Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-06-10
W0MENASRAILR0kDERS
Invade Stations In Indiana and
Supplant Men.
HOME CHARM GIVEN TO DEPoTs

Small Towns. and Experiment L. "A
suceess-statEon Floors Scrubbed.
No Dust-Even "Rarkers" MAY Go
Another field OF industry has been
Invaded by woman. and the wearers
Of skirts are displacing masculine ri
walls as railway station agents i'm Indi-
ana, says a special dispatch from In
dianapolis 10 the Chicago Record-Her-
aid. The Lake Erie and Western rail-
road appointed Miss Cathryn l.. Dicks
as agent at Mount summit. Ind. two
years ago. and the experiment has re
suited in such success that the road
has decided 10 appoint women 20 the
charge OF all the smaller stations along
its route.
The application OF domestic science
TO the dingy little station at Mount
Summit was the first work OF Miss
Dicks that brought her 10 the notice
Of the higher officials of the road ON
their tours OF inspection the officials
had been accustomed TO hurry by the
small stations. but n few weeks after
they had appointed the first woman or
the line they were induced TO stop at
Mount Summit by the local authori-
ties.
The railway men rubbed their eyes
when they alighted from the train.
The depot floors were scrubbed until
they glistened. the benches were free
Of dust. curtains were at the windows.
flowers were blooming In corner. ana
the waiting room looked almost as
dainty as a boudoir The station had
ceased 10 be the lounglng place Of vii
lage idlers and instead had become
clubhouse 10 which tho women took
their sewing i'm the afternoons
The appearance OF the station made a
hit with the officials OF the road. and Il
week later they appointed three other
women as agents ia small towns. Ia
each case the results of the change
have been the same. The women have
shown greater tact in dealing with tick
ct purchasers than their masculine
predecessors displayed. and fewer com
plants have been registered from the
Offices than In the previous ten years
On inquiry the managers Of the road
found that the residents OF the villages
liked the change Station agents In the
smaller towns. Il is said. are generally
afflicted with a chronic Crouch" and
this has disappeared since the women
were Installed at the stations.
The energy 90 the women has also
increased the receipts OF the road. IL
was found that the new agents proved
especially valuable In Increasing pat
ronage during the excursion senson.
fuI
more talent In working up crowds than
did their predecessors.
In each OF the four villages patrons
have come forth voluntarily and have
compllmcntcd the officials OF the road
on the wisdom OF the new policy. The
town council at Mount Summit went 20
the trouble OF passing resolutions 20 the
eject that since the change had beea
made the depot Is no longer loafng
place and that the waiting rooms are
made inviting for travellers.
The station agents transact the bust
ness FOR the express companies as well
as for the railroad. and their combined
salaries amount To So or $50 month
In several OF the towns young women
are learning teiegraphy. and with the
adoption OF the new policy 10y the com
pany the old railroad men see the
gradual elimination Of the masculine
station agent and the employment in
time ~ women only At present II Is
estimated that twenty young women
are almost expert enough ia handling
the key 20 take charge OF the entire
business Of a small station. and they
Will be- installed as rapidly as vacan-
cies occur
Il suppose Wen bc seeing women
setting the brakes on freight trains IN
time commented railroad man the
other day They seem to have the
men on the run a. station agents. and
some day perhaps we will have Il
woman acting as president OF "A trans
continental system. Who knOwsl But
there Is one job that will be always
open 10 men. and let us be thankful for
that. They can't employ women as
bankers AT the stations TO announce
the arrival and departure OF trains.
Yet | don't know; some road may
make hit with the public yet by APP
pointing prima donna 10 sing the
names OF the stations instead OF hlr-
ing a man with a fog horn voice TO
bawl them out"