The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-05-02
TO BE USED on HEAVY GRADE

81 A H." said the old railroadman'
a as he balanced himself against
the bar of the Transportation
club. Z am glad to see so large an at
tendance at my lecture.
Yes. the newspaper did report what
had to say. That was due solely to
my influence with the press.
Now, boys, I am going to give you
advice as to how to succeed in the
railroad world The first thing TO do
is TO get your name before the public.
You have to stand in with the reporters
TO, do that. The best way is to give
them news about other railroads, and
be mum about your own, unless you
can work in an advertisement
some roads re advertised through
the names of their general agents.
That is bad business For one day
the road may get jealous and fire the
man. Don't blow your horn too often.
Once a day is enough for any one.
Get, the newspaperman coming TO you
and your fortune is made.
Il know of railroadman who got
swell position just because he made
friends with a man who could write
the doggonest yarns you ever read.
He made Mac DO this and that, and
poor old Mac hadn't the brains TO think
out half what the reporter made
him do.
Now, boys. never lie TO a reporter.
You are at a disadvantage with them
when it comes to plain lying
"Railroadmen are. pretty good liars,
but they are cultivated liars while a
reporter is a natural born liar. He does
it so easily. The only railroadman that
could compete with a reporter was j.
c. Stubs What a great reporter
Stubs would have made.
You can't get ahead of the report
ers Give it up at once. | said to one
who misquoted me:
Young man, you made me look
like a blithering idiot this morning.
What's the matter with you? Are you
off the water wagon? ! ought by
rights knock the top of your head off.
What viii the boss say when he reads
your blamed old article?
Don't blame me- he chirruped
cheerfully. It's the fault of the copy
desk
You Ananias and Sapphire in one
I cried i have heard of railroadmen
getting into trouble over typewritists
bat this desk yarn beats them all hol-
low
You lunatic.' he says. you don't
understand what a copy desk is. It's
an aggregation of men manufactured
/ bv the managing editor TO harass en-
terprising reporters
In that case 1 said. ! take of my
hat TO the copy desk. Tell your man
aging editor TO have the copy desk get
busy at once.
Reporters are all very well in their
way, but don't go out Of your way IL
rile them Remember the greai
/ Chauncey NJ Depew always wanted To
see. the reporters, and he was always
getting puffs.
Look, too, at +. II. Hartman. There
was a time when dear old Uncle Neo
would say TO heaven with the re-
porters.' Now Uncle Ned just begs
them to come and call on him and
+ talks to them till they get so bungled
up with politics and rates that they are
well nigh crazy.
4 Il take off my hat TO the press and
B especially to the copy desk. And, boys
YOU do the same"
The handlers of both east and wes
+ hound merchandise are wondering wha1
position the Californian lines will take
as well as how the interstate com
merce commission will regard claim:
filed for repayment of overcharges
made by the reductions in rates to be
come effective June 5 from the ad
vances made on January l. A Ions
list OF commodities has been affected
nv tho rise and fall within six months
Of railroad freights and some hope i.
expressed that the railway companie,
will carry the general subject TO ths
commission. with a view TO obtain gen
erai permission to settle without pass