New-York tribune., 1911-03-05
Twenty-nine Courses Have Al
x..dv Been Started With
a View to Improving En-
ployes and Fitting Them
For Steady Promotion.

OJ
For Steady Promotion.
ON, that the Interstate Commerce
NJ commission has decided that
,or,can railways do not need TO
.noir freight rates in order TO keep
rai'e ..,rs, dividends, a good many or the
% arbolders are voicing the opinion una.
suroad presidents might Just as wen
" their familiar refrain Of back 10 'he
w" . ,,,bich they have been singing 50
i',-.' .r,o,,slv 10 city dwellers, and take
'''uN> -, one. "hack TO the desk when
~ should apply to themselves Fol'
%.o, oil the first duty Of high salarled
.ooroad officials should be raiiroaoiis
o.her than making public speeches OF
so,,,ating in Wall Street. This feel
or,ong stockholders has been aug
.orted by the positive statements Oh
o,or,ists like Mr.. Brandeis. VINO de-
o,oro positively that dozens of millions
aorors are wasted every year by
-.,ose methods of railway manage
-. THE fact that this statement has
.anr denied by railway presidents is not
.o,, N be conclusive, in view OF hgures
.sa, have been published by other eX-
ITS showing wide divergence between
-. results attained on different ROADS
:. srcb items as cost per mile run by
,ossenger cars, cost per mile run OF 10
oorootiyes and cost per mile run by
freight cars
The baltimore & Ohio is computed TO
- tho leader Of all roads in running its
passenger cars economically, its cost
rer mile run being 9S-1OO of cent The
eost ~ this service on other roads great
10 exceeds this. In some cases 1t has
been computed at 3 cents.
The Boston e. Maine sets nearest the
ideal economy in running locomotives
,ts record being computed at 6.15 cents
mile run. 1t costs other roads as
much as 10 cents a mile.
The banner for running freight cars
economically is held by the Pere Mar
ouette. whose cost mile is 56-1oO OF a
cont. The same service costs other roads
more than one cent a mile run.
PROFIT THAT LIES IN STUDY.
II seems indisputable therefore. to the
ordinary minority stockholder that If
railway presidents would study and ap-
nlv the methods whereby other roads
sain economical efficiency, millions of
dollars would be saved for improvements
and for dividends.
What may be done toward promoting
economy is shown by the Union Pacific,
which has established bureau solely TO
Increase the efficiency Of its employees
and prepare them 10 fill better jobs. III
offers ts help and instruction free, not
only 10 its employees, but to members
Of their families.
The object Of this bureau is to elm
trate lost motion"-wasted energy
which IS more expensive I'm large bodies
~ men than it is in machinery. Saving
this waste is the broadest economy IN
railroading. II may he cut down some
what by teaching men how to do their
work intelHgentlv and effectively. 1t
nav he eliminated when there is also
continual ambition to excel.
On the Union Pacific this is stimulated
by the knowledge that the railroad Will
not only reward the efforts of it's men.
but that il will do its utmost to educate
them in their duties so they may be able
IN climb up the ladder Of promotion.
Further than that it is the Union Pa
Cifc's rule that the Jobs ahead shall not
20 10 outsiders when there are men in
the service below who can fiji them. In
this way the efficiency Of both the rail-
road and the men is already, it is said'
being increased greatly.
SAVINGS HINGE ON ToILERS.
All savings i'm material and effort on a
railroad. or anywhere else, depend pri-
marily on the employees. Fuel, for in
stance. costs a big railroad millions of
dollars a year. Hundreds of thousands
Of dollars could be saved if every man
who fred a locomotive were an expert
intent on getting the most possible steam
from every shOvelful Accidents and
claims for loss and damage 10 freight are
other big items Of expense that can be
avoided by care, knowledge and loyalty
The economical movement of trains de-
pends as much on the employees as il
does on big locomotives and easy grades
When a railroads thousands Of en-
ployes realize that the interests Of the
vast corporation and their own are iden-
teal the perfection Of railroading vii
be achieved. The Union Pacific is be-
ginning 10 accomplish this by making
every employe from the humblest up
know that he has not only chance tc
climb TO the top but that the company
will boost him all the way If he does hi;
part.
Every man finds something new in his
work every day. Unless the necessity
for Information is imperative he is no
likely 10 ask questions and will ge
h. l.gc hr a N