New-York tribune., 1903-07-26

II q man doesn't know any better than to be
G.sa agreeable that's no reason why you should
reduce yourself to his level. You do know bet
ter, if you don't you're in the wrong business.
We propose to give the very best service that
anybody give, and it lies a gread deal in
your hands whether We succeed or not We
propose to succeed. and what we want is men
who will help to do it. Such men Will get
along all right; they haven't got anything to
worry about; are looking for just such men
all the time and when it comes % promotion it's
the man who shows that he understands our
methods and can carry them out; it is the man
who shows he can do his work properly, no
matter what any outsider says TO him, that is
going to get the chance. Our business is dealing
rightly with the public, and it begins right on
the platform of a car"
The material from which an efficient street rail-
way force is made is often of the rawest kind
Many of its members cOuntrymen to start
with and irst step on their platforms from
the mill, factory blacksmith shop of a small
town, or oftener still, from the plodding round
Of life of a down East" farm. 1t is here that
many an ambitious country lad begins his career
"in the metropolis with kind of work that
brings him into contact with all sorts and con
ditions of men, that quickens his perceptions
and teaches him self reliance, that gives him
certain responsibility and Importance and
hope to earn at home.
lie transformation of even the most aWk-
ward, bashful country boy, accustomed TO take
his time, to be mis- own oVerseer and to peri ofnl
hi labor in peacefulness and quiet, INTO the
alert we'll disciplined street railroad man is
not only interesting but in some lights even
remarkable. 1t can only increase anybody
respect for his whole craft to kno" Waat IL
means and how it is accomplished, for 1t IN
wolves many lesson that most persons "ouIu
fAG Il hard to learn
In the first place, it is not so easy as one
mIgAt think to get ID position with a company
liz. The Boston elevated. More than thirty
t.oasand men apply at its employment bureau
every year, but only 10 per cent OF Them are
found to possess the necessary quaAhcatlohS.
n....I must not only be spoken well OF by hls
lIelious employ but he must have the GOOD
opinion of persons who have known him IN
other relationships Satisfactory in this regard
he must be Wellnigh perfect physically, passing
an examination as searching, to all intents and
purposes as that enforced by insurance COM
p.nies, and more than that, MS eyesight and
hearing must be absolutely perfect. Of course
he must have sufficient acquaintance with the
three RS for keeping his simple accounts, must
be Of good appearance and of respectful man
ner. First, last and all the time, he must be
temperate, for the one weakness that Will eX-
cude a man immediately no matter what his
other qualifications may be, is the use of
Iquor. Drinking while in uniform or appear
ing for duty with any evidence of alcohol about
him will cause his discharge regardless of his
previous good record.
The school was started two years ago, when
the company was about to open its elevated
system The room in which it is held looks
not unlike a lecture hall III some big technical
institute with lines of benches set four or live
deep from end to end, but it has no black
boards and no professors desk. Instead, there
slr.tihes along one side a skeleton train that
Is used 10 illustrate the Instructions kind OF
laboratory where the green hand makes MS
experiments and works out his problems until
ne understands them so we'll that when he is
sent out on the road it is with full knowledge
of his duties.
The entrance examination to the training
school 50 10 speak is 4 very practical one. 1t
consists in a most thorough eyesight and hear
Ing test, weeks breaking in and course
OF individual explanation solt of private les
son-n the schoolroom, followed by a series
of oral question and answers, based on the same
set paper in all cases on what the candidate has
learned by observation and by study Of the rule
book which defines d mans duties in all con-
ceNable circumst anc; $. The eyesight test is the
standard one used by the best regulated steam
roads. special stress being laid on color percep-
tion-the ability not only to pick out skeins of
colorcd worsted and name and classify them