The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-01-07

II Union Telegraph company, walked brisk
I'll ly into his office, nodded to his cashier
and lighted a cigar and plunged into hi:
MORNINGS mail
'tOl wonder what our new superintendent
has to say be thought, as he tore open sn
envelope marked superintendent Office.
He read:
ssDear Sir: Referring TO your October re
ports, note that your receipts show large
decrease when compared with the same month
last year I also note that your expenses
show a very slight decrease Please explain
this and take at once the necessary steps 10
reduce the expenses and increase the receipts
Yours truly, H. L. BROWN,
Superintendent. -
aWhevl' be exclaimed. F'He is apparent
" not satisfied with my management lnat
last report did make bad showing
The Union Telegraph company was under.
going q reorganization. A new presldent hau
been chosen at the last meeting OF the poaro
of directors He was ambitious, aggressive
and bent on making a record he was 'e'0es
Cd for the presidency on his recora i"t 'u'
ting down expenses and getting wo'h ou' u
mon made while he was general super
ont of a division in the west. ooo" "'t'i
elevation he removed a pumoer o. h
some because they aptagoni2ed MS Poi''3
soma because they had fallen into iu''
ard others on the general prlnclPle 'hsV ~ "
Il, oood thing to infuse new blood lnto '"o
company. made
NJ hold that the wholesale removals naoe
az won that were retained more lndustFlous'
Fo.r was the prod he used to urge MS suoo''
diuates TO work.
Mr. Brown was appointed month petote
su,er;ntendent of the district IN mnich ''n'
s,s office was situated, The old super.n-
,ordort who had been in the service ol 'n0
con,nauv for thirty years, was d'Schsfeeu
~ provn had been one OF the ne" pres
idnnt,s Geutepapts in the west.
1ohn navis rcrcad his letter ouH'nionins
,..ar,nbcr he dictated this reply:
M y +, Browp, Superintendent-De
po.Ix,in, 70 your favor Of the otn 'nst'
Ior "a state that the decrease In re'o'p''
shown BY my reports is due 10
,;.n IN business in this city. nave se'
cured the business Of a NUMBER ol ne" la.t
and am holding the business oi ea
ycar's customers. but the manu-. -
hrokers are not doing as much business '
vear T will. however, continue my eiioi's "
increase the business
ssI do not think it prsctlcal 10 reuu'e
norscs at this time The present force couiu
handle more busines, but the force cannot Do
rcduced without requiring the men TO WORK
reasonably long hours or imPairins Vhe "a
fcicucy of the service. very Truly,
81. II. DAVIS, Manager"
Whom the letter was handed to him Tor sig
nature he besitated:
stTbat first part is all right, he said 10
himself. fsbut the last part will crate on tine
nerves of the new superintendent, II nave
correctly sized up the man. But, mo- won
cut salaries and L won t reduce the force'
Every man here, from the messenger boys up
IN the chief operator, has stood by me In my
efforts to Improve the service and get eusi-
ness. and will stanl by them
He signed the letter.
As he Wondered, after mailing his letter to
the superintendent the recent changes 10 the
company aud the probable effects OF the reor'
gauizatiou his Thoughts wandered back o'cr
his own experience since entering the service
of the company. In this same oft'ce, h1teen
wears ago, at the age of II, he began his tele'
graph career messenger boy. lie recalien
with smile his feeling OF responsibility when
he started out With his first message, and how
elsted be was when, on the night Of that
eveptful day, the clerk inspected his delivery
sheets and found signature for every mes
sage. Never since had he felt so great A re-
spousibilty or enjoyed so much triumph; not
when be was promoted TO delivery clerk; not
when, after practciug hours at night, he was
pui on as an operator; not when he Was PRO
NOTED to chief operator aud measured wires
for crosses and grounds with an accuracy That
delighted the liuemcu; no, not when three
years ago he was made manager OF the office
He knew and Was known by every man IN
the city that did regular telegraph business.
He had carried messages to most of them al
all hours of the dsv and pight Many of them
had offered him positions in their offices or
factories, but nothing had ever tempted him
10 leave the telegraph office. TelegrsphIng
fascinated him He loved the work
Two days later he received this reply to his
letter:
"Dear Sir: Your letter received. and the
excuses YOU offer Tor the bad showing Of
however, and not excuses ! am obliged.
therefore, to call for your resignation, tax
ing effect the last day Of this month. On
the first day of next month ] will seud man
to relieve you. You will turn over to him
all the property and money due the com
pauy, taking a receipt for the same. Yours
truly,
t'H, L. BROWN, superintendent
The color faded from Davis g face as he
read the letter. Then his countenance grew
stern and his eyes flashed.