The Washington herald., 1911-06-18
HOW STREET RAILWAYS
TAKE CARE OF EMPLOYEES

The street railways Of Washington
have system Of looking after their
, human machinery that might be fol-
lowed by other companies employing
many men, to the mutual advantage Of
the employer and enploye. The general
public nears considerable about the
Washington Railway Company and the
Capital Traction Company-part of it
probably knows one company's lines
from the other's-and It knows that each
car carries a motorman and a conductor
These two men, upon whom rests the
responsibility Of thousands Of lives every
day. do not count, however, with the
general public any more-if as much
than does the matter Of open and closed
cars, or the question of the inconven-
ience Of P. A. Y. E. cars.
It is only in the event Of an accident
that we hear of the men who run the
cars which carry US about the city, and
in that case it is usually something re-
verse to complimentary. AS one motor
man of +he Washington Railway Com
pany said not long ago: Most people
think we Just love to throw them down
and run over them, and jam into other
cars so we can hurt them some way.
Anyhow, that is the way they seem to
lCok at it, If one may judge by the way
they talk about US. Most people think
street car men are no good at all, and
look down on US accordingly. II they
only knew how much depends on our
keeping free of accidents, they would
change their tune"
Keeping Human Machinery in order
The Washington Railway Company I'M
derstands this phase of the case per-
fectIy It knows that it is as necessary
fy, ozH
order-if not more so-as it is to keep the
mere mechanical parts Of the system in
first class order. A man who is careless,
or who transgresses the rules Of the
company-and these rules are ironclad-
is never kept IN the employ Of the COM
pany. There is a constantly shifting list
of men Of these types-the men who do
not make good''-but in the case Of a
man who is conscientious, every encour-
agement is given him to remain with the
company.
When a man applies for position with
the Washingto Railway Company, he is
examined by the company physician as
TO his physical condition, is given a test
to see that he Is capable Of making out
a legible report and is of mental capac-
fly sufficient to insure intelligent perform
ance OF the duties devolving upon him.
In the event Of HIS passing these exami-
nations satisfactorily, he Is placed on the
extra list-becomes an extra" in the
parlance OF the road-and draws the
regular rate Of G1l cents per hour for
the time he is employed.
Only a certain number of extras" are
kept going, as the company does not per-
NIT man TO work for them unless he
can make living at IT. If q man COM
plains that he cannot live on what he Is
making, his case Is at once investigated
and the reason for the statement found.
In this way the extra" list is kept
cuiled down and is not crowded to the
detriment Of the employees.
The Matter of Pensions.
There is no partiality shown the men
IN the matter Of promotion: each man
must take his turn. It is really not pro-
motion at all. Il is succession. The
-extra" who has been longest in The en-
ploy Of the washington Railway Com
pany is the first to get a regular run
when vacancy occurs, and he holds that
run until It comes his turn. through the
shifting UP OF a man ahead of him, to
receive a better one. The Oldest man in
point Of service gets the earliest run of
the day, which insures that he shall be
the first one OF. This Is a great advan-
tage. In the course OF events he viii be
forced along in some position OF trust.
All division inspectors. superintendents.
clerks, &c, have run cars to begin with.
and have rissn-not through preferences,
but succession
This system was inaugurated BY the
company as q fair and impartial method
cf reward tor Gteadiness. ana also an en-