The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1869-04-03
A Cool COnductor-Liberal Reward for
flushing up a Little Matter.
rFrom the \. Y. Democrat.1

From the " Y. DemocratI
1t has been limited quite generally that
of the hundred and odd conductors on
the Erie Railroad not all of them are
strictly honest. 1t has been said that
few of them, on moderate salaries, have,
like members of Congress, succeeded in
saving from ten to thirty thousand dollars
a year. Some of them have built fine
houses; purchased horses, carriages, rich
clothes, fashionable jewelry, expensive
watches, some United States bonds, and
few shares in Erie. There are some
men who are cruel enough to say this
property has been acquired, not by honest
labor, bu, with money distracted by a
sort of conductorial strategy from the
earnings OF the road, and invested by the
conductors rather than by the directors
Not long since, while regulating the
Erie, its branches, and all connecting
railroads in the country,it was decided in
solemn conclaye to regulate the conduct
ors little. Everybody said, and every
body must know, that conductors like
unruly children when visiting, help them
selves. Acting upon this basis, Manager
Fisk lately undertook the job of correct
ing the evils existing among the conduct
ors, are supposed to exist; and, after
having estimated that they had bagged
enough during the last FIVE or six years
to build double track over half the route
ofthc Ere, decided to have them dis
gorge. With this view notices have
been sent, within the past fortnight, to
very many of the old conductors of the
road, who reside at various points on the
line, ordered them to report forthwith to
the Superintendents Office, ON important
business. The other day, one of the
conductors, whose name it is not nccessa-
ry to give here, who resides in Oswego,
was called down, ushered into the Super
intendents office, and from there into
Manager Fisk's room, when it is reported
the following conversation took place:
Manager-s'you are conductor on the
Erie, believe ?'
s:Yes, sir"
"How long have you been on the road! p
'sFifteer years"
"Had a passenger train all the time, l
believe."'
s.Yes. sir"
"Worth considerable property, I
learnv'
sSome''
sHave fine house in Oswego?"
Eyes, sir"
"Some little money invested in bonds,
am told ?"
es, sir"
eOwn farm where you reside?"
'sYes, sir
s.Had nothing when you commenced
as conductor on our road Z"
Nothing TO speak of; only a home
for the future"
"Made the property since?"
Yes, sir"
"Been at work for other parties ?'
sNo. But have been saving of my
money; invested it from time to time to
good advantage"
'sWell, sir, what will you give to set
tie /? OF course you cannot pretend to say
that you have acquired this property
from what you have saved from your
salary? You will not deny that you have
pocketed great deal of money belonging
to the road -at least fifty or sixty thous-
and dollars. Now, sir, what will you
give to settle and not be disgraced, as
you certainly will be if trial is brought,
and you are compelled to give up the
property which you profess to own, but
which, in reality, belongs to the compa-
Dy?"
"Well, Mr.. Manager, I have not
thought of this matter. For several
years I have been running my train to
the best of my ability. Never looked at
the matter in this light before. Never
thought was doing wrong. have
done nothing more than other conductors
have; tried to earn my salary and get it
and think I've succeeded. I don't
know that I owe the company any thing.
If you think do, why there's little diff.
ference of opinion, and I don't want any
trouble about it. I have nice family,
nice father and mother; relatives all peo-
pie of good standing-they would feel
very bad to have me arrested, and charg-
ed with dishonesty. It would kill my
wife. She has every confidence in me
in the world, and the idea that I, her
husband, would take SO little as penny
that did not belong to me would send
her broken-hearted to the grave. [
don't care anything for the mattor myself,
but On account of my family and relatives,
I want to make it right with the road
and officers, and if you don't say any
thing more about it, RI aiUe you dol
lar ("
The hopping around Grecian bend in a
ballroom reminds one forcibly of a kanga-
roo trying to escape the rttacks of sand