Evening journal., 1912-10-10
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The EMPLOYER Who Was Like
a Brother to His WOrkmen
By Holland.

III there were more men like
Thomas Rutter in this world I am
satisfied that there would be little
occasion for the formation Of labor
organizations and that there would be
little occasion for the formation of
labor organizations and that there
would be almost perfect cooperation
between the men who employ labor
and the men who sell labor SO said
TO me the late James d. Laying, who
was for many years in high executive
authority with that part Of the Penn
sylvania Railroad system which runs
from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati. and
who was afterwards vice president
of the West Shore Railroad in New
York. a position that he held at the
time of his death in 1902.
II was generally supposed thai
President j. Edgar Thompson of the
Pennsylvania Railroad gave to Thorn
as Rutter. about the year 1853, the
contract for he construction of the
Panhandle tunnel at Pittsburgh be-
cause of the skill and energy which
Mr. Rutter had shown IN the con-
struction of the great tunnel for the
Pennsylvania at Gallitzin, near the
summit of the Allegheny Mountains.
in 1850. AT that time Mr. Rutter was
very young man, think about
thirty years OF age. The construc-
tion Of the Gallitzin tunnel entailed
the working out of some very difficult
engineering problems and further
mere, the skillful handling of large
body of laborers. sumo of whom were
skilled, and some just day laborers.
But the tunnel WAS constructed with
in the time called for by the con-
tract and the workmanship was ad
mirable.
President Thompson was amazed
at the completion Of the tunnel with
in the time fixed in the contract
For in addition to his engineering
problems. Mr.. Thompson knew that
Mr.. Rutter might have a great many
anxieties and a good deal OF trouble
with the wo-kmen. for they were a
rather touchy set as a whole and
] likely to leave In a body II anything
went wrong, &c make trouble in
various ways
"In conversation with Mr. Rutter
few weeks before TIE completion
of the tunnel. Mr. Thompson asked
Rutter how il happened that he was
as successful in handling the men as
he was in overcoming the engineer
/ ing difficulties.
"'There never will be- any dificul-
ty in handling intelligent working
men, Mr. Rutter replied, If you will
remember just one thing, and that is
that they are men with hearts, sensi-
tive feelings and pride. just exactly
as you and are. There isn't any Sc
cret about It. II you remember that
the men who you employ to do your
work are, after all. men, you won't
have any difficulty with them
This set Mr. Thompson to thinking
and he made some Inquiries. based
on what Mr.. Rutter had said 10 him
among the workmen employed on
the tunnel. All spoke in terms of af-
lection of their employer. One OF
the men voiced the universal senti-
ment when he said Ny faith in
men comes back 10 me whenever
am close by Thomas Rutter. He isn't
like an employer; he is like a broth
err
when President Thompson heard
this statement he decided that Thorn
as Rutter was the man with whom
10 enter into contract for the con-
struction of the tunnel at Pittsburgh
that his road had decided to build
Later Mr.. Rutter built the tun-
mel for the Northern Central Rail
road under Baltimore, and also some
difficult and very expensive work fol
the railroads All his life long, un.
I'll his death in 1895, he was large
employer Of labor, vet he never had
the slightest trouble with his en-
ployes. He treated them like men
and there was no condescension ol
patronage in this treatment. sup
pose that there is not another case
on record OF q contractor engaged
in work which required the employ
ment OF skilled and unskilled labor
who so completely gained not ONLY
the respect, bat the affection of HE
employees as Mr Rutter did.
Il have sometimes thought con
cluded Mr. Laying, that If a booi
could be written descriptive of the re
lations Of Thomas Rutter with thu
thousands of happy and affectionat'
employees, n might serve as lessor
teaching the manner in which labor
capital and ability can best cooper
ate 10 common advantage"
Copyright, 1912. by r. J Edwards
tnh DE- HtNI l