48

to place its men under the best possible conditions as to hours
and wages.

One of the most important features of the administration of
the Company is the Staff Council, including the executive and
administrative officers and heads of departments, which meets at
luncheon each Friday at one, and for an hour or two discusses the
practical affairs of the Company, especially those in which the
several departments have inter-relations. It is understood that
all employes of the Company may bring any question before
this council through the proper head of department. The
council has otherwise been most useful in the development of
engineering plans, and in deciding upon practical questions
generally. An electrical library has also been started for
reference purposes, which it is intended to develop into a
circulating library for the use of employes generally, and notice
has been given that employes may not only draw books from the
library, but that books specially desired for engineering or
electrical reference will be purchased for the library on sugges¬
tion. Steps have been taken also toward a Labor Benefit Fund,
and at the end of the year 1892 a benefit was apportioned to
each employe of the Company who had been in good standing
during the year, according to his length of service, employes
who had been in the service of the Company for more than five
years receiving three per cent., those between five and three
years two per cent., and those less than three years one percent.,
on their total compensation during the year. The Company has
also been wisely liberal in caring for its employes who have met
with any accident in its service during the year. It is satisfactory
to report that there has been no fatal accident from any cause
and no accidents whatever from electricity beyond two slight
burns, during the year.

A Credit and Complaint book has been started for the new year
in which complaints against any one in the employ of the Com¬
pany are entered on one side, and credits for special services on
the other, partly with a view of making proper discrimination in
the benefits at the end of the year. The annual letter to the
employes, which has become a regular feature of the administra¬
tion of the Company, has promoted friendly relations through¬
out the working force, and has had good results.

The   strikes  referred to affected only the wiring division of