The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-09-12
fPersoDaI,)

ASUHViAtCs hy
 Dear sir: have your letter of Au- gust 18th. in which you say you have been asked by number of the tele- graph operators: Why haven't the Louisville and Nashville operators Joined the o. R. T. and organized here- tofore7 Why shouldn't we join the o. R. T., organize and ask for sched-
 ule?" And you ask how I would re- ply to the above questions.
 To answer In general way, I would say, because they have been paid fair
 ly and treated fairly without 1t.
 When I say paid fairly, mean that
 the pay of our operators is not less.
 and in a great many instances 1t Is
 more, than the pay for corresponding
 positions on any of the other Southern roads. where the men are organized.
 and where they have schedule and contract. This embraces the overtime and extra time clauses along with straight time.
 When say treated fairly, mean
 that every man has always had the privilege of individually bringing up for discussion and adjustment any ir- regularity with reference to pay or treatment In connection with his par ticular case: and that ability, support ed by ambition and personal effort. IS rewarded by promotion. And this statement is substantiated by the fact that of the twenty-six chief dispatcners in the service, twenty-three commence ed service on the line az operators, and of one hundred regular and extra trick dispatchers, eighty-five were pronot- ed from the ranks of the operators on the different divisions. And their pro- motion is not restricted to the tele- graph branch of the service, as the agents at our most important stations, such as Cincinnati, Louisville. Mont gornery, Mobile, Pensacola and other large points, entered the service first as telegraph operators. Furthermore, the Company has probably honored the telegraph branch of the service to greater extent than all of the other departments in further offlcering the road. particularly in the operating de- partment The Fourth Vice-Presiaent of the Company first took service as an operator on the Main Stem, and the Superintendent of Transportation began service with the Company as a dispatcher. And on the different divf- sions you will find officers drawn from the telegraph department about as fol- lows: Kentucky Division, SuperiTl- tendent, ". H. Anderson entered the service on that division as an operator. Knoxville Division, Superintendent K. e. Morrison entered the service at Louisville as an operator; Train Mas ter IT. M Brownie started as a stu dent operator at East Bernstadt. on the Atlanta Division, Train Master R. L. Filling started as a telegraph ope- rator on the Second Division; MT. O. C. Kinzel, Train Master, was promoted from the telegraph service on that di- vision. Louisville Division, Train Mas ter F. J. Fishback commenced service as operator at Glasgow Junction. on the Knoxville Branch, Train Master W. W, Wright, entered the service as an operator on that division. On the Nashville Division, Superintendent J. R. wheeler first took service with the road as dispatcher at Birmingham; Train Master T. w. CaraWeH ' pesan a. an operator on the N. & D. Division; Assistant Train Master A W Brant started as an operator on the Second Division Nashville Terminals, Super intendent w. P. Bruce started as an operator at Springfield, OH the Hen derson Division; Train Master r. Il. Benjamin was promoted from the dis patcher's office at Louisville. on sne s. & N. A. and Mineral Divisions, Su- perintendent T. E. Brooks first took service as an operator on the St. Louis Division; Assistant Superintendent Y. Kestler first took service in the Bir- mingham dispatcher's office as an op- orator; Mir. ". E. Smith, Assistant Su- perintendent, was formerly assistant
  don, Ky.; Train Master J. A. Morrison began as an operator on the First Di- vision: Assistant Master of Trains, M. B. Drennen commenced as operator at Ensley, on the Birmingham Mineral; Train Master W. T. Williams commenc- ed as operator on the S. 6 N. A. On the M. & M. Division, Superintendent J. l. Mckinney commenced service as telegraph operator at Stanford, Ky, Assistant Master of Trains, J. P. Bur- ton entered the service as an operator on the NJ. & M. Division. On the N. o. & M Division, Superintendent C. Marshall entered the service as opera tor on the N. & D. Division; Master of Trains J. B. Hobbs began servlce as operator on the Knoxville Branch; Assistant Master of Trains T. K. Tur- ner began service as operator on the First Division. On the Pensacola Dl- vision, Master of Trains O. A Gonzalez first took service on that division as operator; Assistant Master of Trains J. K McCaskill first took service on that division as an operator. On the Memphis Line, Superintendent F. N. Fisher first took service on that d. vision as operator, as did his Assistant Master of Trains, MT. w. E. Porter. On the O. & N. Division. Mir. w. r. Howard Superintendent, first took service as operator on the Second Dr. vision. On the Henderson and St. Louis Divisions, MT. John W. Logsdon. Su- perintendent, entered the service as operator on the First Division; Mir. M. Devney. Assistant Superintendent, was at first telegraph operator on the St. Louis Division; Mir M. Sergeant. Master of Trains on the Henderson