American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1869-09-18
CANTON MISSISSIPPI SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 49, 1862


place, and the next night married
man again--and so on, see saw.
There's kind of feeling of re-
spOnsibility, having three or four
hundred lives in your keeping. But
then there's the rules. If you keep
them, if anything happens it isn't
your fault. When you are out of
time and have to wait, you're sure
to be cross and sure to be badgered
by questions. A foreigner Once told
me that one of the most surprising
things he'd seen in America was the
respect paid to conductors, and the
way they were obeyed by passengers.
But passengers will ask questions
when you are waiting, and it's pro
voking. One day l was out Of time,
and ran out on a switch to wait for
either the down train or a telegram
to come on. By and by a prompous
man came to me as was sitting on
the fence.
"Mr. CONDUCTOR says he, 'what
are we waiting for?'
"For the down train-we're out
of time. There's a single track hero,
and she has the right of way
But suppose the down train is
behind tooY
"Then I'll get a telegram
"But suppose they don't telegraph
you, how long will you stayP'
"Till the wheels rust offp said L.
He went back to the coach, growl-
ing something about having an en-
gagement in town at the hour the
train was due, and l afterwards
found out that he was the: Vice Pres
ident of the Road. But he was a
sensible fellow, though quick tem-
pered, and stood better with the
officers for what 1 had said. He
used to poke heavy fun at me some
times, and recommend me to wet the
wheels and they would rust sooner.
'It'sastonishing how reckless some
railroad men become. | was on a
side track waiting on time once, and
a fellow comes to me and says
"Why don't you go on 2
"Because my orders are to stay
said rather sharply.
He was the new superintendent,
a young fellow I had never seen, be-
cause he'djust come on the road.
He was courtinG. a girl on the line of
the road, | afterwards found out,
and had an engagement to go to a
ball with her that night, which this
lay out interfered with.
SO he says, very quickly, No
they amt and when | looked sur.
prised, he says, 'I'm the superin.
tendent of this road, and l 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. l have calculated and !
know.
~ have got my printed orders
Mr.. Superintendent said l, but he
broke right in
"Never mind your printed orders
l order you to go ahead
well | wouldn't, and he was aw
fully mad and swore that l shouldI'
run week longer on the road
Probably after he had cooled dow
he would have never said a word
about the matter, for he was clearly
in the wrong. Three minutes is too
close to shave on time when six o.
4 Fen hundred peoples lives are in
terested, and regular printed orders
are issued. But L thought at frs
he'd complain to the president, ant
| was bound to have the first talk j
possible.
'The president heard my story
and sent for the superintendent
He denied that he had ordered M
at all, or made any threats, but sait
that he had told me | had ten min
utes to spare. So it was a question
of veracity, and l began to think
: would be sent back to run my train
, , and that running train on tina
road wouldn't be my business yer,
long.
3 'All at once gentleman who ha
! ! been sitting with a newspaper hel
in front of his face at the back of tn
: Office, came forward.
! ! "Mr. President; said he, 4 hal
! pened to be standing by these tw
men when they had their talk. Th
: conductor is right, and the other lie
: If the train had gone on l had mad
: up my mind to walk back to the las
I I station; the chance of an accider
: seemed so great .
+ 'Then the president was mad.
"Why, good heavens' said hi
my wife and samily were on til;
!. train. Mr.. Superintendent, go an
q draw your wages to the first of neA
!. month, and leave the road now
. But sometimes conductor is pI
: in such position that the rule
!. won't guide him. Then the respo
sibility is very great. | rememb,
y once being so placed, and l though
: at the time that my hair ought
# have turned white that night wit
|. anxiety.
e sIt was when the Hudson Riv,
Railroad was just built. There W;
L no telegraph along the line, an
If everything was quite primitive cor
V pared to what it is now. The tia
A. men had got on sort of strike abOl
G, three days, too, so that you trustt
a. to luck for safe running was ru
rs ming Il sort of way train hetwet
Ell New York and Poughlleepsie the
Is Running an 'eXpresS is quite plea
x anter than running a 'way,' W
TO may easily imagine.
t. swell, ran the tram out of Ne
d. York one afternoon, and | had t
to the driver of the engine a man wi
ii WIS famous for the accurate way
aS which he would come up to his st
n tions. He would stop any mann
~ coach almost to q foot where he Sa
st he would; but on this occasion
G. appeared to have very poor luc
is He ran past his station and had
ne back down, and then again he won
rS stop so short that the engine won
be III front of the station and t
ut rear coach an eighth of mile baC
'e' and it raining hard, too. Then ht
NJ start up again Just as the paSScngC