The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1912-08-09
President Ramsey. Address.

| President Ramsoy'S ADDRESS,.
Pres. Jos. e. Ramsey, Jr. of the.
Ann Arbor Railroad spoke substantially
as follows at the meeting of the en-
ployees of the road held In this city {
last week:
Increase the Ann Arbor's bust
ness by being courteous and polite,
and increase the Ann Arbor's earn
Iings by using care and judgment In
handling the traffic after 1t has been
secured"
This was the keynote of the school
of instruction conducted in this city
on Wednesday last, for agents, clerks
yardmasters and dispatchers OF the
company, but particularly for agents.
; A general order had been sent out
from the general superintendent
Office in Owosso, for every employe
of the traffic department to be pres
ent at the meeting unless railroad
business of unusual Importance de-
tanned him.
: eff any agent can show the head
r of The passenger and freight depart
ment, Mr.. Kirby, or myself. that he
. has too many duties in his office to
3 hermit him to go out and mingle with
the people who have. business with
the company, l will assure him that
4 Inc will be provided with additional
Q office help at once" was the way
J. Pres. ]. Ramsey, Jr., OF the road met
the excuse of agents who did not
d show an increase in the business done
). at their stations during the past year
i The holding of school Of instruc-
e tion for agents and other employees
e of the traffic department, is some
thing new on the Ann Arbor, and in
J. fact upon most roads. 1t was sug-
t. eested in this instance, by President
Is Ramsey. and it was the pleasant
? though busness-like president him.
l. self who undertook to instruct the
Is agents in their duties. He was ably
l. assisted by w. d. Holiday, the vice
president and general manager, j. ).
Kirby, general passenger and rrelght
agent: w. D. Danley, general super
intendent, and others, and before the
1T meeting was brought to close, ev-
n nv man in attendance from official
at to clerk, had become so enthusiastic
m that he had had something to say
l. about the business of his particular
10 department..
Ill After the or'y-tive men present
had partaken of sumptuous meal
III at the expense of the company, ana
as had lighted cigars that came or a
stock that costs more than five cents
each. President Ramsey, seated at
table i'm the front of the room, called
for order.
at Is nv opinion" he began, "tha'
F. II is right and proper for the men
er who operate the Ann Arbor railroad
re- and, handle the traffic that makes the
S. Ann Arbor possible, to get together
on and get acquainted. We are here tt
discuss matters that are of genera
I'd. interest to the Ann Arbor and to yol
as employees of the Ann Arbor.
la rai,road nowadays, is a public serv
re- ant, bound down by cetrain rules AM
full regulations. It's success, therefore
re- depends largely upon the persohhe
nv of its operators. Time was when III
representatives of competing ROADS
could go to the various individual
of a town and be able to offer bel
ter rate than the other fellows.
"That cannot be done now. In
no. agent who is liked, who is popula
and who is courteous, is the man VIII
be will get the business. 1t Is absolute
, is w necessary to his success as a
me. agent. that he treat everyone 1airi9
test that he know practically every GU
oof zen in the small towns and cite
you particularly, and that he get out an
on mingIe with the people. instead
remaining in his Office.
Mr.. Ramsey declared that the pu
at. nose of the meeting, was to critics
ON. no particular ind:y.dual. He sa
,ars. that ANYTHING that should be di
my cusscd, would be perfectly lmpe
'ape sc nal.
10 He then touched upon the nece
n ~ sitv for care in exercising econom
, vne "a dollar saved by reasonable eco
."ta' omy." he said, sis a dollar added
had the earnings of the company. Ju
by go. the more business an agent han
d to les at his station, the greater Will
% his salary
y to ExpIaining further, he said tn
me improvements in the way of econor
fhis had been noted within the past t
49,. or three years. He said III
az result OF this econon
1911. the earnings of the company, ma
# of increased II per cent the past We
,ood. eve must do better than TINS. ever
has he declared, eff we want the Ann
Dor to grow Gentlemen you must
ents cut and hustle instead of staying
FORK. your Office to answer questions
those who happen to call on you.
anu Nothing succeeds like courtesy
this life, and it doesn't cost anybt
penny. soft answer is inva
G able. yet 1t doesn't cost single p
nv. Always be courteous and pol
If YOU cannot handle mans b,
Ever ness in the way he wants 1t handl
tell him so, but tell him in nice
able Re SIRE that the patrons Of the TO
. whether they are those who n
support the company through
fraipht den;