Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1910-09-08

NKA man or q street car con-
~ ductor? OF all occupations
~ on earth they would seem.
to the average father or
mother helping q son to
choose his life calling. to be the least
promising. least remunerative. and
most arduous. Indeed. there are few
parents that would consider that line
Of employment for q moment. as is
shown by the fact that most motor
men and conductors are recruited
from those who are IN urgent need
Of a job or else those who have no
particular aims and don't care partic-
ulariy at what they work. so long as
they can earn little money.
That Is the ordinary. usual notion
about the thing. But. to get down to
facts-and these are facts. despite the
emphatic protests by nearly every
body that reads this-there are few
csllings In the entire range of occu-
pations that offer speedier, more re-
munerative. more permanent advance
ment than is to be found in the
humble. maligned. prosecuted. down
trodden motorman or conductor Of
trolley cars.
The beauty OF II Is. from the view
point Of the young fellow that hasn't
been able TO go TO school much and
hasn't antecedents that lure him to
the socalled higher callings. that
absolutely no preparation is needed.
except the native spirit Of industry,
god health and ability to read and
write that every average boy in this
laad Possesses.
First. to get the job. The boy must
be about nineteen eighteen will do.
he is particularly well developed
PHYSICALLY. have q constitution that
will stand hard work. be able to write
well enough to fill out q very simple
application. and possess $40 for a
sumner uniform. II he seeks the Job
In the fall he viii have to pay $50 for
the winter uniform. These are aver
age figures for the large cities OF the
country. II doesn't require much
tine for the boss to pass upon the
application these bosses are adept in
sizing up fellows that ask for work.
and before the applicant has had time
to think much about It he is told to
Get on that cart" and go to work.
But that car" doesn't mean that
the pay has begun: for there 10 a
week or ten days Of experience that
has to be got before the neophyte is
full-fedged employee. He has to
learn the business: but the company
looks out for that. asking only that
ne pay his own board for this time
Ihey have men of experience whose
sole duty is to show newcomers how
70 twist the lever that controls the
current Of the motor; how to slow
Gown at crossings or when somebody
wants to get on or on; what to do II
uere's little explosion and the car
stops: and explain tho street regula-
ions OF the particular city the expert
ence Is being gained in.
OF, II the beginner is to be a con-
daetor tmotormen and conductors are
% par. as far as beginning Is con-
esrhed. and get the same pay. and are
promoted In the same direction), the
instructor shows him how to make
eaange; cautions against starting too
enekly when old ladies' or neurotic
o.d men are getting aboard: explains
me necessity Of civility in answering
s9estions about routes. transfers, and
NE avalanche Of queries that come
ron the public: what to do when
soneoody 10 hurt BY falling from the
or there ID . collision with a
ucek or a farm wagon or somebody
mat lost his nerve when he saw the
an bearing down on him and couldn't I
se' out Of the way-in short. all the
1nple things that are not peculiar to
uoueyins at all. but are merely prob
ems. generally speaking. that might
eonfront anybody.
Wen. the boy has gone through this
urse Of sprouts and starts out with
11 car. OF course. he gets on aver
Sey well. as the average boy WIFI.
"a II he has ambition II Is not long
osiore he begins to think seriously
me next step. In the meantime he
y earning 8. a day.
tnat is the pay generally for the
1at year. and after that there Is q
ssdual increase-if the employee has
H sumeient ambition 10 work out of
ms rut-until. At the end Of five years.
se earns from $3.50 to $3.50 a day.
aost companies pay by the hour. or
e uip. and the figures given show
s average for ten hours a day. the
e'ase time on duty. Conductors
obliged to have bonds-they have
handle money. you know-but these
- generally furnished by the com
sny; SO 1t Is NO hardship to the
nut-and here comes the crux of the
r-street railway companies are
ssunuaiiy looking out for men at
motor or the cash register that
Os . little more ability than their
ciates. and the minute they dis
sr such q one he is sure to be pro
ed to inspector or starter. The
ef spends most Of his time on