Erie Railroad Female Agents, Mary M. Blake, Marie Thelma Riley, 1915
From the October, 1915 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine
TWO YOUNG WOMEN EMPLOYEES OF THE "OLD RELIABLE."
An energetic young woman employe of the Erie is Miss Marie Thelma Riley, who holds the position of Station Agent at Nutley, N.J., on the Newark Branch, and is the youngest of her sex to hold such a position on the Erie.
Miss Riley is a little bright-eyed girl of the brunette type and would hardly be taken for one filling the office of agent at so important a station as Nutley, but she is, just the same. Not only that, but she fills it well and intelligently and is not afraid of any of the complex questions. that come up from day to day in connection with baggage, trunks, freight and express matter, as well as tickets.
Persons who travel are familiar with the routine of the Station Agent, and when their train stops at a station they expect to see a man in uniform rush out to greet the miscellaneous articles that emanate from the baggage car. But not at Nutley. All this is done by little Miss Riley and she takes to the duties of her station as readily as the downy ducklet to water.
The appointment at Nutley did not come to Miss Riley because there was a vacancy and someone had to fill it. On the contrary, she happened to have worked as Assistant at Avondale for a short term and her services were so satisfactory that she was invited to assume the Agency at Nutley, the adjoining larger station, and from the very day she was handed the keys and the badge of authority she proved to be the right little girl in the right little station.
The interior of Miss Riley's station, of course, defines the sex of its occupant. It doesn't resemble the abode of a man at all, the difference being that the office is decorated with things feminine, which means that neatness and coziness prevail.
Regarding the handling of heavy shipments and receipts, Miss Riley does not, of course, tackle that burden, for she is no modern Sampson. All that is arranged for and the man who winds the gates up and down at the crossing, just west of the station attends to that for her.
Her hours on duty are from 7 A.M. until the same hour P.M. and she thinks that division of time is all right, for she manages to keep busy with the 34 trains going and coming, and making out reports. In fact, she treats the matter very lightly and philosophically.
Miss Riley says, in speaking of her hours on duty: "Why, all I have to do is to get down here at 7 o'clock in the morning and sell tickets and check baggage until 7 in the evening." And isn't that a nice, loyal spirit to assume? It is the winning spirit, for the employe who has an eye on the clock, instead of on work, is not the one who will ever be dignified by getting his or her name in the column bearing the headline "Who's Who and Why."
To the credit of Miss Riley it may be said, she resides with her widowed mother, whom she supports. She is happy, contented and ambitious, and believes by close attention further promotion will come to her.
At Prospect Street, Passaic, N.J., the Company employs a Ticket Agent whose name is Miss Mary M. Blake. Miss Blake is evidently of a retiring nature, as she very modestly says, in referring to herself, "I fear mine would not be of any aid, in writing an interesting story." For that reason she withheld information that would have been interesting, had she not refrained from imparting it.
Perhaps Miss Blake's modest attitude is due to the fact that she has not been an employe of the Erie long enough, in her opinion, to justify saying very much.
In her brief sketch she says she was born in Bloomingburgh, Sullivan County, New York, and resided there until December 28th, 1913, when she secured the position of Ticket Agent at Prospect Street.
It is about one and three-quarter years since she assumed her present duties, and the fact that she still remains at Prospect Street, indicates that she is satisfied with the Erie and the Erie is satisfied with her. Maybe the future may have something better in store for Miss Blake, along the line, when a further reference may be made to it.
From the November, 1915 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine
YOUNG WOMEN EMPLOYES OF THE "OLD RELIABLE."
Following the writeups of two of the Erie's young women employes, appearing in last month's issue, pleasure is taken in telling something of two more, who perform station work along the line.
One of these is Miss B.F. Noyes, who is Station Agent at Park Street, Montclair, New Jersey, on the Greenwood Lake Division. Miss Noyes is not a newcomer on the Erie, but has had quite some experience at station work. She thinks her railroad experience is not of sufficient interest to speak much about, but when it is stated that she has been agent at Park Street since September 13th, 1900, it must be inferred she knows a great deal about the Erie and its business.
At the time she accepted her present position, she was attending school at Englewood, N.J., and, at the same time, learning Telegraphy at Piermont, during leisure hours. Miss Noyes performs all the duties of Agent at Park Street, consisting of selling tickets, checking baggage and catering to the wants of the traveling public, during the twelve hours per day she remains at the station. That she gives satisfaction is certain, or she would not have remained with the Company over 15 years.
At Williams Avenue, Hackensack, New Jersey, on the New Jersey & New York Railroad, the Company employs a little Miss of the name of G.E. Merritt. She states that she has been
at this station about three years, or since the time she left school. Also she has observed that the receipts have increased materially. Hackensack is one of the largest cities on the New Jersey & New York Railroad, with a very large passenger and freight business. As to Williams Avenue, Miss Merritt says she gets a share of the passenger business and commuter business, as well. She says she finds railroad life very interesting, which opinion is shared by hundreds of thousands of persons throughout this broad land.
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