Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1869-08-11
THE CONDUCTORS STORY.

We we're smoking one night before the
hotel smoking room CRATE, when one man
said
I have always thought Ia ike to be
railroad conluctor-fOr a little while at
least.
The old conductor smiled and knocked
the ashes off his cigar.
well, said he, 81 believe almost every
body has had that feeling at one time or an
Other. There is something facinating to a
sober business man in the idea of doing
business and earning your living at 80 miles
an hour, and the spice of danger that you
nav at any moment be sent to kingdom
come by lightning express, is just vague
enough 10 not frighteu but attract. But to
conductor it : prosaic business enough.
So it is to engineers and bFakmen. Don't
you remember that, at the inquest over the
Norwich Bridge accident, it was shown that
the engiueer Vas in the habit of opening
everything and then reading a newspaper?
He was neglecting his business, of course
but it shows what habit will do; twill make
reading room OF an express engine"
Railroad men learn the lesson of punctu-
ality 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
vas at Albany, and that afternoon the Hud
son River, Boston and Central trains all
started at FIVE clock. Well, the conduc
tors OF the trains, and the engineers, too,
went down the river on hytle propeller
the Julia, think she was called. We turn
cd round in plenty of time, but about ten
miles below Albany We ran aground. We
we're in nice scrape There wasn't con-
ductOr at the depot to take any ones place,
and the tide was falling. Williams, a
splendid, great big fellow, got desperate,
jumped into the river. put his shoulder un
der the stern, where the propeller had
caught on a mud bank, an1 a. the boat was
about nine cat power only, and he was a
perfect Hercules, he actually lifted her off,
and We get TO Albany jIst in time-only
Williams had to run 10 Syracuse with his
wet clothes on.
Its queer existence, too, running day
after day through lot of little places that
YOU don't ,ake any interest in, or know any
thing about, more than the stations are call
ed such stations. 1t isn't such dangerous
life either. Accident insurance companies
don't rate passenger conductors very high,
buff ever you want TO feel how helpless a
mortal you are in the hands of the Almigh
IT, get on an express engine. and get the
engineer to open everything on a dark
night. 1t is positively awful to see your
headlight boring into darkness, and TO
think that between you ard instant death
there's only the chance of the two pieces of
iron you are travelling on being continuous
ani clear; tk@t if somebody has just pried
up rail since the last train went over, or
anchored something on the track, your
friends wont know your body when the
coroner jury calls them as witnesses to
Your identity That is the way | thought
the first time l tried it, but the engineer
Was smosiug pipe, and the fireman was
Whlst.ing Jim s-Ioug-Josey.
hen a conductor runs a train out of
town aud runs another liz again the same
day, lt isn't such a queer life as when he
runs train out one day aud in the next.
Then he lives two lives. One night he is a
haTr5d man at one place; the next night
he Is bachelor at another place. and the
next night married man again-and SO on,
see saw.
There is a kind of feeling of RESPONSE
'iiLty, having three or four hundred lives in
sour AeenEug. But then there the rules.
Ii You keep them, if anything happens 1t
hn your fault. When you are out of time
AID have 10 wait, you're sure 70 be cross,
and sure to be badgered by questions. A
foreigner once told lue that one of the most
surprising things he had seen in America
Vas the respect paid to conductors and the
w! they we're obeyed by passengers. But
passengers viii ask questions when you are
waiting, and it is provoking. One day |
was Out OF time, and run of on a switch to
wal tor either the down train or telegram
II" cone on. By and by pompous man
ooIa2s to me as was sitting on the fence. "
Mr.. Conductor, says he, what are you
waiting for?'''
For the down train-we' re out of time
mere Is single track here, and she has the
night Of way"
But suppose the down train is behind
too.
Then I'll get a telegram
But suppose they don't telegraph you,
10" long will you waltz" p"
Till the wheels rust of, said l.
He went back to the coach, growing
"omethIng about havingan engagement in
-oHh at the hour the train was due, and |