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Committee, but, under the circumstances, they could take no further initiative in the matter until instructions from the Executive Committee were received.

At the request of the president the chairman of the committee attended the mid-winter conference of the Association in New York City in order to be prepared to give the Executive Committee any desired information regarding the work of the committee. Mr. Danforth, of the committee, was also in attendance. Mr. Danforth and the chairman were requested to present a working plan to the Executive Committee, which they did. The plan was as follows:

That several, say five, member companies within easy reach of each other be requested to assist in some experimental work by the committee. The committee proposed to ask each of these companies to select five bright young men in their employ to form an A. S. I. R. A. correspondence class. These boys were to be furnished by the committee with question sheets and instructions along the lines already suggested. That is, the committee was to furnish questions based upon the surroundings of the young men who were to be educated in the terms of their environment. The committee proposed to engage the part-time service of a young man of the necessary experience to visit the classes now and then and become acquainted with actual conditions surrounding such a course. It was proposed that the Association bear the entire expense of this preliminary work, and for this purpose an appropriation of $500 was asked. The members of the committee could not devote the necessary amount of time and energy to do this work, hence the request for the above amount. As the complete scheme contemplates the eventual employment of an educational secretary, the proposed expense was considered by the Committee on Education to be reasonable and expedient. The Executive Committee took the suggestions under consideration, but did not deem it wise to make the appropriation at the time. The committee has, therefore, taken no further steps while awaiting the decision of the Executive Committee. We believe that a preliminary experiment on a small scale would be a conservative method of determining the details of the complete plan.

During the month of August the committee, through the secretary's office, sent out a circular letter to obtain information regarding recent progress. The text of the letter is as follows:

To the Presidents and General Managers of Member Companies.

GENTLEMEN: For some years your Committee on Education has been endeavoring to keep you informed regarding the practice of the members in training their employes. You have agreed that efficient organizations are built up only by giving the most careful attention to the human element in the system. Greater intelligence on the part of the workmen and better organizing and administrative talent in the offices are acknowledged to be most important needs at the present time.

Your committee has from time to time made suggestions based upon careful observation of existing and suggested practice in educational lines:

(1) The "cadet" or

"technical apprentice" system, used in industrial establishments, was brought up as being probably applicable to public service corporations.

(2) A correspondence course was outlined somewhat in line with that used by the American Gas Institute. A proposition for the establishment of the latter on a small, experimental scale is now in the hands of the Executive Committee and early action upon the plan is expected.

In the meantime your committee wishes to place before the convention a statement of progress in educational matters made during the year. Will you, therefore, kindly respond to this request for information for the benefit of your fellow members?

A large number of replies to this letter were received and much interest in the training of the employes was indicated. Naturally, in the absence of a concrete proposition from the committee, which could not be made under the circumstances, the replies were in most cases rather general, and merely serve to intimate to the committee that as soon as a working plan is put into operation it will meet with practical encouragement.

A few quotations are given by way of illustration:

"We would suggest that a detailed course and method of procedure be outlined and laid before the various member companies for their approval and use if they care to follow it."-C. Loomis Allen, Syracuse, N. Y.

"Not having tried anything new, we have no suggestions to make, but will be glad to have any suggestions found to be beneficial in your investigations. If in the near future we should adopt the cadet or correspondence system of training we would be glad to receive suggestions as to the proper method of establishing same and will communicate with you."- H. Morrison, Sioux City, Iowa.

"We take in apprentices in our shops and advance them from one department to another as they become capable to take better positions, but we have no particular system for training apprentices."-J. F. Vail, Pueblo, Colo.

"We try one or two young college men every year. Some of these have developed very well and now occupy responsible positions. Others have gone elsewhere to good positions." W. B. Tuttle, San Antonio, Texas.

"Have not gone into the matter enough to feel competent to make suggestions, but it would seem that any plan requiring a local organization among the employes would make it much harder for the smaller companies to put it into effect, and they would be less likely to receive its benefits than the larger companies, where the expense and difficulties would be proportionately less." J. F. Geiser, Mauch Chunk, Pa.

"As a suggestion for the committee it would seem that further development on the lines mentioned in plan 2-that is, a correspondence course for men desiring to follow street railway car operation-will get good results. This plan, while theoretically designed to be educational, has a further and perhaps more important bearing on the prospective employe, as it somewhat familiarizes him with the character of service he is to perform, and after acquiring this knowledge and he enters the service he is more apt to remain a permanent employe. Men entering the service without the slightest knowledge of what it is often become dissatisfied in its first stages and resign before their educational course is completed."-T. H. Tutwiler, Memphis, Tenn.

"The past year we have had weekly meetings for car-house men and apprentices. These meetings have been in charge of our equipment inspectors. A subject has been assigned for each meeting, which subject has been presented by someone who has prepared a paper. The average attendance has been sixty-one men. These meetings are in line with the two similar sets of meetings which are held monthly-one for the car-house foremen and one for the power station engineers. The results of the meetings have been very satisfactory in that they have not only given instruction to young employes, but they have increased their interest in their work."-C. S. Sergeant, Boston, Mass.

"I would suggest that in all training schools where motormen and conductors are learning how to render the best possible service to the company and the public that some one who is well posted in street railway work be assigned to give periodical lectures to all men, both old and new, and in these lectures to try and impress upon their minds to the full extent their responsibilities while handling the public. I believe that good results could be got from such lectures and that men could learn the fine points of their work in that way, which will be likely to prevent accidents and to make them generally more efficient."-J. B. Rannie, Vancouver, B. C.

"We have this year held meetings of old and new employes, which meetings have been addressed by the chief legal counsel of the company on subjects of accidents, covering methods of prevention of accidents, legal duties of conductors and motormen, and methods by which trainmen's reports and other information can be made more beneficial when accidents occur. Discussion of points and asking of questions by trainmen, which was one of the features of these addresses, were well received by the men. While we have no means of showing actual results, the trainmen seem much interested in meetings." -T. McK. Hays, Huntington, W. Va.

Mr. F. E. Cole, New Albany, Ind., describes some interesting meetings which have been held with both the men and the officials present. The company prints and distributes the papers presented at these meetings. He sends a reprint of one, a report on "Accidents, Causes and Prevention from the Crew's Standpoint." Such meetings as described have a distinct educational value.

The attitude of the members generally is that stated by Mr. D. H. Lovell, superintendent of the West Jersey & Seashore Railroad, Camden, N. J. He states: "We are always in favor of preparing young employes for future service."

The Denver City Tramway Company has prepared a number of examination questions for its motormen which other members may find suggestive. Such questions as these would be quite suitable for a correspondence course. A list of these questions follows:.

(1) When a two-motor car will not start on series points, how would you locate the trouble?

(2) When controller is, at "off" position and you turn on overhead, and controller flashes, what is wrong and what is the remedy?

(3) If controller grounds when you turn it to first point, what is the trouble and what should be done?

(4) If your car will take no current until you reach the first running point, what is the trouble?

(5) Where is the. "cut-out" switch placed for Nos. 1 and 3 motors in K-6 controller?

(6) Where is the "cut-out" switch placed for No. I motor in K-10 controller?

(7) If No. 1 motor is cut out in No. I controller, which switch cuts out the same motor in No. 2 controller?

(8) If car grounds, while feeding, how will you locate the trouble, and what should be done?

(9) Explain fully how you are enabled to stop a car without line current and without a brake?

(10) What is the minimum and maximum air pressure?

(11) Where is the emergency valve placed?

(12) What is the difference in the flow of air when making an emergency application or service application?

In conclusion, your committee would state that while little in the way of practical results has been accomplished this year, the committee feels that educational work may be of great value to the companies, large and small. The member companies are evidently endeavoring to apply the educational principle to their several needs. Undoubtedly they would welcome the unquestioned stimulus which a well-directed correspondence course would provide.

Respectfully submitted,

H. H. NORRIS, Chairman,
A. S. RICHEY,

D. C. JACKSON,

R. E. DANFORTH,

J. F. CALDERWOOD,
W. F. KELLY,

Committee on Education.

(Vice-President Harries now acting as presiding officer.) VICE-PRESIDENT HARRIES:--Gentlemen, we have heard the report. Is there any comment? A motion to adopt the report will be in order.

MR. HEGARTY :-I move the adoption of the report. (Motion seconded and carried.)

VICE-PRESIDENT HARRIES :-The next on the program is an address entitled, "Franchises," by Mr. Charles V. Weston, president of the South Side Elevated Railroad Company of Chicago, Ill.

MR. WESTON:- Mr. President and gentlemen, I appreciate highly the honor conferred upon me in your asking me to address you on the subject of street railroad franchises. It is a subject of great importance to all people, but especially to those of us who are engaged in the business of transporting people in and about the great centers of population in this country.

STREET RAILWAY FRANCHISES.

BY CHARLES V. WESTON, President,

SOUTH SIDE ELEVATED RAILROAD COMPANY, CHICAGO, ILL.

Urban and interurban railway companies have a right to exist equal with that of other corporations. Primarily that right is based on the charters conferred on them through general or special statutes. Above these are limitations which may be imposed by the constitutions of the states. In a general way, the charter regulates the internal government of the company.

There should be kept in mind a clear distinction between "charter" and "franchise." The charter grants the right to BE. The franchise permits the occupation of specific localities-usually streets or highways -and is issued in the way of an additional authorization by the local governments within whose jurisdiction the railway is to be operated, and provides certain rules under which the company must conduct its business.

The story of the conferring of public utility franchises makes one of the most interesting chapters in the recent history of American finance, politics and business development. Those pioneers of urban transportation who sought from legislative and councilmanic bodies the right to construct and operate lines, were hailed as public benefactors. The public conceded that here were men who were willing to risk their money in experimental efforts with, if the experiments succeeded, the people gaining quite as much in swifter and more comfortable traveling methods as did those who builded the system, in accrued fortunes. The service which those road builders rendered to the people at an exceedingly low cost soon came to be not only a convenience but a necessity of the first magnitude.

It was the happy period of the street car business-those early days. Compared with the present equipment, cost of rendering service and the total outlay per unit of income. the pioneer's way led through a garden of roses. Companies then became prosperous, outwardly, almost in a night. It appeared to be but the simple case of keeping the rolling stock moving and gathering in the nickels.

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