PLAN No. 966. THE STATION AGENT
In no one other position probably are working conditions so varied as in that of the station agent. He may be located at a small village on a branch line where he meets perhaps two trains a day and performs all the work around the office from telegraphing to caring for the United States mail. Or he may be located in a large city, where his work is that of supervising a small army of employees. But whether he is in the smallest position or in the largest, he must understand the railroad’s business as it relates to his work. He must understand rates, both passenger and freight; must know how to keep records and accounts correctly; how to make out freight bills and coupon tickets, even although he himself may not have to do this work; and he must know how to handle men. It is through him that the public comes most closely in contact with the railroad, and he can make or lose traffic for the railroad by the manner in which he meets customers or would-be customers. Courtesy in station agents is being prized more and more by railroad administrators. A popular agent is an asset, an uncivil one, a liability. The agent at a small station can obtain much business for the company through a knowledge of through rates and routes, although he must allow the shipper to choose the route. All station agents must be experienced operators on lines where the telephone is not used. They must be thoroughly familiar with railroad signals and with traffic rules and regulations. Even in a small place, the agent comes more in contact with the outside world than most of the other inhabitants of the village. His position is one of financial responsibility, since he handles large sums of money. Upon him devolves largely responsibility also for the safety of travelers and freight, since he plays a part in the directing of trains. He can save the railroad from losses in claims for lost and damaged goods, by seeing that names and addresses are marked clearly on packages, that goods are packed properly for shipment, and that packages are handled carefully.
PLAN No. 967. STATION CLERKS, BAGGAGEMEN, AND OTHER WORKERS
At the larger stations, the work of the station agent is that of supervising a large number of clerks, baggagemen, and other workers.
Among these clerks are ticket sellers whose duties are to calculate rates and fill out coupon tickets with correct routings, and to sell local and excursion tickets. They must be very careful to make correct charge for the tickets sold. They make out detailed reports of the tickets sold and money received.
The head baggageman and his assistants receive and forward all baggage left with them, determine if there is any excess and collect the charges for excess. They issue duplicate checks for baggage left with them when the passenger presents his ticket and asks for the checks. They also give out baggage arriving at the station on presentation of the duplicate check issued at another office. The head baggageman must be able to handle men and direct them so as to avoid making mistakes, but he must usually be physically able himself to handle baggage.
In the freight department are rate clerks, who give information as to rates and classifications; billing clerks, who bill freight, enter weights, etc.; and other clerks, who attend to accounts, records, correspondence, and claims.
Disabled soldiers or sailors with good common-school education could, after short periods of training, fill any of these positions. Salaries average slightly less than $1,000 per year. For ticket sellers comparatively few disabilities are serious handicaps, except such as may be repellant to the traveling public, which does not usually like to be reminded of accidents. Freight clerks have not even this condition to meet, and if they are not called upon to handle freight they will not be seriously handicapped by physical disabilities which would bar them from many occupations.
At important freight centers a considerable number of employees are directly engaged in handling freight, under the supervision of a freight-house foreman. This foreman has charge of the freight house, directs the placing of cars at the warehouse and the loading and unloading of freight, and is responsible for keeping records so that freight may be readily found. He must be able to handle men, and must know how freight should be packed and stored, both in the freight house and in the cars. He must be able to classify freight and to file properly all records relating to freight. He has usually been promoted from a position as checker, warehouseman, or trucker. Any disabled man who has held such jobs, if he is intelligent and can handle men, could with some training become a freight-house foreman. Poor sight or hearing would, however, usually be serious handicaps.
The freight checker has a position that pays better than that of the trucker—who is rated as an unskilled laborer. The freight checker checks the freight into and out of the freight house, warehouse, or car. He must be able to check consignments accurately, and should know the classes of freight.