The home journal. [volume], February 16, 1952, Image 3

About The home journal. [volume] (Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, V.I.) 1951-1973

Image provided by: University of the Virgin Islands

                
a8 " GERALDO GUIRTY
Editor’s Note: Thisis the second
installment of the story on Carl H.
Madsen, an attorney and official of
New Ycrk City’s Transit System.
The non - competitive
civil service classification
applied to prospective em
ployees who were chosen
on the experience stated
in their applications. The
narrow classification was
active during the depress
ion. Negroes who had la
bored for the New York
Central, Pennsylvania and
other railrocads applied in
vain. Mounting pro s s
fina ly won for othersjobs
as Railroad Clerks. They
had worked for the Board
of Transportation before.
An crganization which
spearheaded the move
ment for better employ
ment was t h e Br ther
hood otSleeping’s Car Por
rers.Theßrotherhoou’s mi
li ant president, A Philip
Randolph, voced the
yearting and aspiration
of the city's dark citizens.
Congressman Clayton A-
Powell, Jr ~ too answered
the so :nd of the tocsin;
and late Mayor Fiorello
La Gua dia, invoked the
powers of his office.
Although working for
the City of New York, the
Negro cl-rks could only
work a stations in t e
Harlem area. They were
provided with their own
seniority llis t, separate
from the general list for
whi e clerks. Other Negro
applicants for the RR
title had to wait until
death cr-ated a vacancy
and through resignations.
The duties of a Railroad
Cierk are to handle mo
ney; accou:.t properly for
fares; serve the public;
give information; notlfyi
his superiors abut con
ditions and situations on
‘he station of which he is
in charge; make written
reports; receive and turn
in lost property; appear in
Court as witness for the
City of New York in claims
cases. In the judgment
of the supervisor, he may
be assigned desk work in
the Station Section, an d
other duties in his title.
A new chapter in the
struggle for recognition
and o' por unity was wri. -
t-n in 1935.A1l jobs in the
Independent System were
made Civil Service. Many Ne
groes emerged from the first
examination in t h e RR titie
with flying colors. The jim
crow arrangement of restrict.
ing first hiced Negro clerks to
the Harlem area was dropped.
The new appointees were as
signed everywhere in the five
boroughs and placed on the
‘general seniority list ! or all
‘employees
- Another hurdle had to be
scaled, In the ssme year, the
Conductor examination follow
ed, On accocunt of specific
railroad experience, few Ne
groes could qualify. Again
the vigilantees, Negro an d
white, renewed their original
efforts for fair-play. Manage
‘ment underwent a change in
attitude. The Municipal ¢ ivil
Service Commission permitted
the despised group who had
worked as ‘‘in-charge’’ Pull
|man Porters to take the exam
ination.
To be continued
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On the island of St. John, V.I.
Cruz Bay Qtr. Four rooms and
porch, furnished, Kerosene
Refrigerator. 3-4 acre of sur
rounding ground. An ideal
site. Long term lease Or
monthly rental. Contact Pa
trolman L. Jurgen at No. 5
Haabets Gade, Charlotte Ama
lie, St. Thomas, V. 1.
THe HOME JOURNAL
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