Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-10-01
TRANSIT COMP N|ES
AIDING EMPLOYEES
Systems in Greater New York
Establish Cost Stores, Clubs
and Pensions for Men.


and Pensions for Men.
NEW YORK, Oct. New York's
transit companies hold a worlds rec
ord for work done to benefit their
employees.
Cooperative stores to cut the cost
of living, cost stores where the cost
of living becomes a living skeleton,
clubhouses, pensions, employees bene-
fit associations, medical inspection.
automatic raises in pay, Christmas
gifts, restaurants-these are the prin-
cipal lines along which the work is
now carried on.
The Interborough Rapid Transit
Company, the New York Railways
Company and the Brooklyn Rapid
Transit are the three big corporations
that have developed this work to a
point unequaled elsewhere.
The marlborough operates New
Yorks subway and elevated lines.
The New York Railways Company,
linked to the marlborough, runs the
surface cars that the Interborough
doesn't operate through the Metro
politan Street Railways Company.
Theodore p. Shonts is president OF
the Interborough, etc. On the nlgnl
of January 20, last, he addressed b,0o0
employees at their sixteenth annual
entertainment and ball in the Harlem
Casino, Second avenue and One Hun
dred and Twenty-seventh street. The
employees were out for their annual
I. I,. I,of,. faT
lilies along Mr.. Shonts said
TN appreciation of services the
board of directors has authorized an
increase in the wages of conductors
and motormen. The increase, though
small to the individual, will add to
the pay roll approximately $150,OOO a
year.
"All we ask in return is your con-
tinued cooperation in our efforts to
give the public the most reliable, safe
and efficient service in the most
courteous manner possible"
Meant Increase for 1000.
Twice in his speech, rather formal,
but delivered with warmth of feeling,
he was stopped by applause. No
wonder; what he was announcing was
a 10 per cent. increase in wages for
$500 to 1000 men. And he went on
to tell of the New York Railways
Company's intention to establish +he
first of several food-at-cost store' FOR
employees-a matter affecting 900
persons,
"As soon as the stores get gong"
said Frank Hedley general manager
for the company, we're going to get
out a price list and circulate it among
the employees, and then If they can't
get to the store they can send up for
a list of stuff they want and when
they get to the barns they'll find it
there and they can take it home.
1.-THE stores are going to be run on
a self-supporting basis and we eX-
pect to come out even. If dollar
is made somewhere we will cut the
price of another article to even up.
The company's idea is to make the
working conditions of the men and
their pay as satisfactory as possible
What came of it? The first store
was opened March 10, six weeks after
ward. at 816 and 81S Eighth avenue,
and was such big success that an
other store was opened May 1, at
Ninety ninth street and Lexington
avenue. There'll probably be other
stores later, 1T was said yesterday. i
The transit company pays the rent
and all those expenses that the ordi-
nary merchant lists as overhead
charges 1t buys its food wholesale
and retails it at a very slight advance.
Prices for nearly every kind of food
are three to ten cents lower, pound or
quart. then elsewhere in the city at
retail. But the patronage is firmly re-
stricted to the company's employees.
1t has been estimated that these
stores save the motorman's wife $500
or more a year in groceries, and for
a family the head of which earns
5000 or $1,000 a year that's lot OF
money.
The Brooklyn Rapid Transit hasn't
gone in for food at cost stores, out
it has done much in other ways to
aid it's employees and their families:
1t has pension system that VIII
serve as an excellent example Tor
the pension arrangements of the
other companies. by II employees
who have been in service twenty-five
years are retired. Those who reach
the age of seventy are also retired
automatically. Where man is in
capacitated for work at siXty-five
the pension system comes to his aid.
Gives $22,75O in Pensions.
The B. r. T. established pensions
three wears ago with a beginning roll
of twenty-one men. Since January
/, 1910. 100 employees have been pen
stoned. and the roll for last June
shows seventy benehting by the COM
panys provision for their old age.
The rate of the pension varies from
SIS to $4,000 a month and the average
of the seventy pensioners now on the
roll is $27.10 a month 1t means an
annual expense to the company of
500, $50 a year.
But the Brooklyn corporation isn't
satisfied merely to pay out money in
aid of it's veterans. 1t has what it
calls a welfare administrator and a
welfare account. Through this fund
it contributes to the social activities
of its workers. It's welfare admins
traitor George w. Edwards, is also
president of the Employees Benefit
Association and part of his official
duties is TO see that the retired en-
ployees have comfortable homes and
do not fall into the hands of sharpers,
or, in case they are physically in
capacitated, do not suffer for lack
of personal care. The company also
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