locomotive weighs 330 tons, seats 168 passengers and uses, at full speed, 1400 horse-power, an electric train of a motor car and four trailers weighs 260 tons, seats 180 passengers and uses 1000 horse-power. Each train and engine costs for initial construction about $100,000. The Berlin engineer who figured out the comparative cost, Dr. Reichel, used as a unit the cost of carrying one seat one kilometer, and deduces the fact that the operating cost of the steam trains is .125 cent per seat kilometer, while the electric train cost is .115 cent per seat kilometer. In other words, 100 passengers can be carried practically five eighths of a mile one cent cheaper by electricity than by steam. The difference in operating cost is perhaps less than might be expected, yet when many millions of people are carried long distances the margin becomes considerable and is sufficient to warrant great advances by the steam roads toward electrical equipment.-Boston Transcript. THE WORLD IS NOT ALL BAD AFTER ALL. BY REV. THOMAS B. GREGORY. It was a gray, grizzly day. Under the thick Scotch mist the great city seemed listless and indifferent. Its pulse beat sluggishly, its blood seemed half frozen in its veins. She At a prominent corner an old apple woman was calling her wares. looked like Meg Merrilies-gaunt, seedy, forlorn, her form bent under the weight of years, her wrinkled old face knit, as it were, with the resolution of despair. As the wretched old woman turned to exchange an apple for a penny a cab bore down upon her stand, overturned it, and sent the apples and other fruit rolling helter-skelter over the street. The old woman was frantic, not with anger, but with grief. The loss was more than she could stand. Her very living was in jeopardy. The groan that went out from her old, wrinkled throat came from the heart. She was in despair. And then was witnessed a scene of genuine human sympathy and compassion. Hackmen, newsboys, business men, and even well dressed women, applied themselves to the task of helping the poor old woman out of her trouble. While the men and boys were gathering up the scattered fruit, fair women gathered about the old woman to assure her that all would be well, and that there was no occasion for her to grieve. Not an apple did the old woman lose, and in a very few minutes she was as well off as she had been before the accident. It was a very commonplace affair, of course; but it burned into my soul the blessed truth that, after all, the world is not as bad as it might be. Down underneath our selfishness and greed, down underneath our mighty hankering after the almighty dollar, down under the mad rush for worldly gain, there is the old eternal humanity, the compassion, the pity, the sympathy which is sure to manifest itself when the occasion really calls for it. Human necessity never fails to find the succor that it calls for. Always and everywhere the helping hand is reached out to the troubled one, and in the hour of human need selfishness and greed are forgotten. There is within us a chivalry that nothing can destroy; and when once our better nature is fairly appealed to we may be counted on to act the noble part. After all, selfishness and cruelty are only superficial. Down at the bottom human nature is sympathetic and kind, and when the emergency calls for it the nobility breaks through the superficial meanness and asserts itself in a glori ous way. It is well to bear this fact in mind in the midst of an age where so much is said about the universal and ineradicable meanness and worthlessness of human nature. It is a foul libel. Human nature is at heart generous, compassionate, godlike, and it is only in its weaker, poorer moments that it seems to be insensible or indifferent to the bugle call of heroic self-sacrifice. It is a long call indeed from the compassion which took pity on the old apple woman to the sublime self-forgetfulness ม which leads one willingly to die for his fellow men; but the animating principle in every courteous, chivalric, heroic deed is the same, and of such deeds history is full. Since man has lived on this planet he has always been ready to listen to the cry of suffering, to reach out his hand to the hard-pressed, to throw himself into the breach against wrong, to joyfully die for the cause that is fair. And as it has been so will it continue to be. The heart is full of kindness, the world is full of goodness, and for the pessimist's wail or the cynic's slur there is no excuse. THE MAKING OF RAILWAY MEN. Novel ideas as to the duty of a railroad company to educate its employes are contained in an address before the Pacific Coast Railroad Club by S. D. Webster, claim agent of the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis. "It is not difficult to recall when the the young man who aspired to the footboard, was, after much solicitation on his part, allowed a probation at shoveling coal on a switch engine. If he held out, he was worked in on the line; was allowed to gather what information he could by helping when there was a break-down on the road; by observing the places about the machine, on or into which the driver put tallow or engine oil; was permitted to put coal on his fire with the same disregard of scientific principles as had been permitted in the like schooling of the man he followed, and in course of time was promoted to an engineman's seat for himself. In all of his novitiate no one took the trouble or the care, to explain the why or wherefore of anything whatever. He simply learned in a routine way to imitate what he saw done. Some master mechanics held, and possibly some still hold, that the less he knew about the machine the better engineer he would be. That he might make a better servant for the company if he could have a better under standing of principles, or that it was desirable that he should have such an understanding, apparently never dawned upon any mind; certainly had no fruition of action." The same obstacles to proper training, said Mr. Webster, are found in every department of railroad work. Men who have reached the top by this method of chance education are not available for any other roads; they are held onto. "The young men growing up, entering the service, getting what instruction and information they can with practice in their daily experiences, would be the better for instruction from what has been already published. Does it not seem that it would be well, that it would be profitable, for every road to procure and have for distribution, catalogues of publications bearing on theories and practice in the branches of the profession? The word 'profession' is used advisedly. Does it not seem desirable that every company prepare or obtain, if possible, papers which cover fully every branch of its service employing large numbers, from which could be learned by each of them not only what is expected of him, but why one method of doing is to be preferred to another? "In practice, now, we base selections on inherent ability, energy, on ambition, A GENERAL OUTLINE Of the Work of the Railroad Young Men's Christian Association Christian work among railroad men has been carried on for years to a greater or less extent, and the inaugurating of this work by the Young Men's Christian Association in 1878 was the beginning of a new era in this connection, and in the past five or ten years, the work has spread with great rapidity. Railroad men as a class are perhaps as susceptible to the influences of their sources as any other set of men, and are, perhaps, away from home far more than any other group of employes. Many of the men in the operating department are off duty for hours at a terminal or division point, where there are no attractions except of the lowest order. The Railroad Department endeavors to provide a suitable place for resort, and a description of a typical railroad building will possibly be of interest. The buildings are erected in or near the terminal or yards, very close to the place where the men are relieved from duty. These buildings generally contain bath and wash rooms, bowling alleys, social and game rooms, in many cases a library, and on the upper floors of the building, restaurants and dormitories, where the men can secure good food at a nominal cost, and a place to sleep when at that end of the run. The erection of these buildings in some of the most desolate places in the country has been of great value to the railroad men and the companies themselves; thus providing a club house under christian influence, where the men can go from the train and enjoy the fellowship together during the time that they may be at this terminal. The buildings are open day and night, and a man coming off from his engine or train can at once go to the railroad building and get whatever refreshment he may need, or may take advantage of the quiet of the library and reading room, or a good bath followed by a few hours sleep in one of the dormitories. The effect of this is apparent when the employe reports for duty on his return run. In addition to caring for the physi cal welfare, the association also stimulates the life of railroad men socially, intellectually and spiritually. In many of the associations stated monthly socials are held, at which time the members and their families are accorded free transportation from their homes to the buildings for the evening. There are also conducted informal clubs and socials at various times. In many of the associations educational classes are conducted, such as mechanical drawing, shorthand; tele graphy and other studies that will be of benefit to railroad men. Sometimes for convenience, these classes are held at midnight in order to accommodate men who would otherwise be unable to avail themselves of the privileges. The total number of men in educational class work during the year was 1,851. An exceedingly interesting fact is that there. were 2,883 men in bible classes during the past year, and the religious meetings in the various branches were largely attended. Over a thousand men have joined churches during the past year as a result of this work. The growth of the Railroad Young Men's Christian Association Movement, the enlargement of present and erection of new buildings during the year just closing, has been greater than in any single year of its history. Seventeen well equipped buildings especially designed for the use of railroad men have been erected and occupied, at a total cost of $325,250. One costing $30,000 is devoted strictly to the use of street railway men, erected by the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company at one of the important points on their lines in that city. The fact that this number of buildings has been secured is an indication of the satisfactory, substantial and permanent growth of the organization, and of the favor of railroad officials and corporations; the leading systems now recognizing the fact that the association can equip and manage these buildings and run them far more satisfactorily than the companies themselves. In a number of instances where the railroads had club houses, they have been unsuccessful and have been turned over to the Railroad Department to be run on the same basis as the other associations. Almost all of the railroad systems in the United States and Canada are now definitely connected with this movement and contributing not only for the erection of new buildings, but to the current expenses of the local associations on their lines. It is also a significant fact that the railroad men themselves have contributed a larger percentage of the cost of the buildings and their maintenance than in any other year. The buildings erected are located in thirteen states and provinces of North America. Fifteen railroad systems have contributed towards the cost. At ten of the seventeen points, new associations have been organized, thus beginning the work for the men in well equipped and up-to date buildings. The progress is perhaps indicated most strongly by the fact that 12,176 new men have joined during the year, making a total of 62,348 men who are now identified as members. now Two hundred associations are fully organized and equipped at the various terminals, an increase of twenty during the year. By special gifts through the Women's Auxiliary of the International Committee, seven new libraries, containing over 13,000 volumes, have been installed during the present year. There are now in the railroad associations thirty-two libraries given through the Auxiliary and its friends, containing 44,574 volumes. Perhaps the most striking feature of the year's work was the Eleventh International Conference of the Railroad Young Men's Christian Associations, held at Topeka, Kansas, April 30-May 3 inclusive. This gathering was addressed by President Roosevelt and leading railroad officials, as well as by speakers of national reputation from various parts of the country. In connection with this gathering, on the afternoon of May 1st, President Roosevelt laid the cornerstone of the new Railroad Men's Building in Topeka. The outlook for 1904 includes prospective buildings at two points in Ontario, one in Alabama, two in Arkansas, two in Indian Territory, one in Kansas, one in Maine, two in Massachusetts, two in Michigan, one in Missouri, one in New York, two in Utah, one in West Virginia. The growth of the Young Men's Christian Association is due not only to the fact that it has the hearty support and co-operation of the railroad corporations "Be always a generous giver and God will bless you.” Who can object to that advice or any similar one? From time immemorial that has been one of the highest conceptions that the best fathers and mothers have tried to inoculate in the brains of their children, one of the supreme ideals of humanity at large, taught to be so by the best groups of men in the best generations. Generosity, in the shape of money or acts of kindness, from a set of people to another, between man and man, friends or strangers; that has been one of the universal traits of all races and all classes from the beginning of human history. It is so beautiful, so self-satisfying to be able to give to others or do for others more than they can for us. The exceptions to that rule don't count for much. And yet, what have we accomplished through 6,000 years of perpetual generosity towards each other, some of us forever giving to the rest far more than they could give us? Are we sure that generosity breeds unselfishness? If so, why is it that selfishness remains yet the great force back of all human conduct in so far as it relates to all common good will? "It is only to a few people that this world seems to be the best of all possible worlds, but it can not be remedied." -"It is said that no man can live without hope, but how many of us manage to hang on with a starvation allowance of it!" There we have two of our modern conceptions, as quotations from a very thoughtful writer, conceptions which correspond to the actual developments of our modern existence. It looks then as if we were yet enveloped in dense clouds of intellectual confusion, unable or unwilling to properly deal with each other. Why should this magnificent planet of ours be the best of all possible worlds only to the few, and hence, by natural implication, the worst possible world to the many? We have a good number of reasons, and even proofs to feel that this planet is the most magnificently constructed one in space infinite for the complete happiness of its inhabitants, as soon as they desire to be sensible towards each other. Besides, why should any divine creation fail to be exactly right in relation to its functions for universal order and beauty everywhere? What a poor conception of God most men have yet when assuming that any fragment of creation may happen to be defective enough to evolve misery and poverty, sin and discords! That most of us should have to go through fifty or more years of existence on a starvation allowance of hope! That had never occurred to the writer. and yet, the expression unfortunately corresponds with the dismal development of millions upon millions all over the earth. How can it be otherwise when for the vast multitudes life is a mere routinary affair, a perpetual anxiety for the tomorrow, never knowing what that dreadful tomorrow may bring in the shape of additional trouble from poverty, disease, absence of work, disagreements among those we love, or should love, misfortunes to friends or relatives, death itself, death when we least expect it, when it had no right to come, so to speak, when it would not come, if human affairs were not yet a mass of incongruities dreadful to behold! And all that happens very often to the very few |