Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1909-05-26
WELFARE WORK
FOR employees
THE DISCOVERY OF THE STREET
CAR MAN
A New Departure in Street Railway
Management

How long since you ATTENDED
church," was the query which Y.
NJ C. A. secretary while on his way
to church, put to a street railway
conductor. A quick answer brought
out the fact that the man had not at
tended church in seven years" To
a further query, why don't you go?"
he replied, Il work seven days in the
week and fifty-two weeks in the year
unless / am sick" Returning from
church the same secretary asked the
same question of another conductor,
who replied he had not attended
church in 'ten years" This secretary
at the close of a twelve minute
service held in the car barns prcvi-
ously that morning could not get
away from the last words of the
clear-eyed motorInan who said, We
hau thousands of people to church
today who will never give us
thought, except to quarrel with us be-
cause we started the car too soon, or
do not stop it soon enough. We
would be in church, too, some of us, if
we could"
These incidents occurred prior to
the establishment of street railway
department of the Y. NJ. C. A. in
Nashville, which place now boasts of
an Association outfit of eight rooms,
fitted with baths, toilet facilities, bar
Der shop, lunch counter, restaurant
and reading room, library, lecture
halls, Bible class rooms, billiard tables
and complete office equipment, furn-
ished free of rent by the Street rail-
way company, which also provides
light, water and the salary of a de-
partment secretary. The opening
night crowded these rooms to their
utmost capacity with the employees
and their families. Notwithstanding
the fact that the street car service
was in operation, a program was car
ried on which ended only after the
men of the "owl" cars had been en-
tertained.
Noon and other group religious
meetings have been held at hours
convenient for the men. On several
occasions employees off duty have
marched fifty strong to the prayer
meeting of some local church, and
the entrance of such a company Of
men into the modern prayer meeting
in any community is likely to be little
less than sensational
The secretary after the first eight
months of service reported members
enrolled 464, religious meeting held
10, attendance at religious meetings
40, educational lectures attended by
$50 men, Bible class attendance 12O,
baths used 1851 times, estimated
daily average attendance 300.
This department is fully meeting
the everyday needs and increasing
the efficiency of the street railway
employees in their responsibility for
human life and comfort Often the
daily number of passengers carried by
a railway company is equal to the
total population of an entire city. Go
ing at a speed almost equal to that of
the modern steam railroad train, with
no right of way, through crowded
streets, continually stopping and
starting, these men face extraordinary
difficulties.
The superintendent of the railway
department expressed himself feeling
ly as follows: Il regard this depart
ment as a paying investment, as it
has without doubt been elevating and
helpful to our men mentally, physical
ly and morally" In further reporting
to the board of directors he says,
Since the organization of our Y. NJ.
c. A. department the number of acct
dents has remarkably decreased, and
while the entire credit for this may
not be due to the Y. NJ. c. A, there
is no doubt that a large portion of
the decrease is directly attributable
to the influence of this organization
over the men" From a purely ma
terial standpoint the president also
expressed himself thus in summing
up this invaluable work, The Y. NJ.
c. A. does not owe the company a
thing. The obligation is all the other
way"
The chief result of this work has
aroused the men to a better knowl-
edge of the interests of the company,
greater responsibility as employees
and in addition has awakened the
community to the fact that street cars
are run by men and not motors alone.
1t was properly said, THE street rail-
way Y. NJ. c. A. is good for the men,
better for the company and best 70: