assistants
as living apartments AS the train APP
proaches section gang at work along the
division two whistles are blown by the en-
gineer to notify the assistant to get out the
next pay roll wanted. When the stop is
| finally made the section boss enters the car
and takes his place by the side of the pay
masters little wire-partiti0ned window. Be-
hind the second window I'd the right of the
paymaster, the assistant calls out the name
| of each member of the gang in order that
| the boss may call the right man and also
| give him proper identification
| 1t often occurs that men entering the pay
| car cannot write their own name i'm giving
the required receipt. In such cases the sec
| ton boss sings Tony Cardeno and hands
| Iony the pen for him to make his mark.
| After this Is done with both hands, in a
| FASHION that suggests a carpenter boring
with gimlet, the section boss signs his
| name 10 properly identify the mans mark
This solemn performance over, the smiling
| laborer takes his envelope and moves on
When the last one has passed the window
and the car moves off to the next gang or
| station down the line.
| In order TO distribute the wages of men
| strung out over 10000 miles of road the
Southern Pacific employs some six pay
| cars. These cars are fitted up to answer
the purposes of a moving bank and incl
| dentally an arsenal. The Winchester rifles
| incased along the walls are intended to dis
| courage ambitious but venturessome train
robbers. Officers admit that IL Is consid-
| cred a great achievement in the West to
| hold up" the pay car. a regular sched-
| ule of running is attempted by the pay
| master service. This Is sometimes inter-
| fered with by special trains, washouts
| etc, and in the Is laid OUT il is
| not uncommon in the smaller communities
to hear even the butcher. the baker and
| candlestick maker ask. us she coming?'
i One of the benefits of the method of pay
4 ing off TO be adopted by the Southern
| Pacific is that employees will receive checks.
| drawn by the companys auditor on it's
| treasurer, at a regular date each month
| In order to insure no Inconvenience the
| handsomely engraved plank states that
| when the CHECK IS properly lncorseG IL may
| be cashed by any station agent who may
| have funds and be RENTED to the local
] treasurer cash. Another opportunity of
| readily converting the paper into cash is
| indicated by the engraved suggestion that
| IL is payable at the option of the holder
at a number OF banks named along the
| lines of the system.
| When the new system is started a saving
in operating expenses To the company Is
expected az once. Instead of an engine.
| crew. fuel. the danger of handling large
| sums Of cash and the preparing of 5000
| ray envelopes with the required amount
Of change. it VIII only be necessary TO
employ three or four clerks TO make out
| pay checks.
| IL will be interesting to note this result
| in the Southern Pacific expense account.
but in the meantime those VINO are fortg-
| nate enough to anticipate the sensation of
| walking through the pay car each month
| will know that something has been taken
out of the life of each Southern Pacific
man