would be increased and operating expenses diminished, personal injury claims be reduced to a minimum, secret service agents no longer necessary, the occupation of the labor agitator gone, the kicker silenced, and that peace of mind of which the general manager now only dreams will become a reality.

Respectfully submitted,

W. F. KELLY.

The President: Gentlemen, you have heard the paper just read; what action will you take upon it?

Mr. Bean, St. Joseph: I move that the paper just read be received and spread upon the minutes, and the thanks of the Association returned to the writer. Carried.

Mr. Robert McCulloch, St. Louis: I think we have made a mistake in having this paper read in executive session. The newspaper representatives and the public generally ought to have been invited to hear it, because there is nothing in it that could be criticised, and there is much in it that we are accused of not attempting to carry out. I certainly agree with all that has been said in this paper.

Mr. Hippee, Des Moines: I move that the paper be published and furnished to the press of the city.

The President: The author of the paper has no objection to its being published. The idea of having it read in executive session was that it was expected it would be discussed, and some of the gentlemen present might not talk as freely with the reporters present as they would if no newspaper reporters were here. Mr. Kelly agreed with the Executive Committee that he would write the paper, provided it was read and discussed in executive session.

Mr. Hippec's motion was then put and carried.

The President: Has any gentleman present any remarks to make regarding the paper of Mr. Kelly?

Mr. Bean: Mr. President, I did not hear all of the paper, but I do not think there has been a subject brought before. this Association which is more important; and I for one would like to hear some of the gentlemen present from the large roads which employ a large number of men thoroughly discuss the paper. I think it is in the right direction-it is in the direction of progress. It is a step worthy to keep pace with the progress of electricity. Eleven years ago

when we were in this city, there was a violent strike on hand. I was in a car with some others, and we were thrown around in the car by the inexperienced driver not knowing how to drive the horses and handle the brake. There has been such a marked progress in the past in our business, and such a marked progress in the papers presented at this meeting, as compared with the papers read at that time, that I would like to hear it thoroughly discussed.

Mr. Harry Scullin, St. Louis: I would say that in connection with that part of the paper which relates to the furnishing of reading rooms, lavatories, and sort of reception rooms for the men, our road took the step about a year ago, when we were building a new shed. Some of the men suggested it, and I thought it was a good idea. We formerly had no waiting room for the men, except a little cubbyhole, where the men were crowded in in the morning, and the result was that, instead of their remaining at the depot they would hang around saloons. We put in a nice waiting room for them, with a library containing a few standard works, and subscribed for some of the magazines. We also put in a gymnasium for them, not an expensive one, but provided with a punching bag, lifting machines, etc. In this way we can always find the men; when we want an extra man, he is on hand, as there are always a number of them reading or exercising in the waiting room. We also provided a bath room with a shower bath, and in every shed we are putting in these rooms. It is a splendid move, and the men appreciate it; but, as Mr. Kelly says, it is not an act of charity—it is a duty we owe our men. The street railway men will never regret having taken this matter up.

In relation to taking a man off, and making him lose a great deal of time, while I am a rather young man, at the same time I have given considerable thought to this subject. I find that if you take a man off, and let him lose two or four or six days, or whatever the case may be the man is not a millionaire, is not making a great deal of money and has a family to support, and the chances are that he can just make both ends meet. If you take the man off you take part of his livelihood away from him, and he is going to get

it back if he can. A better practice is to reprimand a man, and not take him off; reprimand him once or twice-show him that you mean what you say and the second or third time let him go, if he does not believe you or takes no notice of what you say to him, but do not keep his wages away from him whether he is a conductor or motorman; if you do, they will try to make it up.

Mr. Robert McCulloch: We have three or four different gathering places for our men, and have three rooms, one at each of our different stations, which we have equipped very nicely for the comfort and convenience of the men; one of them, in particular, being eighty feet square. It is heated by steam and lighted by electricity. They have built a stage, and have organized amongst themselves, among other things, a sort of Thespian corps, and they give remarkably good performances of a theatrical character with talent taken from their own ranks. They have a piano and a dancing master who comes there, and they have dancing classes, and bring their wives and daughters to them. Our hall is much in demand for the giving of entertainments by church organizations in the neighborhood. We give it to them free. The hall has done a great deal of good in keeping the men out of the saloons, and it furnishes them a place where they may have any kind of gatherings they desire. We exercise a control over their organization by having some of our officials as members of it, and prohibit any discussions relating to the affairs of the company or the relations of the men to the company. They may debate any questions they choose of a general nature. We allow no liquor to be sold or served there in connection with their entertainments, or with those given by others. We have kept the character of the place respectable. It has been running now for about six years, and it has done a great deal of good. A great many of our men do not appreciate these things, but we do not feel that we have wasted any money.

Mr. Mahoney, St. Louis: I would like to get the views. of some of the gentlemen present as to the custom of charging the employes with trivial accidents, breaking of wagons,

etc., whether they are to blame in the matter or not. I would like to hear an expression of opinion as to whether it is good policy to charge the employes with trivial accidents. With our company we have not been doing it. If you charge a man with the breaking of a vehicle, and you have not money in the office to meet these demands, he may be on the eve of quitting and may do much mischief.

The President: Can any of the gentlemen present give any information on the subject of charging for these slight accidents?

Mr. H. H. Littell: I do not think that the systems can be governed alike in any two cities. The question of making a motorman pay for damages to a vehicle, etc., is probably a very serious one. On our system in Buffalo we sometimes make them pay a portion of the cost when we are convinced that it was the carelessness of the motorman which caused the accident; but in a great many cases, if after investigation we find he is not to blame, we pass it over. I find if they are careless and break a vehicle or injure a car, and you charge them with it, an accident is not so liable to occur again; but if a man continues to have accidents of that nature, it is a good thing to dispense with him before something serious happens. When we discharge a motorman for breaking a wagon, or causing an injury, we do not deduct anything from his pay.

In regard to rooms, I think that all well-regulated street railway companies should have closets for their motormen and conductors, some place where they can hang their rubber coats and put in their overshoes and heavy gloveswhere they can change their clothing, if they desire. These closets or wardrobes should be thoroughly ventilated. We have ours with a wire screen in front. Then there is an opening between them, partitions made of slats one by four inches, leaving an inch space between the slats of each little wardrobe. It enables the air to circulate through them, and if anything is damp or moist, it will dry out. I think it is positively necessary to have a good place where the men can congregate and read, play a game of cards, (so long as they do not play for money), smoke, and have chess and

checkers, and any amusement which will keep them at the proper reporting place. We have nine such places. We have lavatories at all of our buildings and all the necessary conveniences.

Mr. Musser, Harrisburg: I ask Captain McCulloch if his company pass their employes to and from these places of amusement free at all times. Suppose a man wants to go there and spend a couple of hours in the evening, do you pass him free?

Mr. Robert McCulloch: Our employes ride free on their badges. We require an employe to wear his badge if he wishes to ride free. He rides free on any of the roads which we have, whatever may be his business, whether he may be in uniform or not, if he wears his badge.

Mr. Bendure, Atchison: I find it a good plan to retain some of the wages of the employes to cover these minor accidents. Before I did that there was trouble all the time with the men getting too near wagons and buggies. I made it a rule to retain fifteen dollars from each motorman, and ten dollars from each conductor, to cover damages to the property of the public or the railway company, if they are to blame. I have had the rule in practice now for ten months, and I have not had to deduct a dollar for these damages. They have almost entirely ceased.

Mr. Bean: Toledo is noted in the law books of Ohio as having more street railway law published than any other city in the State, and I would like to hear from Mr. Lang.

Mr. Lang, Toledo: I am always an eager listener to what others have to say, but I do not know that I can add much to what has already been said with respect to the government of employes. I will say, however, that we make it a practice to require the men to meet the expenses of accidents occasioned by their gross carelessness; if there is any doubt in the matter, we decide it in favor of the employes. I think if this system is carried out with discrimination the results will be very good. With respect to the furnishing of reading rooms and conveniences for the men, we do it as far as we possibly can. It is our intention to enlarge upon this plan, and it is very interesting to know from those