Mount Vernon signal. (Mt. Vernon, Ky.) 18??-current, 1914-01-30
The life of a railroad man

pubic. Is not a pleasant one; n
must brook the i'll temper AM
often insults of all classes O
people. He comes 10 contact witt
those who are called from thei
warm beds at unearthly hour
to catch early trains, and who's,
tempers are as a matter of cOurs,
not of the sweetest, he mus
meet the dyspeptic AMI the
professional crouch, and with al
he must keep his own temper
wholly unruffled and wear per
petual smile. although oftimes h,
would like to come around in from
and punch perpectability and pc
likeness into his tormeuters.
In the selection of people to oc
cupy such position. competency
is not the only requirement, par
ticular stress is paced upon the
fact that they must exercise for
bearance. even under the mos
trying circumstances. In other
words they are paid to be polite
and politeness to the fullest meas
ure is absolutely exacted of them
by their employers. The Louis
vile & Nashville Railroad Co is
distributingamong its employees a
little pamphlet by David Gibson
entitled Courtesy" and the advice
and instruction embodied in that
small pamphlet might prove of
inestimable value to people 10
other walks of life besides rail
road work.
We give below as much as possible
of the splendid advise as offered
in the little work.
Common courtesy is the bust
ness of every man who meets the
public, in any capacity, be it ever
so humble.
Courtesy becomes a part of his
trade, to be applied in the face of
resistance, the same as it is a past
of carpenters trade to apply a
jack-plane on cross grained wood
knots and even an occasional nail
head.
The man at the ticket window,
the local agent, the gatemau, the
conductor, the trainman, or any
man whose business it is to come
in individual contact with the
public, if he becomes skillful in
his work. must learn to restrain
himseli from often dong that
which is every mans natural in
stinct to do in meeting dlscourte
Gus impatient and unreasonable
people.
If he is unable to do this he is
unsuited by nature for bis Job.
In a railroad, for instance, the
man at the ticket window, the
local agent, the gatemau, the con
ductor, and the trainman are The
only point of contact between the
public and those who manage the
property for the thousands of |
stockholders who own it
Every man has ambition
enough.
Every man in every position
wants to mount higher. but mere
ly wanting does not get him
higher.
1t is his performance of the inn
mediate job that gets him higher
ANY man. in any position, who
can surpass himself and return
the good will of the Institution
that employs him for the i'll will
of that part of the public who will
display it, is surely making his
own prosperity; making of him.
self manager of men rather than
just man among men,-alL by
the working out of a very simple.
natural law
The pamphlet is apparently but
neatly worded bits of admouition
but in fact is dire ct institu tions, a
"book of rules from
which should any one of its en-
ployees dsvite. and that deviation
be reported to those "high up,
The erring employee will be strictly
disciplined even to the point of los
ng his position.
AS q result of these rigid in
'tructions. railroad employees, are
% Q usual thing polite and accom-