The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-07
RAILROAD NEWS.
Telephone Dispatehing May
. Weaken Train Operation.
Inexperienced Men and Women
Given Positions.
GOVERNMENT ACTION.
Commission May Demand That
Railways Change Methods.
Other Items of General Interest
in Railroad Circles.
GOVERNMENT ACTION.

There has been considerable Senu-
ment stirred up over the country be-
cause the railroads which have recent
iy adopted the telephone system of
train dispatching are employing young,
inexperienced and incompetent men for
their operators. and thus endangering
the lives of the travelling public.
The interstate commerce commission
through it's block signal and train con-
troll board has taken up the matter in
an official manner and 1t is understood
by the railroad officials in Topeka that
something will be done in the near fu-
ture to investigate all of the telephone
operation systems and see if the fears
OF the public are warranted.
The telephone system of train dis
patching has grown pop liar with the
American railroads during the past
year and some of the largest systems
in the United States have adopted the
new plan. In Kansas the Rock Island
and the Santa Fe use the telephone
success-in fact the results have been
so gratifying that the installations are
ordered as fast as the work can be a.c-
complished.
Use Boys and Girls. 'si
The one criticism that is made by the
interstate commission and has been. ia
ken up seriously the last month by the
travelling PUBIC, Is IndI, Dy the dOOp-
ton of the telephone system the rail-
roads rapidly work into their employ a
large number OF young and inexperi-
enced men and women who have had
little or no railroad work and in whose
trust is given the receiving and dis
patching of trains and hundreds OF hu-
man lives.
It has been conteEded that ir the tel
ephone offices on the railroads the com
panies fail to install the men who are
usually given the positions as teleg-
raphers. 1t is a well known fact that
before man is given a key on the
road he is raised for a certain length
of time in the railroad station and in
the railroad life. The average railroad
telegrapher was well trained in the
railway ways and the customs of the
road before he took his key at a sta
ton somewhere along the line.
The practice lasts for months and
during that time the average man
learns the office work. the many little
tricks and turns of the trade and IL
by no other means, he learns by OBJ
servation and by environment the du-
ties connected with the operation OF
trains and the train service.
In the telephone, operation the usual
apprentice work is not necessarily
feature of their application and their
position. A young man or woman may
take a responsible position, argues the
none of the training that comes with
actual work. To this end the commits
sion believes that the railroad officials
should use a little more care in their
selection of operators and those con-
nected with the responsible duties OF
guarding the running of trains.
May Use Old Employees.
Then it is said that the railroads are
given another valuable opportunity in
their adoption of the telephone service.
With the average railroad which pays
particular attention to its Old and dis
abled employees and men that they have
injured or disabled during active SER
vice for the road. the established GUS
tom exists which makes it an unwrit-
ten rule that these men shall be en-
ployed whenever possible on the road.
Easy office jobs. Partnerships, station
and reading room superintendent, ETC.,
are always open to these veterans. 1t
is asserted that since the telephone dis
patching system has been installed the
positions of operators have appealed to
the old men and the companies have
given them whatever positions possible.
1t is argued that these men are not
capable of handling the train times and
operations in and out of the stations
and they should not be placed on the
job unless they are thoroughly compel
ent.
In thair Investigations over the coun-
try the interstate commission found
that young boys and inexperienced
girls were found in these offices. AS a
result it has been suggested that the
companies first be informed concern
ing this class of employees and second
| that the government take up the mat
ter of making it necessary for the
railroads to establish the block signal
systems over their lines.
With the block signals and the tele-
phone systems the railroads of this
country would be without a par. With
these improvements it is naturally nee
| eSsary that the railroads use common
| sense in the selection of their employees
and no hire through the medium of
relationship pull and college
| graduate
FRISCO TAKES CHARGE.