New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-21


ing to their employees hszs} az No. 81 < "a "
the conunirum, How M IN Il I r. w
long will broom last" 1T GF<ssHssfs s. :
Railroads pay on an ~ 4 xz8 1 4 - s
average twenty cents 8ssx,sZs ~ $ rs = =
each for their brOomS. : Is - 5
and there must be as 4
many as there are sta tgssIs3k-<1 - - =
tons in the country, 80 Z 80
which is considerable. 1ee-s@
4 broom IS worth % the 6Sn1<
railroad that buys it
no, not twenty cents,
but the cost Of hauling one ton Of freight thirtyhyc
miles. Blu r. is not the value 50 much as II IS how
long will q broom last that concerns the railroads. Il
the once-a-month broom can be converted into the
twomon,hs broom. the economical station agent
saves for lis railroad the cost Of hauling one ton Of
freight thir.v-fyc miles every two months; which SIX
times year means the cost Of hauling ton Of freight
two hundred and ten miles.
But the broom is merely taken a symbol in the new
railroad economy. Take lamp chimneys, several Of
which have be used in each station. Every time one
breaks q charge must be made against the railroad
equal TO the cost Of hauling ton Of freight ten and
halt miles. Twenty lamp chimneys broken a year IN
single station means that some poor locomotive must
stagger under ton Of freight over two hundred
and ten miles Just 70 pay for them.
Even the lead pencil must not be despsed. requ
ston for new lot Of pencils can be made out in few
minutes; bur Of freight must be hauled two miles
topay for each The same IS true Of each track
spike that works loose and IS thrown aside. track
bolt is similarly treated waste; but il is worth three
and hall miles Of haulage Of ton Of freight.
The man who was responsible for working out these
details Of Of ordinary tres in railroad language
was something Of an economist He had the idea that
waste in trfcs had something do with the high cost
Of railroad operation. The monthly requsition for sup
plies Of trfng nature reached the huge Of twenty
i've thousand dollars three hundred thousand dollars
year and he forthwith decided TO cut down the cost
After figuring the freight haulage Of the different
items, he Offered rewards ranging from one hundred
dollars % ten dollars every station agent who showed
the greatest annual saving Of general station supplies
tie paid out five hundred dollars in prizes and cut the
acquisitions down twenty-five thousand dollars the first
year The second year the acquisitions for lead pencils,
orooms lamp chmneys lanterns, coal shOvcs, waste,
and pals decreased 50 generally that the suspicion
aroused that many Of the agents were buying their own
supplies IN order 70 get in on some OF the prze awards
AT one time railroad economy generally meant laying
Oh few men, cutting wages OF Others and posponlng
the purchase Of much needed new equipment and rolling
stock. In the end this sort Of economy resulted in
more inefficient service grumblng, and strikes, and
deterioration Of tracks roadbed and general equipment
Sooner later the railroad had 70 pay for policy that
was about as economical killing the old goose that
laid the golden eggs.
THE return to the save the pins and string policy
IS said 20 have originated in this way:
The head Of the supply department Of one Of the big
trunk divisions that goes out Of Chicago asked his wife
now long broom lasted in the house.
From four 20 six months she replied.
Exactly Then wen begin with brooms'
Forthwith he put into effect the slogan Of save the
bTooms.' This in time developed into the save u
nickel or dime a day for the company" policy that
Is now IN effect most big roads.
ne Pennsylvania began experimenting, and general
notice was sent to all its employees reading like this