The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1910-08-04

Its relief association with a gift OF
100000 and has since borne all
expenses Of administration.
The Philadelphia and Reading
contributed q like sum for the relief
fund of its employees, and has given
annually five per cent Of the amount
contributed by the members OF the
fund; in this case also, the company
bears the expenses Of management.
The encouragement Of thrift
among their men is part OF the policy
OF the modern railroad. The COM
pany volunteers to take care OF the
savings Of its employees, and guaran-
tees, says, per cent interest. II the
deposits earn more than four per
cent, OF course, the employees get the
benefit Of the excess. Savings de-
posts intrusted to one large railroad
aggregate $4,5OO.00O. Since the sys-
tenn was inaugurated, loans to en-
ployes for the building Of houses
aggregated $S,OOO,OOO.
In 1888 to 1907, employees saw
ings taken care Of by the Pennsyl-
vanla Railroad amounted to more
| than 100000. The interest on
the savings came to total of ST.
$4,000.
Educate the EmplOye.
The educational work of the rail-
roads has grown until every large
| company is practically a technical
! college. Apprentice systems have
been adopted. The company. gets
men as young as it can and trains
them thoroughly to be competent
| railroad workers. Often the men,
| who have been working for one road
for several years, apprentice their
sons, so that the youths may be we'll
| trained to serve the same road.
One Of the large Western road
boys are indentured at sixteen years
Of age for four years. While they
are under instructors they receive
liberal wages. At least four hours
a week they spend in school study
ing problems connected with daily
work. In addition, the company
| provides night school, at which the
apprentices may improve their gener-
al education. Bonuses are paid to
apprentices who do exceptionally
good work.
This company does not cOnfine it
self to teaching trades to the young
men. 1t seeks to exercise some con-
troll over the habits while off duty,
| fixing standard for their conduct
| Cigarette smokers, for example, can
not be apprentices.
Job After Apprenticeship.
When a boy has finished his ap-
premiership he has an opportunity
to take a regular job. Eighty per
cent Of the boys stay with the COM
pany after their time is up, and one
half Of the others return within a
year.
one OF the Eastern roads, which
has an elaborate apprentice system,
has contributed $35O,OOO to the
nigh school in the town where its
principal shops are located This
company has technical department,
which, for it's particular purposes, is
not surpassed anywhere.
The so-called Hartman lines not
only produce trained, skilled me-
chanics, but they have a sort of
higher education" to qualify men
to become general officers. In 1906
there were twenty-five students TAX
ing course Of forty-two months
study that they might fill high jobs.
The tendency Of all these various
'outside' activities of the railroad
companies is to produce a steady
trained army-an army composed of
men who enter it young and stay in
1t, not of men who enroll for a
temporary stay A premium is put
upon the permanence of employment,
PENSIONS and the full benefits from
the relief finds and insurance funds
come only to the men who STAY at
their posts.
TEXAS CONFEDERATE VETERANS
Amarillo, Texas, August g.
Amarillo is gayly decorated with
bunting and flags in honor Of the
Confederate Veterans Of tho De-,