Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-03-11
IETTERSI0THE:ED


To the Editor of The Telegraph:
Sir: I'm reply to the letter in the
Telegraph March s. signed j. L. s.
who states he would like TO know what
n Shopman knows of the duties re-
quired of trainman while on duty.
some shopmen have been employed
IN u train service; perhaps this man
mas had some train service experience.
would like to know what kind of ser
vice the writer of the article performs !?
This he did not state but explains the
ne VIII listen | will tell him why the
full crew law should be repealed
First, IL is service that Is paid for,
and not rendered. employment without
real service going with it. When this
law was passed the trainmen were the
authors of the bill, and their plea was
dents.
This law has never saved a single
HE, or a dollars worth of property.
Now then, has not the public been de
celVed? The public can judge for itself
whether or not 1t might have been
hoodwinked when this bill became a
law.
Express Trains
"The railroads have hundreds of
trains of ten or twelve express cars
running over their lines, that never
make a stop. y passenger coach is at
tached to the rear end of these trains
for the comfort of the trainmen. Should
there be a baggage car attached to
these trains it would require four men
on the train, two on the locomotive:
making six men on duty. Three of
these men ride in the rear passenger
coach. one in the baggage car, two on
the locomotive. Who is working after
the train leaves the yard or terminal?
| would say the engineer and fireman
do all the labor on this kind of n
train while on the road. What does
the extra man do on this kind of a
train? 1t might be answered, look
wise, or out for a joy ride. He is posi-
lively paid for no service rendered.
Mr.. Merchant. would you employ an
rendered? | think not The men on
the locomotive are constantly on the
lookout for danger; they must see all
signals, and are educated to Safety
First at all times-their mind is con-
stantly on their work.
Mr.. j.. e. S. let me ask you a ques-
ton: Where has a general in battle
rear or on the firing line? From what
can learn, he has his good. brave men
in front. where the work is done. He
gives his orders from the rear. Does
not the railroad trains have their brave
men in front? The conductor acts as
general, has charge of the train, gives
He is responsible for the safety of his
train; all courtesy and respect is due
him while on duty
Had Long Experience
For your informa ton, I have had
forty-one years active train service, am
still in train service. was in the
freight train service as brakeman Tor
trainman) when all trains were stopped
with hand brakes. and the brakem en-
We're compelled to ride out on the
trains all kinds of weather. The Con
made you stay at your post.
Say, Ii the Con of to-day would
make you ride out at your post, he
would be the meanest man in the
United States, in your mind.
When ] was a brakeman everybody
loved the Con- He was jolly fellow.
but YOU had to get on the io1 We
had no kickers or knockers on the
train. Everybody worked. Mr.. J. Il.
S. never get in an argument unless
you are sure of winning your case. If
space would permit, I would give you
some more real experience i'm train SER
wee: Repeal the full crew law, let the
Public Service Commission see that all
trains are properly manned. The
State OF Missouri voted on the full crew
law last year, and out of 116 counties
lO2 were in favor of repeating the law
Come again."
LUCKNOW.