The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-30
Rail ROAD news.
Santa Fe Annually Distributes
Prizes to Station Agents.
81 900 Is Hung Up as Incentive
for Strenuous Efforts.
1904 AWARDS MADE
Exceptionally Good Showing
Made by Kansas Agents.
Gossip and Matters of Interest
in Railroad Circles.

The Santa Fe railroad annually ap-
propriates $1,000 to be distributed as
! prizes among the station agents of the
system who show the best proportion
of gain in business for the company
during the year.
The award of prizes for the year of
1904 has just been made and the fol-
lowing are the lucky employees:
First prize, $3.50, has been awarded
| to Henry Newell, of Redlands, Cal.
Second prize, 5000, has been award
ed to c. F. Brown, of Marietta, I. T.
Third prize, $3.50, has been awarded
to D. N. Garrett, of Canyon City, Col.
Fourth prize, $125, has been award
ed to N. ]. Lucas, of Las Vegas, N. NJ.
Fifth prize, 500, has been awarded
to d. I. Clauser, of PIattsburg, Mo.
Sixth prize, SIS, has been awarded
to r. r. Nelson, of Pau1's Valley, l. T.
Seventh prize. $50, has been award
ed to A. L. Parker, of Princeville, Ill.
Eighth prize $40 has been awarded
to John Kendrick, of Marion, Kan.
A circular has been distributed con-
tanning the information regarding the
distribution of the prize money. From
among the more than $50 station
agents along the Santa Fe system.
seventy were mentioned in this cir
cular in addition to the eight winners
of cash prizes, as being worthy of hon.
orable mention on account of excep-
tional efforts put forth in the inter
est of the company.
In determining who were entitled
to the cash prizes, and the order in
which they were awarded, the commit
tee which canvassed the records of
the auditors office were. governed by
all circumstances and conditions under
which the agents worked. The first
prize was not given to the man whose
report for the year showed the largest
actual gain in dollars over the report
Tor the former year. but rather the
conditions under which the gains
were made were taken into conSidera-
ton. A man in one town might have
competition and obstacles to over
come which were extraordinarily diff
hcult in order to make as good a rec
ord this year as last, and other man
might have had an increase of thou
sands of dollars without making an eff
fort for it.
The Santa Fee established the custom
of dividing thousand dollars in
prizes among its station agents an
nually about four years ago. No doubt
the principal reason for distributing
of giving all station agents an incen-
tive to put forth their best efforts The
motive of the railroad might be
termed mercenary in a way, but the
only helps the business of the road but
also spreads feeling of goodwill
among the employees.
Also in that manner the company is
station agents who are industrious,
active and ambitious to get ahead.
On system as large as the Santa
F'e 1t is apparent that there are many
changes made in the course of a year.
The agents who fill the responsible
positions in the larger cities are the
men who have worked their way to
the front through promotion from the
duties of smaller stations as a rule.
A railroad considers that the small
amount of business from each of the
small stations on the road is as i'm
portant as that originating in the large
cities. Because the total of all the
business of the small stations rapidly
adds up into large figures.
Many young agents starting in to
work at small stations, may perhaps
work for a time without a promotion
in sight and for that reason become
careless and lax and attend to BUSH
ness in a slipshod manner. Those
are the men who will never be pro-
noted But if every agent at every
little out of the way station on the
line gets out and hustles and makes
the most of the opportunities before
him, the time will come sooner or
later when he will be singled out for
promotion. If he is particularly in
dustrious his rise will be more rapid
So to encourage activity among
those who are not naturally indus
trious as well as among the ambitious
agents the railroad company annually
distributes the prizes.
1t is no doubt very profitable ar
rangement for the railroad, because a
big railway system may easily lose
thousands and thousands of dollars
annually if a few or a considerable
number of the employees become lax
lax and shiftless and let business
slide or possibly take care of itself
The following notice was included
in the circular of information of the
awards of prizes which also contained
the list of those who deserved honor
able mention:
1.-THE officers of the Santa Fe COM
pany are particularly pleased to note
the large number of agents who have
been referred to as deserving recog-
milton on account of the good record
made in the conduct of their respective
agencies and the only regret is that
the limited number of prizes distrib-
uted will not permit of a more SUBJ
stantial recognition to them all. The
officers of the company wish to express
their appreciation of the results shown
and to hope for a continuance of the
same"
The list of names of those who were
deserving of honorable mention on &C
count of the conduct of their stations
contains the names of seventy agents
1t is interesting to note the proportion