Evening journal., 1905-06-26
AfOMENASRAILROADERS
invade Stations In Indiana and
Supplapt Men.
home CHARM GIVEN TO DEPOTs

hOhA OAAhM Va AN AZ LII OAb |
Lake Erie and western Railroad
Displaces Masculine Agents In
small Towns, and Experiment Is "A
success-statiOn Floors Scrubbed,
No Dust-Even "Barkera" 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 In Indi-
ana, says a special dispatch from In
dianapolis to the Chicago Record-Her-
aid The Lake Erie and Western rail-
road appointed Miss Cathryn J.. Dicks
as agent at Mount Summit, Ind, two
years ago, and the experiment has re-
suited in such success that the road
has decided to appoint women to the
charge Of all the smaller stations along
It's route.
The application OF domestic science
TO the dingy little station at Mount
Summit was the first work OF Miss
Dicks that brought her TO 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 few weeks after
hey had appointed the first woman on
the line they we're 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 glstened, the benches were free
of dust, curtains were at the windows,
lowers were blooming In a corner. and
the waiting room looked almost as
dainty as a boudoir. The station had
ceased to be the lounging place Of viii
lage idlers and instead had become a
clubhouse to which the women took
+. their sewing in the afternoons.
The appearance OF the station made
hit with the officials OF the road. and
week later they appointed three other
women as agents In small towns. In
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
Vlaints 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
lked the change, Station agents in the
smaller towns, It Is said, are generally
afflicted with chronic crouch" and
oils has disappeared since the women
A. IL -
III. The energy Of the women has also
Increased the receipts Of the road. 1t
swas found that the new agents proved
especially valuable IN increasing pat
4onage during the excursion season,
aking more pains and exhibiting
pore talent in working up crowds than
lid their predecessors.
In each OF the four villages patrons
lave come forth voluntarily and have
,sompfmentcd the officials Of the road
"a the wisdom of the new policy. The
rown council at Mount Summit went TO
trouble OF passing resolutions TO the
,ect that since the change had been
ade the depot Is no longer a loafing
ace ana that the waiting rooms are
ade inviting for travellers.
The station agents transact the busi-
oess for the express companies as well
IS for the railroad, aud their combined
oalaries amount TO S45 or $50 a month.
n several of the towns young women
re learning telegraphy, and with the
doption OF the new policy by the com
my the old railroad men see the
adual elimination Of the masculine
ds'1ion agent and the employment in
daui OF women only. At present It IS
WI mated that twenty young women
Ohi'7lmost expert enough in handling
,, ley to take charge OF the entire
.,..si ess OF a small station, and they
Irniv,)e installed as rapidly as vacan-
baoheccur.
nent oppose wen be seeing women
June . the brakes on freight trains in
commented a railroad man the
Anno ay. They seem to have the
r,as the run as station agents. and
a-,cr A ~ perhaps we will have a
= chm lcting as president Of a trans.
tai system. Who knows7 But
Judge one job that will be always
terday men, and let us be thankful for
and attrhey can't employ women as
the olfie' at the stations to announce
=. arrival ana departure of trains
,,nsI don't know; some road may
wabe hit with the public yet by ap
at thing a prima donna to sing The
on bos OF the stations instead Of hir
man with a fog horn voice tC
MT them out"
peak,