Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 247, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 October 1911 — GOT THEM TOGETHER [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

GOT THEM TOGETHER

R.*J'_°OAD ‘ ' TDMII Ati/IIUMI I ■■ ',• •• %>■■ • '■ "" “"'- , T‘ ■ Somewhat Novel Scheme Adopted by | Ima DpAwilaa* yvniGii rrumibua U •'' ' - • During the months dTAprll, May and June officers of the Oregon Short

Line m&de ft Bft* ties of “get acquainted”. trips over the road. They used a train of five cars, which was run special and which wks 'on the line a total of 22% working days. The party covered 6,530 miles by rail and a little over a thousand miles by automobile, made 117 stops varying from half an hour to 36 hours in

length and met over 7,000 people. All departments of the road were represented and local general agents r ot some of the road’s' connections also ' were included In the party at times. Its personnel was not the same on all the trips, as some changes were necessary In order to keep business moving at headquarters In Salt Lake City. ’ The practice followed In arranging < for the “get acquainted’’ visits at different places was for the vice-presi-dent and general manager to wire to the local agent at each point where It was Intended to stop, advising him that a. special train with representatives of the various departments of the road was to be run over the line, making stops at all the larger towns, the purpose being “to widen the acquaintance of the company’s officials with citizens of the communities served by this railroad ’and to increase their familiarity with conditions throughout the territory.” At the larger plates the party made side trips about the town and neighborhood In automobiles, afterward holding a business meeting. In smaller towns It usually held the business meeting only. The trips have proved so successful; says the Railway Age Gazette, that notwithstanding the time and expense involved it Is believed that the plan or making them annually will be adopted by the company as a permanent policy. An officer of the road says: - “We were cordially received by the people everywhere and discussed an immense number of complaints and suggestions covering practically •very phase of the business of the railroad and Its relations to the public. Many minor matters were adjusted on the spot and others were taken under advisement, and in still other cases requests had to be refused and the reasons why explained to the people. All this work was better and more expeditiously accomplished than by any other methods would be possible. Our party was a sort of traveling general office, equipped to handle almost any railroad question which might be presented.”