The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-07-19
aclected story.
The Conductors Story.

least"
ashes off his cigar.
"WeIl,o said he, Il believe almost everybody
has had that feeling at one time or an anoth-
err There is something fascinating to a sober
business man in the idea of doing business
and earning our living at 80 miles an hour,
and the spice OF danger that you mag at any
moment be sent to Kingdom come by light
ming express is Just vague enough not to
frighten, but attract But to a conductor it's
prosiac business enough. So it is to engin-
GERS and brakemen Don't you remember
that, at the inquest oyer the Norwich
Bridge accident, it was shown that the e.SH-
Ger was in the habit OF opening everything,
and then reading newspaper? ne was neg
Letting his business, OF course put u SHOWS
what habit will do; twill make readinS
room of an express engine. - 4
"Rairoad men learn the lesson of punctu-
alty very thoroughly. 1t won't do to be late,
or the train won't start on time. and then an ]
awful row is certain One time was at AL
bany, and that afternoon the Hudson River,
Boston and Central trains all started at s o.
clock. Well, the conductors of the trains and
the engineers, too, went down the river on a
little propeller-the Julia, think she was
called. We turned round in plenty of time,
but about ten miles below Albany we ran
aground. We were in a nice scrape. There
wasn't conductor at the depot TO take any
ones place, and the tide was falling. Will
ata ;,,ppod ;,tn tho ,;yorr mt ~ e? shonida,
nn3sr ~ ta,.,, S,1ara tbo rn,,a1Ia had
cauobt On a mnd hsniZ and as he boat was
aboi,t nine cal mower only and be was 4 ner-
feet Hercules, he actually lifted her off, and
we got to Albany just in time-only Williams
bad to run to Syracuse with his wet clothes
on. Tff3 49, FN+FF~N ~ - asl
Its queer existence, too, running day
after day through lot OF little places that
YOU don't take any interest in or know any,
thing about, more than that the stations are
called such stations. IL isn't such danger
Gus life, either. Accident insurance comparl-
les don't rate passenger conductors very high.
but if ever YOU want TO feel how HELPLESS You
are in the hands Of the Almighty. lust Get on
an express engine, and get the engineer to
open everything on dark night. It's posi-
lively awful to see your head light boring in
to darkness, and to think that between you
and instant death there's only the chance OF
two pieces OF iron you're travelling on being
continuous and clear; that if somebody bad
just pred up rail since the last train went
over, or anchored something on tue track,
your irlends won't know your pouy Wnen tne
coroners Jury cans theh as witnesses 70 your
identity. That's the way thought the first
time tried it, but the engineer was smoking
a pipe, and tue fireman was whistlng Jim
along Josey.' bsaass5 s. sissa.astsag
When conductor runs tram out OF town
and runs another in again. the same day, it
isn't such queer HE as When be runs train
0Nt one DAY ana IN tne next. 1hen he lives
TWO nves. one nlSht mes married man at
one pace; Inc next nlght ne,s a bachelor at
another pace ana Inc hext'nisht q married
man a2aih-ana SO Gu, see +saH.a
"Theres kind of feeling of responsibility,
having three or four hundred lives in your
keeping. But then, there's the rules. ii you
keep TO them, if anything happens it isn't
your lault. When you are out OF time and
nave 70 wait, you're sure 70 De cross, ana sure
" pe pauSeIeu ~ questlonS. ~ a ioreigner
onee lou nc tll'le one y .ne most surprising
ui1ss nc seen ~ Ainefiea was tne respect
psla 70 &c, anu Tue way they were
opeyeu py passengers. But passengers VIII
ASK questions Wneu you lie Walllng, ana us
PROVOKING one DAY was out OF time, and
RAD on on sWitch 10 wait ior elmer the
down traih OF telegram 10 come on. by
ana aite, oy, ppmpous man comes 10 me as was
sitting on the lence.
Mr. CONDUCTOR says ne, what are we
waning lor9
For the down traln-we're out Of time.
Ihefes single track here, and she has the
rIght OF way
But suppose the down train is behind
too. s....
Then I'll get Telegram AsS Il
But suppose they don't telegraph you,
nov .T yhs ~ W., goeIa w." .,,at
~ . .sS Iees,. 10y -, sao,,
d4, &c men n, Jazz ~ sno eoaSn, saoNIns
sonetninS apous having an eASageinehs an
town AZ lne no9r tlie vraln was que, ana l
a,terwalu iounu out iae ne was tne VICE
risstueus VI sne ioau' DuI nc Was sensipie
,enoW, enouSu qu,ch tempered, anu 1 $1,000
DscIer WIN me o1icels ior Wnat had salu.
ne useu 10 POKE neavy i'ln at me sometimes,
anu rscoLl a q me 70 wei tne wneeis ana tney
sooner. = 1
It's astonishing how reckless some rail-
load men become. l was on a side track
waiting oct OF time once, and fellow comes
to me and says, why don't you go on p
Cause my orders are TO stay l said rather
sharply. efsse.s.s.ss
'He was the new superintendent, young
fellow had never seen, because he'd just
come on to the road. He was counting girl
on the line of the road. afterwards found out
ana had an engagement to go to ball with |
her that night, which this lay over interior
ed with. sslt sses
so he says, very quickly, no they ain't;'
and when looked surprized, he says, I'm
the superintendent of this road, and tell you
you've time to get over this bit OF single track
and have three minutes to spare before the
down train reaches it. have calculated and
knoao' a.s.sa Fssi--
pve got my printed orders, Mr.. Superin- 1
tendent,' and broke right in--f fDs3N i
"'Never mind YOUR printed orders [ order
you to 90 ahead.' gr,ar 8s,slN
@WelI wouldn't. and he was awfullv mad
and swore that shouldn't run week longer
on that road. Probably. after he had
cooled down he would have never said a word
about the matter, for he was clearly in the
wrong. Three minutes is to close Shave on
time when six or seven hundred peop.es lives
are interested. and regular printed orders are
to be obeyed till other regular printed orders
are issued But thought. at first. he'd com
plain to the President and | was bound to
have the first talk, il possible.
'The President heard my story and sent
for the Superintendent He denied that he
had ordered me at ALL or made any threats.
but said that he had told me had te, min
utes to spare. So it was question Of veracl-
ty, and L began to think / would be sent back
torun my train, and thai running train on
that road wouldn't be my business very long.
Gall at once gentleman who had been sit
ting with a newspaper held in front OF his
face at the back OF the Office. came forward.
''''Mr. President said he, L happened to be
standing by these two men when thew had
that talk. The Conductor il right. and tbe
other man lies. If the tram had come on
had made up INV mind to walk hack To, tbe
last station; the chance of an accident seemed |
so great ~ PIG
Then the President Wds mad
why, good heavens?' said he, my wife
and family were on that tram. Mr.. Super