The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-12-12
TAKES BRAINS m
RUN STREET CAR /.
Motorman's Job Is Not 80 Easy
as 1t May Appear to
Some.
MAN ON PLATFORM MUST
FACE MANY HARDSHJps
Public IncOnsiderate of tha
Man Who Runs the Car:
Life Not Easy.

Yes, it all looks simple enough To r,,
street car appears TO be an easy maj ,
ter. "Oh. anyone can run a street car
is often said. often with a view OF h.
littling the vocation and those who a.. :
engaged in It. But nothing could be no,s
absurd. Anyone cannot run q street On,
far from 1t. And anyone who woula
attempt to disparage the vocation NJ
those engaged in If shows an utter lact
OF knowledge concerning what II really
means 10 run a street car
You ride on the street car every dar
but did you ever stop to think about ths
hardshlps The man on the front platform
manipulating the various devices which
control the car Is subjected to? Winter
and summer, storm or sunshine IL makes
no difference; tho uotorman must nafai
his post And the same is true Of Inc
man on the back platform. who super.
vises the car and collects the fares. The
conductor.
It Takes Brains.
n takes brains 10 run a street car. and
only men with such necessary qualifica.
tons can successfully follow the calm,
The exposure 70 all kinds OF weather Ia
but trifle as compared with some al
the other hardships he must undergo
!Motorman and conductor alike must stand
the, complaints and kicks Of a harsh. un-
satisfied, inconsiderate public. II ;he
street car runs beyond the crossing in
| wet. muddy weather. the crew In charge
| The public does not stop TO consid.r
| that the condition OF the track has much
Ia DO with the stopping Of car. II TIE
rails are dry the motorman can easily
| when the rails are slippery. IL is uncer-
| tain where the car viii stop. He knows
NOT how far IL is going 10 slide. and
| even though he sands the rails IL ia
often merely a case OF guesswork how
close 10 the crossing the car is going To-
! stop.
Many Responsibilities.
Then the motorman. naturally. is tire
| one that Is held responsible for ull sorts
OF accidents. And the responsibility which
| is placed on the motormsus S shoulders OH
this account Is thing OF no small
| Dimensions. TrGe. II Is an easy mat
| ter 10 throw the breaks of and on or TO
| reverse the controller when the occasion
so demands. but back Of IL all Is lnat
responsibility which wears and sears upon
me mind OF the man on the from; pllt-
, form day in. day out
! The life OF the street car man is by
| no means an easy one. though many may
| suppose II Is. In Salt Lake City the
motormen and conductors work ,wo
shifts each day. making d total O. ten
hours. Other places this may be differ.
! ent. but not so much so as To make any
Semi annually the runs are changed the
Oldest employees being given the prefer
.ence OF runs.
Must Arise Early.
The notorman. on all The day shifts,
! arrives at o'clock 4. m. He must be at
the barn and ready 10 take his car out on
the dot. Strict punctuality is an absolute
essential TO the business All through The
day, while on duty. he must have his ear
on time or as near so as Is possiba
In case time is lost through an accident,
that time must be nlade Up in order that
the running time Of the system is not in
| tertered with. Yet he must always run
his car at safe rate OF speed In ordor
10 avert accidents
The street car man Is under the most
strict surveillance at all times Each
minute law and regulation OF the COM
pany must be carried out TO the letter,
and the street car man IS punished for
the smallest offense. His is not an easy
life.