Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-12-27
MESSENGER BOYS
GUESTS At FEAST.
Western Union Management
Adopts New Policy With Re-
gard to Its Mercuries.
STARTS EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
VIII surround Them With Wholesome
Influences AMI Plan for Their
Future Welfare.

The Western Union Telegraph COM
Ing humane interest In it's messcn-.
ger boys. Under some former admin
istrations the morale OF the messenger
service was not considered of any spc-
cial Importance az long as the work
was done as well as might be expect
ed. Messenger boys OF tender years
were sent without hesitation to places
OF i'll repute. the effect of such local
tiles and surroundings being something
that the officials OF the company did not
appear to concern themselves much
about, although. Of course they depre-
Gated the necessity" which brought
the boys under such influences.
The new general management Is not
thus minded, and the morale of service
environment is being considered seri-
ously at meetings held ut division head
quarters by officials and sub-onicials
in conference. Such Il meeting was
held recently at Denver. which was at
tended by Commercial Superintendent
U. G. Life of this city. and a number
of ether officials attached TO this terri
tory. Mr.. Life seemed to have a very
clear idea OF boy treatment, and how
to get the best results out of him. as
swell as how to cast around him the
shelter best calculated to shield him
from moral harm, Mr., Life stated his
views before the conference. He held
that the messenger hoy Is the beginning
and end of the telegraph serYicc--that
is, he carries the message to the Office
for transmission. and carries the trans
lnitted message at tho otl,e, end to the
consignee. Therefore, lie is really the
most important factor in the sending of
messages, for with that messenger boy.
the company's efficiency rises or falls.
MIR. LIES PLANS.
TO really improve and increase the
5cOmpary's efficiency In service the re-
liability and responsibility of the mes
Sscnger boy must be considered MS of
paramount Importance. Mr.. Life held,
in the first place that no messenger boy
under q should be sent to II place. OF
ill repute. When calls come from such
quarters, mature men should be sent. Iii
the next place. Il reading room we'll
supplied With wholesome current peri
odcals. and equipped With nice furni-
ture should be provided for the boys; a
capable instructor ought TO be supplied
to teach the boys how to telegraph. ana
give instruction in other lines of the
telegraph business calculated to in
3spire them With n desire and ambition
to rise in the business to positions of |
value and Importance; forbid cigarette
smoking and drinking, watch and |
guard the boys along moral lines, and, |
use every cXertion, in inducing them to |
lead useful and industrious lives as |
most likely TO make them a benefit To
the community. as well rs to them- |
solves. Mr.. Life held that in doing this. |
the best interests of the company
would be advanced, for by so much the
more, the reliability Of the service
would be Increased, and the company
give better satisfaction.
Mr.. Life stated tp1ny. TINT In prn- |
poses to carry out these policies right |
here In Salt Lake and Il special feature
lust being introduced In the carrying |
out Of these ideas Is the Christmas
dinner given to the messenger boys
this noon at tho Wilson hotel. Some
80 boys were entertained at dinner by |
Slipt. Life ana his assistants, n long
table being set, regular banquet
fashion, In the private dining room
of the hotel, and each boy treated
as he companies guest The mcnu
was most excellent one. tho central
figure, of course, being the ever pres
ont turkey. The table service was the
same AS is given for ''grownnps," and
the youthful fcastcrs We're treated
with every consideration. The boys
We're given all they could cat with the
plimcnts.o f tho company. and the |,
opportunity was Improved by the
to give them II plain
COiilIupIi -SNllSt .ldlh. SlloNiIlE /. lilulI.I
the management lad their hest in
tcrcsts in view. aud with this MS n
basis of operations, everything would
he done to help them got started in
life. and get started right, The boys
were delighted with the kindly treat
ment accorded them.
SUpt. Life stated to n News reporter
that MS soon AS the new Salt Lake
had been chosen. special
apartments would be set of for a
lipc reading room for the boys, alsoEl
rooms for teaching tclcgrnphy, plant
construction, the ethics OF operating,
aud business administration etc.