The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-05-06

and a large number of foremen and
assistants, each man below the general
superintendent being responsible for
one thing or series Of similar things in
which line or lines he must be an ex-
pert. .
Comparatively few railroad boys or
men are promoted unless theyEdeserve
advancement. While favoritism may
be in evidence occasionally. it lis sell
dom indeed that ass'favorite' without
ability gets ahead of a person of. real
ability.
Every operating railroad man is a
| specialist, and differs from the rank
and file Of. ordinary business men. His
success depends upon his ability and
training along certain lines. Without
this special ability and hard training,
he never will make a success of the
railroad business. "
The boy who intends to enter the
clerical side of railroading needs the
same preparation as he does to take
up any regular business, altho some me-
chanical knowledge, even in. u the
~clerical department., will not come
amiss. But. the boy who intends to
60 into n Of the operating depart.
ments, and this is the side which of.
fers the greatest opportunity, needs to
be equipped with a liberal and broad
technical education. From the com.
mon or high school he should pass into
some institute of technology, and
graduate. The classical college is
!~nardiy to be advised, because the first.
class institute Of technology, Or other
high technical school, gives all the gen.
eral education essential to successful
railroading. --.
There are few callings which neec
more training and discipline than this
Promotion in the operating department
is impossible without experience, anC
a. strong, rugged, broad, general tech
meal education exhilarates experience
and widens it's capacity.
A well-educated boy stands a many
times better chance Of advancement
than. does the boy who enters the
operating department. from the com
mon school, without any definite
knowledge Of mechanics. The success
full railroad official is an educated
man. If his early Or scholastic -edu
cation has been insufficient, he mus
acquire the training later in life, anl
his progress is therefore naturally re
tarded.e It takes less time, and cost:
less, to: receive education when one il
in the receptive educational state thar
to properly acquire it after one ha'
started his career.
+ + +
j, I would not advise any boy to ente
the operating side of railroading VIII
is not naturally Of a mechanical turf
of mind. and who is unable to obtain
thoro w.. mechanical education. If h
+ has no mechanical ability he will no
! rise much above the lower levels. True
there are many railroad engineers, In
others, who are successful, and VIII
have enjoyed little school education
It is also true that one may learn t.
run an engine, or to do other mechani
=, cal ri work without a, technical schoo
training; but this school training
far more effective, and far more eco
nomical, altho it does not take the plac
of actual experience.
The boy, properly school-trained, cal
much more quickly absorb experienc
and utilize it than one who never ha'
a school training.
Railroad locomotive engineers ar
paid as high as $4,000 a. year, and from
that the salaries grade down to. $40
and $500 for drivers of freight AMI
switch engines. Passenger conductor
receive from $1,000 to $1,000 a year
and brakemen from 800 to $500
, Freight conductors are paid about $50
, a year. Conductors, as a rule, begin a
b%rakemen, this experience being. ex
tremely valuable to, them. The engi
, neer usually develops from the fireman
and most fremen start in as wipers o
as roundhouse helpers. @' .
i superintendent have almost invari
: ably occupied some subordinate pos
ton, often the lowest. There are man:
of commanding position and Of enol