Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-01-27

average time on duty Conductors
ere obliged to have bonds-they have
"a handle money, you know-but these
are generally furnished by the com
pany; so it is no hardship TO the
workmen.
But-and here comes the crux of the
matter-street railway companies are
continually looking out for men at
the motor or the cash register that
show a little more ability than their
associates. and the minute they dis
cover such a one he is sure to be pro
NOTED to inspector or starter. The
former spends most of his time on
the line, looking after motormen and
conductors, assisting in getting
through delays or difficulties, and look
ing after the traffic of individual cars
generally. The starter is stationed
at the car barns, getting the cars out
on time, assigning conductors and
motormen to their cars, etc. The pay
of these is generally by the week, SIS
to $21, and the job is not infrequently
attained by motormen or conductors
within a year or so from the time
they started their first work.
After that, according to the ambi-
ton and ability of the man, he is
made assistant superintendent and
superintendent, at $500 to $500
year, and from there-well, to be gen
eral manager-and, yes, president
himself-at any salary that the road
can pay, in many cases running into
five figures. 1t requires about five
years as inspector or starter before
the young man is ready for the assist
ant superintendency.
OF course. all this advancement Is
possible only to the young man that
is determined to make his way IN the
world, He does not need any partcu-
lar talent, and no preparation, as has
been said. But he must (and this
much might we'll be printed in CAPT
tals) have good health and a physique
that can stand hard work for seven
days in the week; he must train his
Judgment so that he can think cor
rectly in emergencies; he must not
worry, and, besides, he must mako
street railroading his principal, almost
sole, aim in life If he does, the re-
ward is sure; for practically every
big man in street railroading today
on the operating side is one that be-
gan at the bottom and worked up
through the grades as indicated in
this article.
1t is not easy to have no evenings
to oneself in his early manhood new
corners are generally given the most
unattractive runs, and often night
work., and to have to work Sundays.
Neither is it easy to be patient and
tactful when pestered by the public.
Unfortunately, It is true that people
generally are prone to blame the mo-
torman or conductor for all the imag.
mary grievances they have against
the street railway trust" and to be
even insulting when asking the most
trivial questions
But that is part Of the game, and il
the conductor or motorman has the
stuff in him to see that nothing per-
sonal is meant by it all, and that. any
how, he is attending to his business
and VIII soon be out of it, his reward
will not be far distant Despite the
general opinion of the cold-blooded-
ness Of street railway employers, they
are constantly watching for good men
among the conductors and motormen
whom they can promote; for it Is
easier to get men for these positions
than the ones higher up. And don't
worry over the responsibilities.
Copyright, 1910, by the Associated Iis-
erary PressO