The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1906-11-27
BONDING CONDUCTORS.
RAILROAD COMPANY MAKES ~
fXPLANATORT STATEMENT

Conductors Under Proposed System
VIII be bonded in Exactly the Same
Manner as the Treasurer, Cashier.
Collectors and Others Handling the
Companys Funds-UnifOrmity in
Practice on All Lines Also Secured.
In order to obtain the exact facts
with reference to the bonding of the
trolley conductors and to set at rest
some apparent misunderstanding Of the
companys intentions, inquiry was made
yesterday at the headquarters of The
Consolidated Railway company in New
Haven, and ELECTED the following in
formation:
For many years past there has been
among corporations in general a move
ment to substitute security company
bonds for the individual bonds pre-
viously required of all employees who
have the handling of corporation funds
in their charge. This practice puts on
the corporation the expense of securing
the bonds, relieves the employees both
of the expense and the annoyance Of
so doing, and has been looked upon by
all concerned as a satisfactory solution
of the question. The acquisition of the
various trolley lines by The Consolidat-
ed Railway company developed the fact
that different system was in vogue
on practically every line acquired In
most cases the burden of either making
q deposit Of cash or procuring an lndi-
vidual bond was put upon the conduc-
tor. With view If making the prac-
tice uniform on all lines it was decided
to substitute for the various and di-
verse methods employed one system
only and to adopt the same system
used in general by other corporations.
1t should be noted that the conductors
in this case would be bonded in exact
ly the same manner as the treasurer
Of the company, the various cashiers,
the collectors and others who have the
handling Of the company's funds.
1t did not occur to the railway Off
Gals that there would be any objection
to this plan raised by the men. When
1t was found that the form Of applica-
ton for a bond originally put out for
signatures, and which had been drawn
by the bonding company, was objection
able in the wording, the form was
promptly withdrawn and the bonding
company notified to eliminate the unde- |
sirable clause. 1t is interesting to note
here that the Objectionable wording re-
ferred to is identically the same as
that appearing in very large number |
Of the bond applications previously
signed by the trolley men without cues
ton when they were arranging for in
dividual bonds and of which they bore |
the expense, such bond having been se-
lected by them in preference to the
bond Of a real estate holder, which |
bond was acceptable to the company.
There absolutely nothing to the pro-
posed practice except what appears on
its face. There Is not attempt on the |
part Of the company or thought of at |
tempt to take advantage of its men. |
and we fell confident that as the facts |
become known TO the men all objections |
will disappear and they will realize
that the adoption of the plan is a posi- |
tive benefit to them.
A moments thought should convince
any of the company's employees that the
daily changing personnel unavoidable
where SO many hundred cars have to
be manned with conductors, makes 1t
desirable that some form of protection
should be afforded the company against
a man who might decamp without a
moments notice and carry with him
his entire days receipts. The practice
OF bonding is not aimed at the man
who occasionally misses fare; in fact,
any one who is familiar with the pro
cess necessary to recover under a bond
Of this kind, knows that 1t would be
practically impossible to so apply It.