HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Advocate, 1924-7-24, Page 5Vision as Applied to Railroading
Left ----Selecting wools us test of eolor-sense. Right—Reading types in vision
Test. Below—Williams' lantern, for testing color -sense.
Are you color-blind? Short- or long-
sighted ? Slightly deaf ? You
may be, without knowing it, if you
have never been tested.
These physical deficiencies, in
some walks of ,life, are of little im-
portance. But in railroading certain
responsible positions require perfect
vision, color -sense and hearing.
The examination of aspirants to
positions as engineers, firemen, con-
ductors, trainmen, watchmen and
others directly concerned with the
safety of trains, and the periodical
re-examination of successful candi-
aces, in these vital matters is the
r° usmess of the railroads. In the
,Canadian Pacific, which provides an
outstanding example of the care
with which they are conducted, there
is a special department charged with
this work. It is called the Time
Service and Vision, Color -Sense and
Hearing Department. There is a
Chief Examiner for Eastern lines
and one for Western lines, each with
a separate office.
All applicants for the positions al-
ready referred to, which demand a
high standard in vision, color -sense
.and hearing, are required to pass an
.applicant examination and, if suc-
cessful, must pass a further exam-,
ination at least every two years
*thereafter, and in some instances
more frequently, according to the
•diminution of their vision or hearing.
'They are also re-examined after any
.accident in which they are either
,dire or indirectly involved and
whidemay have been caused by de-
fective sight, hearing or color -sense.
In. addition, following any serious
injury or illness or severe inflamma-
tion of either the eyes or eyelids,
*they are again re-examined and, not
content with this, the regulations of
the Canadian Pacific require them to
face the examiner whenever they are
slated for promotion.
Caution and regard for the public
:safety could hardly go further than
this !
The tests employed are exhaustive
and are so arranged as to approxi-
mate as closely as possible to actual
-conditions likely to be met with in
their 'work by those examined. Ap-
plicants for positions as engineers,
firemen, conductors, brakemen and
others similarly employed are re-
'quired to pass the near and far vis -
ion tests without glasses. If, at one
Of the periodical re-examinations,
-employees in these positions are
found to be in need of glasses, they
:are allowed to wear them, provided
-they bring the vision up to the re-
quired standard. Applicants for
other positions may wear glasses for
:near or far vision, depending on their
•
work. All glasses must be approv-
ed by the company and every em-
ployee using thein is obliged to carry
a second pair for emergencies.
The vision test, which is held in-
doors, involves the reading of Snell..
lens test types, including letters of
varying sizes, .at a distance of
twenty feet or less, and the reading
of an American Railway Association
standard reading card for testing
near vision.
Applicants and employees examin-
ed for hearing must have normal
hearing in each ear. They are
obliged to repeat correctly train or-
ders given in a normal voice at a
distance of twenty feet. How im-
portant this is will readily be recog-
nized by those • who recollect the
difficulties of making out conversa-
tion through the noise of a locomo-
tive with steam up or through the
clamour of wind or rain. A mistake
in a few all-important syllables un-
der these conditions may easily be
made unless one has perfect hear-
ing.
Most interesting of the examina-
tions is that for .color -sense. The
men are asked to identify colors
displayed by a Williams lantern and
to pass a Holmgren or Thompson
color -selection test. The latter test
is held in broad daylight. A large
number of skeins of `wool of vary-
ing colors, called confusion colors
because they are specially selected
witha view to confusing the color-
blind, are placed before the exam-
inee. The examiner tells him to
pick out all the wools which have
red, green or some other color lie
them or perhaps to match them for
shades. The man obeys and in a
moment reveals his weakness, if he
has any.
In the Williams lantern test the
applicant is taken into a dark ronin.
At one end of this room, twenty feet
away, is the apparatus, consisting of
an electric lantern on the front of
which is a revolving disc con`aining
a number of segments of glass, each
in a varying shade of red, green,
yellow, purple or blue, as well. as
white, all colors employed by the
railways in their signals. The ex-
aminer switches on the light and
turns the disc, requiring the man to
name the colors displayed as the
segments pass befere the lens. In
turn, small red, green, yellow, pur-
ple, blue or white circles of light, In
varying shades, singly or in com-
binations of two . or three, become
visible. "What are they?" asks the
examiner. "White—blue and. red—
light green and dark green," says
the applicant, and so on, naming the
•
colors as he sees them.
These wool and lantern tests re-
veal to an astonishing extent the
prevalence of color -blindness. Fully
four per cent. of the applicants are
color-blind without knowing it and
will not believe it when the exam-
iner gently but firmly points out the
fact. As it is, of course, vital that
all men whose positions involve or
might involve the reading of signals
and all applicants for those positions
should have an. accura e color -sense,
no color-blind,person. has the slight-
est chance of passing.
The number of • men, applicants
and employees, examined on a sys-
tem so enormous as 'the Canadian
Pacific is very great. Approximate-
ly nine hundred appear before the
examiners every month on the East-
ern lines alone, and between 130000
and 15,000 employees on the Eastern
lines come up for re-examination
every two years. The figures for
Western lines are approximately the
same.
It will readily be understood that
the entire system would be disor-
ganized if these men,hmany travel-
ling long distances had to report to
the offices of the Chief Examiners
for their tests. The Canadian Paci-
fic therefore retains two special
cars, one of the Western. and one on
the Eastern lines, which are spe-
cially fitted as travelling -test rooms
and are continually on the move. It
takes these cars two years t& hake
the round of the stations within their
jurisdiction, examining applicants
and the employees of the company.
So, year in and year out -the Can-
adian Pacific continues these exhaus-
tive tests which have as their object
the. maintenance of safety and effi-
ciency.
AGRICULTURAL FAIRS
The Genesis of Agricultural
Societies In Ontario
The First Association In Upper Can-
ada—Birth of the Provincial Fair
—Creation of the Department of
Agriculture—Later Extension of
Work. _
(Contributed by Ontario Department of
Agriculture. Toronto.)
The honor of holding the first
Agricultural Fair in Canada falls to
Windsor, N.S., in 1765, about I59
years ago, and soon other Agricul-
tural Societies fell into, line in Nova
.Scotia, including one at Halifax in
1789 and another'in King's County.
'This latter is the only one of the old
.societies in the Maritime Provinces
that has survived the present day.
The prizes offered at Windsor were
in goods and medals. To the persons
.bringing the greatest number of cat-
tle were awarded three yards of Eng-
lish blue superfine broadcloth and a
:silver medal. For horses, a saddle,
bridle, whip, spurs and a medal were
.the rewards, and a churn for the
best cow, while for the best twelve
pounds of butter or cheese the prize
was six yards of ribbon and a medal.
The progress of organizing Agri-
cultural Societies in a newly settled
country was naturally slow at .first;
but it is worthy of mention that the
first *Province/to introduce imported
stock was New Brunswick, which
brought over, in1826, four Shorthorn
bulls, which were recorded in the first
volume of the 'English Herd Book.
A provincial exhibition was held in
Fredericton, N.B., in October, 1852.
An Agricultural Society was organ-
ized in Montreal in 1788 and another
in Quebec in 1789.
The First Society In Upper Canada.,
Settlement in Ontario .commenced
in..1,783, and in 1791 had progressed
sufficiently along the Niagara river
and, peninsula, to justify the forma-
tion of an Agricultural Society on
October 28 of that year. This
pioneer Ontario society had its hea`d-
quarters at Niagara -on -the -Lake,
then known at Newark. . Governor
Simcoe took a great interest in it
and was its first president., The first
efforts of its members were directed
to the holding of monthly meetings
to discuss agricultural questions, and
an agricultural library was also es-
tablished: The holding of an exhibi-
tion naturally followed.
Agricultural ,Societies gradually be-
came organized all over Ontario, as
'settlement :inthe province progressed.
In 1830, the Legislature passed regu-
lations governing same and set apart
grants. Eight hundred dollars. was
apportioned to each : District Society
to enable it to hold an exhibition in
addition to the work it had previously
undertaken.
An Agricultural Society for the
County of York was organized in
1830. Seeds and implements were
procured from the Old Country for
members. A progressive member was
sent to New York State who pur-
chased four bulls for the use of the
Society. Soon after an exhibition
was held, and prizes were awarded
for essays on agricultural subjects.
Birth of the Provincial Fair.
In 1845 a Provincial Association
was formed,' and in 1846 the .first
Provincial Fair was held in Toronto,
out of which have grown the world-
wide -known Canadian National Ex-
hibition, the Western Fair and the
Central Canada Exhibition.
The Provincial Association gradu-
ally became better organized and
developed into the Agriculture and
Arts Association, which did so much
for the improvement of agriculture
in the .province in the earlier says.
Among the many useful lines of work
inaugurated were theestablishment
of the Veterinary College, the regis-
tering of pure bred stock, the award-
ing of prizes for the best kept farms
and buildings and well cultivated
fields, and, indirectly., the Agricul-
tural College at Guelph.
Creation of Department of Agricul-
tura: x
Agriculture soon became such an
important feature in Ontario that a
Commissioner of Agriculture was ap-
pointed; and eventually the Provin-
Hensall
Elementary, passed, Mildred Smil-
lie, Dorthoy Broadfoot.
Mr. Ed. Berry, of Detroit, Mich.,
is holidaying at his home here.
Mrs. T. Drummond visited 'with
friends in ,Wingleam. this week.
Miss (Auntie) Balton, of Toronto,
is visiting with friends in town.
Mrs. M. W. Ortwein, of London, is
visiting relatives in town this week.
Miss Freda Smallacombe, of
Guelph, is visiting relatives in town.
The Anglican church of town held
their picnic to Bayfield this Thurs-
day.
Mr. and Mrs. I. Hildebrandt,. of
Goderich, were he town ` on Sunday
last.
Miss Hattie McQueen is this week
holidaying with friends in the vil-
lage.
Mr. Alex. McMurtrie, of Hamilton
is spending his holidays at his home
in town.
Mr. and Mrs, H. Arnold are this
week holidaying in London and oth-
er points.
Mrs. Dickson and daughter, Miss
Dolly, of Goderich, visited in town
on 'Sunday.
Miss Grace Allen, of Toronto, is
the guest of Miss Francis Pearce
this week.
Misses Beryl and Lorna Ashton of
Gorrie, visited with friends in 'town
on Sunday. D
Dr, Harvey Robb, of Toronto, con-
ducted the examination in Hensall
on July 4th.
Miss Mabel Purdy is spending a
couple weeks with friends and rela-
tives in Sarnia.
Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Reid, of Lon-
don, spent Sunday with relatives and
friends in town.
Miss E. Shaddock returned on
Monday from a pleasant visit with
relatives in London.
Mr. J. Passmore and D. A. Cantel -
on left last Friday for a holiday
trip up to Tamogami.
Mr. and Mrs. Whitney, of Milver-
ton, were the recent guests of Mr.
and Mrs. W. C. Pearce.
Rev. W. G. Rivers,. and master
Raymond paid a short visit to Hen-
sall friends on Monday.
Mrs. Kennedy, of Winnipeg, is vis-
iting her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Geo.
Petty, in town this week.
Introductory, honors, Willie Mur-
dock, Beth Murdock, Florence Mc-
Donald. Passed, Flora Souter.
Mr. and Mrs. W. Thompsok, of
Chicago, are guests of the forer's
mother, Mrs. Thompson, of town.
Quite a number of Hensall resi-
dents are enjoying the fine weather
at their cottages at Grand Bend.
Miss Marguerite and Doris Chap-
man, of Palmerston, are the guests
of Miss K. Scott in town this week.
Mrs. Rhinehart, who has been vis-
iting her sister, Mrs. J. Ellis recent-
ly, left for her home in the West
this week.
Mr. Sidney Geiger. who has been
teaching school up in New Ontario
for the past year, is now visiting at
his home here.
Mrs. A. King and Miss Bettie, who
have been visiting\ relatives in Kin-
cardine recently, are now the guests
of Miss A. Consitt.
Mr. E. Miller, Miss M. Miller and
Mrs. J. Miller, of Windsor, visited
friends in town recently. They are
camping at Grand Bend.
The names of the successful can-
didates who tried their High School
Entrance at Hensall, will be seen on
another page of this paper.
Mr. C. S. Hudson is adding to the
appearance of his residence, Queen
St. by a fresh coat of paint, the work
being done by Mr. H. Little.
Weather permitting, a, baseball
match between Zurich and Hensall
will be played on the Hensall dia-
mond on Tuesday evneing at 6 p.m.
Latin government creLLLea a Leyurt-
Lient of Agriculture, thus recognrzlug
.his basic industry as of equal im-
portance with those which came un-
der the supervision of the other de-
,,.trtments of the Government. Thus
,.at of thatlittle society organized in
1191 in old Niagara -on -the -.hake,
.rah a score or less of compettturs
...ad a. modest prize list of a few
eeuuds, have developed not only the
lrree great exhibitions in the pr•o-
:.nce, but also the important 'Oepart-
_lent.of Agriculture with its uuu,er-
,es branches and with local represen
.,.,.Ives in every ;county and district,
uming. information and assistance
farmers desirous of malting. use
:t it.
•
Extension of Work.
.tt'h.e three hundred sun sixty Agri-
u�urai Societies iu the Province of
vu.arro have made rapid progress of
late years. In 1907 a new departure
was inaugurated, and a •grant was
oi,ade by the Ontario Government for
gine holding of Standing Field Crop
competitions, each society selecting
the desired kind of grain 'or other
crop grown for seed.
With the exception of ten societies,
which devote their energies wholly
to the keeping and maintenance of
..ure-bred male animals for which
.uey receive certain grants, all the
societies hold fall fairs and exhibi-
tions. Spring stock and seed shows
are also conducted with great suc-
cess.—J.
uccess.J. Lockie Wilson, Supt. of
Agricultural Association.
Before you can have real good hogs
of any breed you must have a good
hog mother and a good hog sire. The
idea is to raise big litters that will
grow rapidly and large and make the
most pork for the least feed.
Ailsa Craig:—Of the twenty-eight
candidateswho wrote .the Entrance
examinations recently at the Ailsa
Craig school the followinghave pas-
sed: Margaret Alexander, Irene Dix-
on, John Donaldson, Francis Dor-f
Man, Irene Graham', Helen :Grieve,
Mary Hatter, Marion Hodgson, Lloyd
Holland, Eileen Hutcbinson, Clifford
Kelly, Wilfred Kelly,May Malcolm,
Mr. and Mrs. A.. Morrison and
family, late of Scotland, have settled
in town in the house formerly occu-
pied by Z. Disjardine, on N. Rich-
mond St.
The Hensall lodge -of Oddfellows
will hold a picnic to Bayfield on
Thursday, July 3rd. All the breth-
ern are invited. Bring your baskets
and enjoy an afternoon's outing.
The building in connewion with
the open air skating rink has been
taken down and other, more up-to-
date rooms will be erected about 20
feet farther south, which will .make
the rink a good size.
A meeting of. the U:F.O. and U.
F. W. 0. will be held at the ,home
of Mr. Wm. Pepper this Friday even-
ing, July 25th.. Mr. Wm. Black, M.P.
will be present and address the
meeting. A silver collection will be
taken. Everybody welcome.
Plans are now being drawn up in
London forthe enlargement and im-
provement' of .the Hensall school and
the work will be in full swing next
week. Two new rooms will be erec-
ted, one on top of the other, immed-
iately in front of and adjoining the
old buildiing. Electric lights, toilets,
water fountains, teachers' room and
science room are some of the added
conveniences in the plans.
I.O.O.F. OFFICERS INSTALLED
On Friday, evening, July llth the
officers of the local Lodge of I.O.O.F.
were installed for the coming term
by D.D. Grand Master, W. W. Tainan
of Exeter, and his installing team.
The different parts; b3 % the officers
were performed' in a very efficient
manner 'and D.D. G. Master, Taman;
is to be congratulated on the work
by -himself and his teem. After the
cer>�mony,-a few speeches,,by the loc-
al and. visitieg ,brethren, were .indul-
ged, in
ndulge.drin while, all sat around to. sand -
Mary, McEwen, Ohrysta.l Neil; Edith .wiches, cake, lemonade and ice
cream, which was enjoyed by all.
Robinson; Margaret Sutherland.
ships 16
Pe
Comfort and Service Plus-
- at Moderate Rates
"Mono -class Cabin Ships" means that
on these ships, there is neither first-class
nor second class—but ONE CLASS •
—
Mono -class.
In other words, when you travel Can-
adian Pacific Mono -class Cabin, you
enjoy all the pleasures and conveniences
of the entire ship, and at moderate rates.
SUCCESSFUL MUSICAL STUDENTS
The following piano pupils of Miss
Greta Laramie, were successful' in
passing the mid -summer examina-
tions of the Toronto Conservatory of
Music.
•
The value of boots end shoes • ex-
ported by Canada during the year
ended March, 1924, more than dou-
bled the value of Canadian • boots
and shoes bought by other countries
during the preceding year. Last
year the exportations were valued
at $304,913. and fob the precedieg
year at $130,034.. • The United
States was the chief buyer, taking
2,227 pairs, with Japan second, tak-
ing 1,628 pairs. '
Concluding her round -the -world
cruise, the palatial'' Canadian Pa-
cific steamship "Empress of • Can-
ada," docks at Vancouver on May
24th. Reports indicate thatthis
four -months' pleasure voyage..under
the genial care of Captain Robin-
son, hero of the Japanese disaster,
has been a splendid success; the
passengers being loud' in' their dec-
larations of satisfaction.
During thefiscal year ending
March 31st, 1924, Canada imported
•goods to the value of $893,335,01,
an increase of $91,000,000 com-
pared with the previous similar
twelve months, while she exported
(1,045:741,056, an increase of about
$110,000,000. The total , trade in-
creased in that twelve-month .pe-
riod by about $210,000,000, com-
pared with the corresponding pe-
riod a year ago.
It is expected that negotiations
between the British Government and
the Province of British Columbia
will lead -to the settlement of several
shiploads of immigrants from the
Hebrides in the province this 'sum-
mer. Each Government proposes
to grant $300, or $600 in all, to
each family and shelters will be
provided them close to the sea,
where they can engage profitably
in their accustomed pursuit, fishing.
The itinerary of the personally
conducted tour of the Canadian
Teachers' Federation= en route to
their annual convention to be held
at Victoria, B.C., August 12th to
16th, has just been announced.
Starting from Toronto, a special
train for the teachers will proceed
west by Canadian Pacific Railway,
halts being made at Western Can-
ada's chief points of beauty and in-
terest. It is expected that about
150 will make the trip.
That Sweden is capable of send-
ing 25,000 men to Canada as im-
migrants yearly was, the? statement
of Otto Elander, prominent Swed-
ish editor, when in Montreal re-
cently. Mr. Elander is touring
Canada with the object of studying
conditions as they exist in Swedish
Settlements here and reporting upon
them to his'fellow-country men de-
sirous of immigrating to this
country.
Here and There
The value of Ontario's mineral.
production for the first quarter of
the present year, as shown by a
report of the Department of Mines,
has increased $2,333,000 over the
corresponding quarter of last year,
the total being $.11,575,151 and
$9,241,853 respectively. Silver was
the only metal of importance to
record decreased production during
the period under review.
Among the passengers sailing on
the Canadian Pacific liner "Mont -
Laurier" for England on July 8th,
was E. W. Beatty, Chairman and
President of the Canadian Pacific
.Railway. While in England, Mr.
Beatty is scheduled to address the
Associated Advertising Clubs of
the World on July 17th on the sub-
ject of `Building an Empire with
Advertising."
Excellent reports as to the hunt-
ing in the Caribou district of Brit-
ish Columbia are being received.
F. W. Pridham and Fred. Shaver re-
cently returned from a month's
sport in that district with an excel-
lent specimen of grizzly bear weigh-
ing about 1,400 pounds. They saw
moose, caribou, deer, black bear,
pheasants and grouse, and consider
the district a hunter's paradise.
Addressing the annual meeting
of the Bond Dealers' Association of
Canada at Toronto recently, the
President declared that during the
12 months ending May let, $507,-
917,000 worth of Canadian bonds
had been distributed, this being by
far the largest total issued in the
Dominion in any post-war year.
The most striking feature in this
connection is that about 89 per cent.
was absorbed within the borders of
Canada.
On June 18th Winnipeg, Man.,
Celebrated the fiftieth anniversary
of its incorporation. From a strug-
gling frontier " village of the 70s,
Winnipeg has forged into the posi-
tion of third largest city in the
Dominion, with continental repute
as a railroad centre. It is the Gate-
way of the West and 100,000,000
bushels of prairie grain pass
through it to the head of the lakes,
whence it goes to the markets of
the world.
Twenty -+five officers and 200 men
of the Royal Navy, from the special
service squadron headed by H.M.S.
Hood, enjoyed a trip through the
Rockies over the Canadian Pacific
lines, while their ships were an-
chored at Vancouver . recently. The
sailors, who made.:; a point, in true
naval style, of seeing and doing
everything, were enthusiastic ,<;over
the scenery at such show -places as
Banff "and Lake Louise, which they
declared. the most beautiful they
had seen in all their world cruise.