William T. Noonan, President of the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railway His Remarkable Rise From Office Boy to Chief Executive of a Railroad That Is a Model of Excellence—A Friend to His Employes and Fair and Courteous to the Road's Patrons. [Keprln»ed from the Jnternatioriaf Digest.] Patrons of the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railway are frequently heard to remark concerning the gen eral excellence of everything which comes within tiieir notice. Some, who were familiar with the road ten of a dozen years ago. say that it seems to have undergone a complete rejuvena tion. Whereupon, some one more inti mately in touch with the property will reply "and the transformation began when William T. Noonan came to the Company." Prom comparative obs< urity, the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Kail way has come to be looked upon in tlii railway world to-day «ts a model of WILLIAM T. NOONAM, PRESIDENT BUFFALO, ROCHESTER & PITTSBURGH RAILWAY. railroad excellence. Nor does this ap ply to the physical excellence of the property alone. In addition to a thor ough knowledge of the ins and outs of the railroad business, Noonan brought with him a very definite idea of what a railroad should be and a high ideal of the service which a railway com pany should render to its patrons. "Lived on the Road." Into the work which he found before him he threw himself, heart and soul. "Old Timers" are still fond of relating stories of the months of almost sleep less days and nights in which he "lived on the road"—saw everything, knew everything, poured his abundant vital ity into every phase of the work, and started the It., It. & P. on its way toward its present state of excellence. Patrons soon began to remark on the extent of the improvements going on all over the property, but more fre quently they mentioned the unusualh courteous treatment which they re ceived at the hands of employes. The late Elbert Hubbard, a frequent pat ron, quick to perceive and appreciate and with whom to think was to write, found material for a booklet on the subject. He called it "Courtesy as an Asset." This was one of the first tangible evi dences of results in a great work to which Noonan had set himself. To be endowed with high ideals, a strong per sonality, is a blessing, a benefit to the individual. To instill these ideals throughout the organization which one has been chosen to lead, is to confer a benefit, not only upon the organization, but upon all who come in contact with it. It is an undertaking of vast pro portions. Yet this is what President Noonan has accomplished on the Buf falo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railway. Every Man a Booster. And with the realization has come those attributes which make for a high ly successful organization—team work and co-operation. The men "pull to gether." As one traveler was heard to remark, "Every 8., R. & P. man I meet is a booster." Noonan has won the resi>ect and high regard of his men. In countless ways he has demonstrated that he has their welfare at heart. They have a pen sion fund to which the employes do not contribute and which provides an al lowance double that granted by any other road, to insure comfort during the years when his men are no longer able to perform their daily tasks. The humblest laborer in his ranks is not beneath his notice. As a crossing flagman told us, with a noticeable feel ing of pride—"President Noonan conies by here frequently. He always comes over and shakes hands with me and asks me how business is, and I TELL HIM." Instances of his magnanimity, gen erosity and greatness of heart are of frequent occurrence. Few of them, however, come to the attention of those other than the parties directly interest ed—an erring employee given another chance, even when all precedent and ev ery regulation warrants his dismissal; a bit of kindly advice and timely warn ing given another who shows an incli nation to wander from the path of duty. A B«li«v«r In M«n. For Noonan is a believer in men, and he seeks to develop rather than to destroy. As a court of last resort, his door is ever open to the men in his employ. With Emerson, he believes that "We should be as generous with men as with a picture which we al ways give the benefit of the best pos sible light." Nor are his energies in the interests of a "square deal" confined to those In his employ alone. Shippers and patrons along his line have found him willing, wherever possible, to lend a helping hand. As one man said, "Noonan would climb a fence to help fight the other fellow's battle if he believed him right." Viewing the work which Noonan has done and is doing, one expects to meet an exceptional man. After meeting Noonan one naturally expects excep tional work. It is this unusual quality which has provided each additional rung in the ladder up which he has climbed to suc cess, since the day in 1888, when, at the age of fourteen, he obtained his first position, as an office boy in the gen eral offices of the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad. Endowed with splen did healtfc and a certain restless en ergy, attributable in a great degree, no doubt, to his early out-of-doors life he was born on a farm near Waverly. Minn., July 12th, 1874—he tackled each task to which he was assigned with a vim and zest that carried him forward in rapid strides. The reward which he sought and found in each well-com pleted task was the opportunity to at tempt something of greater caliber. Nor were his activities confined to the routine of the work alone. During the fourteen years which he spent in vari ous capacities in the accounting, pur chasing. traffic, operating and execu tive departments of the road he served, a majority of his leisure hours were given to a close study of subjects per taining to the science of railroading, including private courses under the tutelage of various university profess ors. In June. 1902. following a trip to Eu rope for a study of railroad conditions there, he was made Superintendent in charge of operation on the M. & St. L. R. R.. which office he resigned to at--, cept the position of Assistant to the General Manager of the Erie Railroad, in January. 1904. In November of the same year he was appointed. General Superintendent of the Buffalo, Roches ter & Pittsburgh Railway; two years later General Manager, and November. 1910, found him with the title of Presi dent. A Leader jf Men. As a railroad President, Noonan is a pronounced success. He is a leader of I men." His men work with him as well !as for him. A hard worker himself, he expects the same from them, and they 1 have risen to meet this expectation. They admire hi'* wonderful ability, trust his unfailing Sense of fair play and justice, and love him for the big hearted manner in which he enters into their everyday life, their play as well as their work. His attitiude toward | them can best .itidcred from his own expression: "One fundamental railroad j operation is that of tie testing. Two ! men are sent forth to test ties, and one, I looking only for rotten cr unsound tim i ber, condemns and throws aside that | which the other, seeking to learn how | much of good there was there, would have found fit for many years of serv ! ice. In men, we must look for the good. Faults may be found in all of us, but the good, if discovered and brought to tin light, may !>e cultivate* and en t couraged until mediocre ability is rais ed almost to the point of genius." What man, knowing that he is judg i ed by such a standard, can fail to give the best that is in him, for therein lies the standard of judgment which en courages men to dare and do, to risk a possible failure in an endeavor to ward accomplishment. Acts of generosity toward employes might possibly be thought to have their prompting in the ultimate influence they may have upon the men. Not so, this case. Another Home brightened. Not long ago a young woman came to his office, requested and was given an interview. Her story was soon told. Her father had served the road as an engineer for thirty years. One day several years ago he was found under the influence of liquor while on duty. Rules of the Company called for his immediate dismissal, yet, on account of his long service, instead of a dishonor able discharge he was retired on a pen sion, though he had not yet reached the required age for retirement. In a few months word reached the Company that the pension was doing him more harm than good, as he was constantly intoxicated. The pension was stopped. i The young woman was the oldest of a family of five girls, motherless. Re ceiving no aid from the father, the en ! tire responsibility of their upbringing had devolved upon her—their sole : means of support the salary she re ! ceived as a stenographer. Finding the burden too great, she had come to as certain if there was any way in which the Company could assist them, asking nothing for herself, pleading solely for j her dependent sisters. "Yes, there is a I way," said the President. "The feeling 1 that induces you to care for your fa ther's family is shared by us. The rules of our Company authorize the payment of this pension during your : father's life. We will turn it over to you and trust you to use it in caring for his children. And because he is an old man and the payments may soon be | cut off we are going to place in the bank at your disposal for the same pur i pose a sum equivalent to the amount , which he would have received in the ' years since his pension was stopped." Joy and a brightened future in an other home. There was no ulterior motive behind this act. In a sense it falls without the scope of the Company's activities. But it affords an estimate of the great j heartedness of the man and shows that the Corporation which he heads has a : soul. Who Am I? I do much good. I am an asset to you. I have made friends and followers for the company. I am a universal rule, in fact, I have become a habit. I help you to hold your job. I am everywhere. Great men have written books about me. I am contagious. Without me no business can be truly ! successful. I am one of your good friends. I gain much and lose nothing. I am a habit well worth acquiring. I am on an equal footing with kind ness. I am COURTESY. | —Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Ry. Employes Magazine. Stick to It. "If you want to win, Stick! If you \ want to succeed, begin right, then keep it up! Don't quit! The world has no use for quitters. The failures in the world have been the quitters—those who began all right but did not hold out." —Harold Thorpe. THE GATEMAN. He stands at the gate Calm, cool, sedate, Where the tides of travel flow; And, all day long, He sings his song To the crowds that come and go. It's no sinecure. For the rich and poor Crowd round and their questions hur»: Still he makes reply With smiling eye To man, woman, boy and girl. | - There are gray old ladles And women with babies Bewildered, almost in fear, Whom he reassures, Cajoles, adjures. Bids wait till his call they hear. Full many a parting When tears are starting He sees as the days roll by; Many a gladsome greeting Of old friends meeting Is enacted beneath his eye. He stands at the gate Calm, cool, sedate, Where the tides of travel flow; And all day long He sing? his song To the crowds that come and go. —AI. Moore in Buffalo, Rochester & Pitts burgh Ry. Employes' Magazine. NEW FEATURES AT NIAGARA Man's Ingenuity Adds to Nature's Beauties—The Falls and Rapids Illuminated—A Close Up View of the Whirlpool From the Aerial Cable. i, ==\ ' O 1916, by- Oscar A. Simon. RECENTLY CONSTRUCTED AERIAL CABLE OVER THE WHIRLPOOL AT NIAGARA FALL 3. Scientists tel* tha» *ome 35.000 years ago Niagara Falls were down at Lewiston Heights, so it is evident that the scenery in that vicinity has been changing gradually. Man has never been able to do very much to improve nature's handiwork, especially about a place like Niagara. However, within the past year his ingenuity has provid ed two features which add greatly to the enjoyment which may be obtained by a visit to this wonderfully beautiful spot. It is probable that a majority of the people living within a radius of 500 miles have, at some time or other, vis ited Niagara. The Falls are easily reached by all persons living in terri tory served by the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railway. Light Flooded Falls. No doubt each reader who has been there feels that he has seen all there is to see. But you have never really looked upon Niagara Falls until you have beheld the American Falls and the rapids at night pierced and lifted out of the darkness by a light flood of 50,000.000 candle power something which has been made possible but re cently. Many who have lived upon the brink of the mighty cataract for a life time, who have seen it under every as pect, during storm and calm, winter and summer, have said this, for this statement is an assertion of the City of Niagara Falls itself. After years of experiment, and an expenditure of thousands of dollars, an effective system has been found and 'n -... :;«■s. system of flood lighting -loes • with the glare and blinding forces of a searchlight heretofore tried, and is at the same time economical and effective. The flood lighting is distinguished from a searchlight or spot light, where the rays are concentrated, in that it dif fuses or spreads its beams over a wide area. It is the invention of Will J. Davis, Jr., of Chicago. And the nightly illumination of Niagara Falls is bring ing exclamations of delight from the thousands who are gazing upon them nightly. The Aerial Cableway. Three miles below the Falls lies the whirlpool, where the river, interrupted in its easterly flow, whirls around and around in a natural pocket formed be- THE RAILWAY FLAGMAN AND HIS LONELY VIGIL Tha Quality of the Man Tells When Duty Calls. Absolute, implicit obedience of orders is the foundation upon which all suc cessful railroad operation is founded. There are many which make for obedience. Fear of discipline, though it should not be. is perhaps one of the greatest. Given that a man is employed where the slightest deviation from duty will be afterward checked up against him. resulting in a repri mand or discharge, he will adhere strictly to instruction from fear of con sequences. In such positions the per formance of orders is assured if for no other reason than the one mentioned. But there are places to be filled on which there is no positive check, and to fill them to the best advantage the offi cers of a railway must search long and carefully. Those making these selections will seek further than mere physical ability and knowledge of the work to be per formed. They must go beyond these and make certain that the man of their choice is possessed of those qualities of the mind known as conscience and in tegrity—one might allnost say "soul." These are the sterling characteristics which impel a man to a faithful per formance of duty in the face of difficul ties and hardships when there is no human eye to see and none to know whether he shirked or carried out In structions to the letter. While various positions of this na ture might l>e mentioned, it is the ob ject of this article to treat of but one that of the flagman. Many times on long night runs the writer has awakened in his berth to twien the high walls'of the' gorge tnd departs in a northerly direction. Ttiere has always been a wonderful sense of awe and mystery connected with the whirlpool and, on account of the lofty perpendicular walls surrounding it, it has never been possible to get very in timate with its waters. Recently, however, a cableway has been constructed directly over the whirlpool. As most of the whirlpool lies within Canadian territory, both teifninals of this unique transportation line are on Canadian soil. At a point between the terminals, the car passes into New York State territory and out *ga in, a fact which is not generally known to passengers. Owing to the j fact that the bed of the river at this j point is owned by the State of New i York and the water itself by the Fed eral Government, it was necessary for the promoters to secure permission from Washington and Albany to make this crossing after they had secured I the sanction of the Province of Ontario and the Victoria Park Commission of Niagara Falls. Thrilling, But Safe. The car in which the passage if* made has seats for 24 passengers and stand ing room on a raised aisle in the center of the car for 21 more besides the con ductor. The distance spanned by the cable is 1800 ft. and the trip may be made in four and one-half minutes, though, ow ing to the fact that part of the dis tance is traversed at half speed and a ! stop frequently made midway across, 8 the time required is generally about six ; minutes. A telephone offers opportunity for communication with either shore when same is desired. The car is built on the same plan as one which has operated successfully in Spain for a number of years. The car runs on six cables, each of which is en tirely independent of the others, and the breaking of one cable would in no way imperil the passengers. Should a cable break during the trip, the car would oscillate backward and forward along the track cables until it came to a point lowest in the center of the span, as the two terminals are nearly the same height, approximately 250 ft. To bring the car back to the terminal safe ly in such an emergency, a relief car , and a relief traction cable are availa -1 ble. i hear the brake shoes grinding as the train came to a stop, accompanied by sharp staccato notes of the whistle, and known that somewhere out into the night, perhaps in the teeth of a howl ing storm, a man was trudging steadily away from the glimmering tail lights to the required distance up the track there to keep his lonely vigil guarding the safety of the numerous sleepers on his train. What temptation must arise within him. Why go back the full distance? The bitter cold pierces to his very mar row. There is no one to see. and there beside the track in the side of the cut is a splendid shelter from the blasts Why go on? He has gone back many times ere now. and nothing has arisen to require his presence. It is then that | those higher qualities for which lie has been chosen come into play and duty compelling conscience and loyalty to a trust drive him on. With what thoughts are the long : minutes of his watching filled as he whips his arms and stamps his feet to keep his blood in circulation? No doubt they turn to that mecca of every 1 true man's thoughts, his home and 1 wife and kiddies waiting to welcome him at the end of the run. It requires real courage to undergo hardships and difficulties when peril is not imminent and the only reason for the performance that duty demands it. ******* And then above the shrieking of the gale he hears the long blasts from the whistle, truly a welcome call, his vigil is ended, and he hurries back—back to the warmth and comfort of the car, but more than that the warmth within him kindled by thoughts of duty well per formed—once more he has been tried and not found wanting.—Buffalo. lioch. ester & Pittsburgh Ry. Employes Mag azine. RECOGNITION, REWARD AND PROTECTION Pension System on the Buffalo, Roches ter & Pittsburgh Railway Most Liber al on Any Railroad—Financed and Administered Wholly by the Com pany. A pension is not a sift. Probably the ! best definition of a pension is that it is not only a recognition of loyalty and devotion to the company, but is also at> encouragement to continuous employ ment. since the employee has the oppor tunity of a permanent and profitable connection with his company for life. It is a further recognition of the prin ciple that the relation of employer and employee is one of mutual obligation, and when both are sincerely interested the beneficial results are common to both. There are now twenty-six railroads, embracing the larger systems of the United States and Canada, represent ing a considerable proportion of the railroad mileage of America, that have established pension systems either financed wholly by the corporation or by joint contributions from the fene rations and their employees. We have yet to note a withdrawal on the part of any one of the companies that have made such provisions for their em ployees. On the contrary, the number adopting the pension idea is continu ally increasing. The Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railway Company adopted a pension system on July Ist, 1903, over thir teen years ago, being the eleventh" road in the country to do so. It is ; financed and administered wholly by the company. The essential features* of the plan are: Class A. Employes reaching the age of 70 years, and whose term of continuous service has been 20 years or more, ar® retired on a pension. Class B. Employes whose age i 8 66 to 6ft year's, and whose term of continuous service has been 20 years or more, may be retired on a pension either at their own request'or at the discretion of the company. Class C. Employes whose age is 60 to M years, who have been continuously 30 years or more In the service, and who have become incapacitated, may be re tired on a pension at the discretion of the company. The amount of the pension in any of the above classes is two per cent, of the average annual pay for the last ten years multiplied by the number of I years of continuous service. Example. An employe at the time of re tirement who was in continuous service for 40 years, and whose average pay for the last ten years was $1,500 a year, would receive an annual pension equal to 80 per cent, of {1,500, or $1,200, payable in monthly amounts of $lOO. Class D. Employes irrespective of age or length of service who shall have re ceived injuries in the performance of duty, totally incapacitating them for their regular or other vocation, or who shall through sickness become so inca pacitated. Class E. Employes irrespective of age or length of service, or dependent members of their families, when the facta war rant favorable consideration. In both of these classes such sums may he awarded as a i>ension, for such length of time, as the president shall, determine. In computing service, it is reckoned from the date since which the person has been continuously In the service to the date when retired. Leave of ab sence, susiK'iision, dismissal, followed by reinstatement within one year, or temporary lay-off on account of reduc tions of force, is not considered as a ! break in the continuity of service. The acceptance of a pension does not debar any retired employe from engag ing in any other business which is not prejudicial to the interests of the com pany, but he cannot re-enter its service.. Employes who leave the sefvice there by relinquish all claims to the benefit ! of pension allowance. Since the plan was started, 105 pen sions have been granted, and 40 were ended by reason of death or expiration,, leaving 615 retired employes regularly drawing pensions on June 30, 1016. These may be classified as follows: Maintenance of Way Department 27 Maintenance of Equipment Department 18 Transportation Department 15 . Executive Department 1 Passenger Department 2 Freight Department 2 Total The ages of men now drawing pen sions are as follows: Average No. Age. 70 years and over 31 74 65 to C 3, inclusive 21 67 60 to 64, inclusive 4 63 Under 60 years 9 52 -otal 65 68 The total pension allowances made aggregate $186,677.87. In addition thereto the company has made appro priations to the fund to sustain the plan to the amount of $224,320.41, all invested in interest-bearing securities and cash. The aim of every normal man is an old age free from care and want. To that end most of us toil patiently, seek ing to save something against the day when we can earn no more. Coupled with the savings of the worker, pen sions will go far toward bringing happy sunshine at the close of a busy working-life day. It must always be remembered, how ever. that transportation companies are dependent upon public favor and pat ronage for their prosperity, which the employe can greatly promote by hit* courtesy and e fficienc y. Upon the meas ure of that prosperity depends the abil ity of the companies to make and con tinue liberal pensions, and to adopt still further pi ins for the benefit of its employes.—Buffalo, Rochester £: Pitts burgh Ry. Employes' Magazine.
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