Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1868-01-18
MISCELLANEOUS.
The Railroad Conductor.

There Is no class Ol men IN the cOmmuul-
ty Who run like risks, perform equal hard
service, achieve less reputation, get as little
pay prupurtionately, are as much abused
without the power OF reSenting, as the rail
road conductor He is the companion of
modest women, inquisitive gentlemen,
swaggering bullies, buwing babies, testy Old
maids. carping old bachelors and grim death.
lie is responsible for the loss of tickets, car.
pet bags, trunks, umbrellas and human life.
lie du.c not carry dcadheads unless their
hats are ''chalkcd.' Ii he takes u counter
lelt' dollar, the viItuuus corporation censures
nln Tor taking worthless money from pas
sengcr, and punshcs him by forcing the
same money on him as payment OF his wages,
which establishes the strange principle that,
Mat Is done 10y Il mistake and in the pres
sing confusion OF business, is IL crime in an
individual, while the same act performed
deliberately by powerful Corporation
against Il dcicDcelcss individual rises to the
dignity Of ii penalty which must be WORSHIP
ped as Just. The conductor is u magnificent
uachInc, operated by telegraphic, verbal
aud urai orders. He is controlled by as
many rules as undrrlic the Sanscrit. The
cu,npdu, requires him TO get money or tickets
from uU pusstngers; but II there Oe an IN
ii IN man or NOnIan aboard his train, aud he
eJects either because they lack the means of
satisfy Ing him Tor fare, he is looked upon as
II Hru,e. Nevertheless, the conductor is
sworn To eject the unfortunate at any bleak,
VI uIsuai or distant part of the road, how
,NCr me- the a '-enSers may cry shame and
ucMspupers may cOudcmn. Ii the conduc
.or refuses thus stcrnly to act he is regarded
>, his rnpuycrs us ialthless, and if reported
D., some honorable detective aboard u train,
Il rI,r i
no class in the community SO lily reqnited AS
railroad engineers, conductors, tircmcn,
brakemen and baggage masters. They are
Instantly graphing with death, if not i'm
penang from u possible accident, from the
arm oi some stroiiiuS hully indifferent to
deceuc. and ordrr, and ready to take human
! life al the least piovocation. The conductor
aust be at once II cyclopedia afording an
swers 10 all questions, gallant, monitor,
| Il messenger and IL child's nurse. lie must
| have smile for old ladies and never look
other than gravely dignifed on the sex in
J their teens. All abuse heapcd on him must
tie accepted as innocent jest. The insoence
! ut passengers must he received rs rare com.
| plinents. Sterling virtues are required by
| the people from all railroad conductors.
| rhey must act and dress like gentlemen.
| They must be able to tell the passengers
each day what happened the day before in
! all the country. II they are not becomingly
courteous they must expect ball of lead in
their heads or point OF steel IN their hearts.
! Such is what the conductor must be, what
! he must do, endure aud eNpect Tor all which
! lie receives less than II hundred dollars per
| mouth. Do the journalists who gloat in
! libeing the con iuctur, ever think of these
! facts For our part, We honor railroad
employees, ticket agents, engineers, conduc-
tors, brakemen, tremen and baggage mas
tiers. They are brave, hard working, pa
| tiently enduring class of gentlemen. They
endure heat and fIost--contend With winters
storm and summers olast, fight death all the
time face tn iace-are the public's slaves
are absolutely the brain of most corporations
making what other greeds deyour. To libe
such men III newspaper paragraphs or slan
der them on railroad trains Is vile and
cowardly, which we desire gently to reprove
and ask from considerate public justice
for the Conduct0s-Stdte Guard.