New-York tribune., 1916-07-08
Canton Agent Tells Arbi-
ters 1t Made Him Buy
New Suits.
FEW VACATIONS FOR
RAILROAD WORKERS
One Describes Woes of Gasos
lene Motor Which Preys on
His Mind Day and Night.

Signal men, tower men and station
men from the byways Of the railroads
unburdened themselves yesterday az
the arbitration hearing on the demands
Of The telegraphers Of the New York
Central and Nickel Plate lines.
The details which, coming with mo-
notonous persistency for 365 days in
the year. rack the nerves Of the man
who sells tickets, checks trunks, sig
mails trains, dispatches and receives
telegraph orders and acts as guide,
philosopher and friend Of the travel
ling public, were exposed TO inadequate
but feeling words.
For instance, there was the steam
pump at Canton, y. Y. That :. mp
hosts the water which, converted into
steam. carries thousands Of careless
vacationists on their way. II is pos
sessed of a demon, according to W. D.
McMullin, station agent one OF whose
duties it has been for twelve years 70
groom and soothe the creature, that
the pleasure seekers may not be un-
duly delayed a. Canton.
Had to Buy Two Suits
In all his twelve years McMullin
never was able 70 find manner OF APP
proach which suited the pump. How
ever tactfully he approached 1t, tho
brute spat grease and grime-streaked
water upon him Two suits year
that pump cost him, McMullin told the
arbitrators, Tor Canton IS a consider
able town. and suitable clothes are re-
ouired for McMullin's various other
duties.
Ii would seem that the same dispo-
, siton is common 10 all pumps, for w.
r. Stover. another station agent, has
a gasolene monster which preys upon
his mind sleeping or waking. Stover
only works twelve hours a day, and,
besides his exacting pet, which re-
ouires az least fifteen visits a day. he
told the arbitrators. he sells tickets,
attends TO the mail sacks, cleans the
station, handles freight and baggage,
attends 20 all telegraph messages and
makes 25O reports TO the company each
month.
Some Of these things may have been
in the back OF j. T. FarrelPs mind
when he was asked how 1t happened
that all signalmen were young, but
Farrell does not speak all that is in
his mind.
They play out before they get Old"
he answered simply.
He was apparently astonished A. g
question asked him by Assistant Cen
eral Manager Evans, Of the New York
Central.
as it not a fact" asked Mr.. Evans.
"that il a tower man goes 20 sleep in
his tower in a great majority Of cases
nothing would happen except some de-
lay?' He was unable 10 answer.
Many Get No Vacations.
II. 3. Morey, chairman of the COM
mittce which treated with the rail-
roads. said that Of the 1,950 men con-
trolled by his committee, about 30
per cent, working more than nine
hours a day. got one weeks vacation a
year. The rest, working eight or nine
hours a day, plodded along 365 days.
T. ?. Fraleieh, a tower man for
twenty-five years. said il was the ex-
ira days pay which made men work
on Sundays. II. y. Murty, a tower di-
rector, declared that the old days Of
hand switches were far easier on the
men.
The hearing was held at the Hotel
Manhattan. II. K. Daugherty is the
neutral arbitrator, ". J. Fripp repre-
sents the railroads and +. j. Manion,
the employees.