THE OREGON SUNDAY JOURNAL, PORTLAND, SUNDAY MORNING, AUGUST f 2. 1914-
8
PIECE OF STRING IS
MEANS OF
TIMETABLES
HUMBLE
MAKING
Genius Who Evolved Brilliant
idea Unknown but Probab
1 ly Is Saint Mow,
WORK IS NERVE RACKING
Saja Xaalrd to AdJ SehtdaU 80
On Train win Hot Btunp
Soma Otfccr.
IT TAKES GENIUS -TO ARRANGE TIMECARDS SO TRAINS WILL NOT TRY TO, PASS ON SAME TRACK
'Mercy, what an aggravation!
Theyv changed tha ttme of that
train!"
When a reprenentatlvo of the claaa
known aa tho Common People, some
times called the Traveling Public,
gives utterance to. a sentiment of tbla
kind, little he knows of the heart
ache, the blood-sweating, the rivalry
of one community toward another, the
cry of the railroad's traffic depart
ment for faster tlmo arid the answer
ing wall of the operating department
that to give that faster time means
extra rlk of disaster or derangement
of the whole system.
But nome Invf-ntlve genius discover
ed a way to help reconcile the traffic
department and the operating depart
ment. He did it with a piece of string.
If someone could flnd'a way to re
concile Blnkton's demand for a train
arriving five minutes afer noon so
the population could see it come in
without losing . time from business,
with Bunkton's demand for a train ar
riving at 11 a. m. bo the merchants
could get to the city in time for lunch
at the Welssllchtquelle, another hair
would remain in the thinning thatch
of the railroad man.
y
,,rWM6MT
'
tUAt-ATlH
-WW ' :
mmmm
CH & HAW A
4, Z .WIONKIHT
" & .t'?.'i.
'" i I
if-...ifrM ViSilfH -v ;v.-H.fii - - iriivil 1' inVnn 11 l i 11 i m f -n in I - mi i iiihim 1 111 1 11 - .
BUYERS' VEEK THIS
YEAR TO EXCEL ONE
HELD LAST SUMMER
Portland Jobbers and Manu
facturers Preparing Elab
orate Entertainment.
EXPECT BIG ATTENDANCE
Response Coming- la Xapl&ly. Trirate
Conoercs and Salesmen AddJstf
Their Efforts to Increase Kmbr,
Huge chart, with names of Btafions, on which, from one pin to another, are strung pieces of twine which, when they cross. Indicate
that a train must be passed. The card maker Juggles these crossings bo that traffic can move with facility and safety of the trav
eling public is made certain. , 1
Every Boad Uses S trier.
But this piece of string! Every
railroad of the northwest now uses
string. It shows Just where every
train from the north will meet every
train from the south. It shows how
fast tin. 23 must travel to keep out of
the way of No. 13. And this is how It
Is done.
A great hoard, maybe eight feet long
and five wide. Is prepared. On this is
pasted a big sheet of paper marked
off with vertical and horizontal lines.
Down the left margin of this card Is
Inscribed the name of every station on
the division. Along the top margin are
Inscribed all the hours of the dft,y from
midnight to midnight. Enough space
Is left between the names of the towns
so that the distance In miles may be
shown accurately on the body of the
chart with horizontal lines drawn to
the proper scale. The distance be-
the hour numerals Is spaced so
that vertical lines, representing groups
ox fv minutes, may be drawn.
Task Requires Many Says.
- This Is the equipment the time-card
maaer starts with. Then he gets a
half-peek of pins, a tack hammer and.
01 seura. the string.
How ihe stringing of a time-card la
a task that requires many days. But
the man who does It gets started after
a conference with the officials who
authorized the change In train time.
"Let's see if we can't get that train
out of here at - noon Instead of 1
o'clock," the general passenger agent
ays. 'If we can, it 'will arrive at
Kqueedunk Just In time for dinner.'
So the tlmecard maker takes a pin
and his hammer and string and drives
the pin where the horizontal line rep
resenting "Portland" intersects the
vertical line representing noon. Know
ing the distance to Bqueedunk, and
knowing how fast the train can be ex
pected to go, he figures quickly that,
starting at noon, this train should
reach tqueedunk at, say, 6 p. m. So
he drives his second pin at the bottom
of the chart where the Squeedunk line
Intersects the 6 o'clock vertical.
He then drapes the string over those
two pins. One might think this is all
there Is to it, but it isn't.
t Schedules Znslited On.
For every train running on that giv
, an stretch of track there is a corres
ponding Btrlng, fastened with other
pins. Some are freight trains, some
limited passengers, soma locals that
stop at every watertank. Every one.
Important or otherwise, mast run ac
cording to its schedule hat Ib abso
lutely insisted upon by atrary official
. from the chairman of the board of di
rectors down. And there vre Just so
many passing tracKs, jubi so many
witching yards. Just so many towns
'Where stops must be made.
And so if this train's time la to be
changed, the man who makes up the
card must see to it that he doesn't
send the train - head-on into another
train 20 miles from a passing track
nor may he put it Into a station while
the only track there Is occupied by a
freight unloading its cargo.
Many Failures Before Success. :
So he figures and schemes." Pres
ently he thinks he has it. He will
make his train run slow between
these two places while the fast mail
is reaching the division point. But
suddenly he discovers that by doing
this he will be holding back the lim
ited which, by all rules of operation
and traffic, must get ahead. So e
pulls "out his pins again and drives
them in another place, only to find
that a freight train stops at Bunkton
at the very instant he figured on put
ting his changed-time train there.
Then this thought suggests itself.
Change the time of the fast mail and
start the freight an hour earlier. So
he pulls out a pin or two from the
strings representing these other trains
and tries setting them over.
And so the process goes on. Some
times he will wake up In the middle
of the night and shiver with delight at
the thought of a way ne can send No.
4 into Blnkton ahead of No. 11 and so
make room for No. 44 on the passing
taken off or another change Is made
in time.
C. A. Vermillion, superintendent of
telegraph and car service of the Spo
kane, Portland & Seattle railway. Is
one of the deans of tlmecard makers
of the whole northwest. He strung
his first card nearly 26 years ago
oa one of the Missouri lines. There
was some discussion then aa to the
value of- the system, which then 'was
an innovation. Nearly every road in
the country now uses the system.
Many Charts Bequired.
The North Bank system requires 13
of these train charts to keep- their
schedules easily recognized. On some
of the longer stretches maybe two
boards are used to take care of the
movement of one train. Several are
used en the Oregon El ec trio, one on
th United Railways, and the main
steam lines and branches each, re
quire the board.
Four are used by the Southern Pa
cific's Oregon lines, and two by the
O.-W. R. & N. On the last named
road, however, the system Is a little
different, each division point keeping
track of its own schedules and mak
ing up- Its own board.
It has been discovered that the
simpler the board Is, the easier the
work for the train dispatcher. When
an engineer knows exactly what he
is to do, the dispatcher doesn't have
to bombard htm with telegraphed or
telephoned orders at every station or
so, and the time loss due to unlooked
for waits on passing trains Is reduced.
Nobody around the Portland rail
roads remembers now who Invented
the string, but whoever he - Is has
long; since been made a saint. -
MEN ENGAGE IN FIGHT
Mike George, a new foreman at the
Northern Paclflo terminal yards, and
Steven Vassea, a laborer employed at
the yards, severely beat each other
yesterday in a fight at Sixth and Flan
ders streets, and were arrested by Pa
trolman WaddelL ' The fight resulted
when George attempted to exercise his
new authority by ordering Vassea to
stay out of the terminal grounds.
Their case will come before the police
court tomorrow morning.
Jobbers and manufacturers of Port
land will be busy all this week prepar
ing for the reception at their various
establishments next week of hundreds
of country merchants from all parts
of the northwest who are coming in
response to invitations sent out asking
them to be in Portland Buyers' Week,
August 10 to 15.
Successful last year, when It was
Inaugurated, Buyers' Week promises
to be more successful this year. More
than 150 return postcards, mailed out
with the invitations, have been re
ceived by the Jobbers' and Manufac
turers' association and "It is learned
through traveling salesmen that a
great many more are coming who have
not sent in word of their intentions.
In addition to the circulars sent out
by the Jobbers and manufacturers,
many Individual Jobbing houses have
been in communication with their cus
tomers throughout the northwest and
have received many promises of at
tendance. Traveling salesmen have
also been Instructed to give the event
all the publicity within their power
and to urge attendance. This cam
paign of publicity promises to result
in hundreds of buyers visiting Port
land. rare Befund Attractive Feature.
An attractive feature In the eyes of
the prospective buyer is the arrange
ment which has been made by which
the railway fare of one buyer from
each store will be refunded in case
his purchases during the week from
members of the Jobbers' and Manufac
turers' association aggregate $500,
Railways are giving fare and a third
rate's and these rates will be open as
well to members of their families
whom buyers may wish to bring along.
Entertainment for the visitors will
Include banquets and smokers at the
Jommerclal club, theatre parties, au-
omobile trip a about the city, noon lun
cheon at one of the city's big manu
facturing plants, and a jollification
at The Oaks. One of the important
entertainment features will be the Ad
club luncheon at the Hotel Portland.
Wednesday. August 12. All the vis'
Itors will be guests at this luncheon
and 20 of them will be given oppor
tunity to make one-minute talks boos
ing their home towns for first, sec
ond and third prizes. Several have
already entered the contest. There
will net be a dull moment during the
week
Furniture Men's Bana.net.
An event of Importance will be th
banquet to be given Thursday night.
August 13, by the furniture Jobbers
and ' manufacturers of Portland to
their out-of-town customers at the
Hotel Multnomah. It is planned to
make this one of the most eventful
trade banquets in the history of the
city. Furniture dealers are coming
from all parts of the northwest! The
local furniture men have sent out spe
cial Invitations to the trade in addi
tion to those forwarded by the Job
bers' and 1 Manufacturers' association
and traveling salesmen representing
the Portland furniture houses have
been doing effective publicity work.
Uh6 theory or Buyers Week is to
enable the Portland heads of Jobbing
and manufacturing concerns to become
personally acquainted with their cus
tomers and to enable the country mer
chants to Inspect In person and gain
some idea of the size and diversity
of the Jobbing stocks carried in Port
land, the premier Jobbing city of the
northwest, anj become informed as to
the numerous articles manufactured In
this city. Most of the selling is dona
through the medium of traveling
salesmen and Jobber and customer
tome very little together. Thus the
element of personal contact, one of the
most potent in modern day business
relations. Is generally lacking.
Many Buyers Came.
It was to remedy this condition that
Buyers' Week was Inaugurated last
year, the dates being September 1 to
6. Last year 263 buyers came from
251 towns. Of these 174 were from
Oregon, 70 from Washington, 18 from
Idaho' and one from Montana. Goods
of the value of considerably more
than $100,000 were purchased from
members of the Jobbers' and Manufac
turers' association. No record was
kept of purchases from firms not af
filiated with that organization. Of the
263 buyers, 108 bought more than 3500
worth each and obtained fare refunds.
Many of these buyers had never before
purchased goods from Portland house's,
hence the element of new business was
an Important factor, as It promises
to be again this year.
The area from which Portland Jobbing
houses draw business if 240,821 square
miles, of which 136.768 square miles
Is exclusive and 103,513 square miles
Famous Stars Heard;
In New Records
All Zrateat Dances, Xncladin Merits
tlom and One Step Are, Outs Catofcy
Songs Add Interest. . '
Vacation time finds a generous se
lection of dance and popular records
included In the Victor August offer
ings, eminently suited for beach,
mountain or country place. They ar
of the doublefaced kind and embrace
all the latest hesitations and one-stps
as well as thfe must melodious and
catchy tunes of the day.
In the more serious classifications
a record by Christine Miller, noted con
cert artist, recently added to the vic
tor's list of sbigers, is a feature.
Miss Miller makes her debut wltn
"Old Black Joe" and "Come Out, Mr.
Sunshine."
Caruso sings a Neapolitan favorite,
"Manella Mia.- with his usual dash
while he also appears In, a concerted
number with Hem pel, Rothier and
De Segurola. It is the quartet, "I
Shall Behold Her," front Verdi's
"Masked Ball."
Titta Ruffo. who appeared to ad
vantage in Portland last winter, sings
an air from Franchetti's new opera
"Chrlstiforo Colombo,-' which had ltn
premiere at Philadelphia last fall, and
iJlnh Uilly, the Algerian baritone, ha
a duet with Emmy Destlnn. It is
"Good Night." a Bohemian folk song.
Alma Qluck and Louise Homer sin
Rock of Ages," while John McCor
mack has a new record of Tosti's
"Good By." Pot-pourris from two of
the latest Broadway musical' show c
are to be found In a double-faced rec
ord giving Reins from "The Follies of
1914" and from "iole."
A large list of educational records
rounds out the month's offering.
competitive. This area Is divided
among tho various northwestern states
as follows:
Oregon Exclusive, 75,608; competi
tive, 16,999; Washington Exclusive,
7.260; competitive, 37,090; Idaho Ex
clusive 63.900; competitive, 23,740;
Montana, 20,800, all competitive: Utah,
competitive, 700; Wyoming, competi
tive, 6184.
The wholesale business of Portland,
as nearly as can be estimated, amounts
to $130,000,000 a year and there are
between 2500 and 3000 traveling sales
men with Portland as their headquar
ter. No competing city can marshal such
an array of facts as these fact
which make Portland the admitted
leading wholesale city of the Paclflo
northwest.
Motor driven windlasses have been
invented for raising poles of circus
tents quickly.
track three miles south of Spinkhurst.
"Old Man" Disapproves.
Finally he has It all figured out, so
that every string on his board will
cross the other strings at Just the
right places and at the same time con
form to the possible running time of
the trains, the sidetracks, the demands
of the passenger department, the limi
tations of the freight department and
the wishes of the public. So he shows
his result to the superintendent, who
says, "Fine," but withholds his O. K.
until the general manager sees it. The
general manager looks at It, scowls.
and says, "Won't do, you've got that
freight train waiting an hour too long
at tfeat siding and when we are paying
trainmen and engine crews the out
rageous wages they demand now, an
hour means money. Fix it up.
So the work has to be done over
again.
But when the final and official O. K.
is put on the new train chart, the
officials breathe again and maybe
take time for lunch. But that Isn't
all that has to be done before the
i.ew schedule goes into effect.
Working Tlmecard Made.
Next comes the making up of the
working tlmecard, a big booklet that
is made for the exclusive Use of em
ployes. This Is how the working card
Is made:
Taking a sheet of paper, the man
who makes tho card writes down the
names of the stations tn order. Then
in columns ruled off for the purpose,
he puts down the time of arrival of
each train, as shown on the chart by
the strings ,in their Intersections of
the vertical lines. When he has fin
ished this, train for train and string
for string, the new card Is ready to
be sent to the printer and the time
card maker puts away the board until
another train Is to be started, or one
N
A
Men's $4.00
black and tan
calf English
last Shoes, now
G
sulk Qearaice
Men's $5.00 black
or tan
English
Oxfords,
now
w
Men's $4.00
round high toe,
tan or black
button or
blucher Shoes,
now
9
Like the Elusive Flea
Is the gentleman who
flits from place to place,
"fitting" Trusses. His
fancy price may well be forgot
ten by the victims; not, how-
a '
ever, the unskillful and danger
ous appliances which he leaves
a heritaere of woe.
For 49 years we've fitted
trusses right here in Portland.
It's part of our calling as deal
ers in all those appliances which
relieve or remedy bodily defects
and deformities. Our fitters, men
and women, are trained people.
Our warranty of satisfaction
has . a meaning. We are behind
it. You don't pay if you're not
pleased.
Visit our store ten floors de
voted exclusively to our calling
xne largest retail urug More
mm
Started with a bang going with a rush!
And with good reason. Never in the history
of shoe merchandising in Portland has there been such a sale.
It's impossible to be indifferent in the face of such bargains. While the values are
extraordinary, this sale is decidedly unlike most clearance shoe sales from the fact
that you have your choice from scores of COMPLETE lines of NEW Summer Foot
wear NOT short and badly broken lines only. You can be almost sure to be fitted
in any style you select if you come before it is too late. COME TOMORROW and
avoid disappointment.
ATTENTION MEN I
All Broken and Discontinued Lines of the
Women's $5.00
Colonials, pat
ent colt, gun
metal and
bronze, now
S S -J
$3.85
Women's $4.00
Colonials in
patent or gun
metal. Now
High -Grade NETTLETON Shoe, Now, Pair
1 i
$2.95
Mary J
Pumps
i.45 '
$3.25
in America.
Chairs
Stretchers
Crutches
Belts
Vibrators
Bedside
Tables
Back
Rests
Braces
Instep
Supports
Hearing
Appliancei
Elastic
Hosiery
Men's $3.50 high toe
black and
tan Oxfords,
now
All Women's $5.00 Colonials, patent,
gunmetal, bronze, turn or welt soles
with the new Louis
or
Cuban heels, now
$3.85
Broken and discontinued lines of
Women's Shoes, button and lace, pat
ent colt, gunmetal and tan calf leath
ers. Former price to $5. To clean
them up, now priced at, a
pair
$1.95
Women's $3.50
Colonials, new
Louis or Cuban
heels. Now
All $3.50 Colonials, made in the sea
son's popular leathers, now JJO AZt
at, the pair .r PaxO
Women's $2.50
Colonials, turn
soles and Cuban
heels, now
All $3.00 Colonials, patent JJO OC
or gunmetal leather, now JW
All $2.50 Colonials, patent jj 1 Q
or gunmetal leather, now P
All Women's $4 Colonials, patent, dull
or satin, turn or welt soles, dJO QC
absolutely new styles, now
Woodard, Clarke & Co.
Nettleton for Men
All regular staple shapes good the
entire year, including the popular
Tarsic London, Composite and oth
er lasts, with sizes to fit any foot.
10 Per Cent Off Regular Prices
Q
Laird & Schober
FOR WOMEN'
New Pumps and Boots of this fa
mous make, including all the new and
staple shapes.
10 Per Cent Off Regular Prices
BEEMTS
Wood-Lark BIdg.
Alder Street at West
LARGEST RETAILER OF SHOES WEST OF CHICAGO
380 Washington Strieet Corner West Park
270 Washington Street CEASES T 270 Morrison Street
111
A