The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-10
WAKING ON THE PRhIRIEs.
Varied Experience In "Jumpins the Cars"
on the Rnnsns Pacific Railroad.


sas Pacific Railway as far HAYS, are but
names. They consist for the most part Of
mean, di lapdated station house OF two rooms,
where the station master or road reparer lives
with his wife and children. The section mon"
az his assistant laborcrs called, live IN " dug
outs" mere holes in the ground rooted over
with DO rds. around him. These section men
are as nomadic as Arabs. a section man who
has lived and worked at one station for four
| months Is veteran. Their term Of service Is
generally from three DAYS to fortnight. They
are mostly men who have tramped through ev-
cry State and Territory OF the fer West, and
who merely take a jon for the purpose OF rails
ing alittle money to help them on their wander
| inga.
These men were never tired OF impressinG
upon me the meritoriousness Of jumping the
railroads" or jumOin the cars" T. C.. stealing
free rides. Whenever would 90 into a station
weary and hungry, asking to be supplied with
masters themselves, would express taelr aston
| lshment that should be so foolish as TO walk
so far when II was 40 much nicer to ride for moth
Ing. 1t was In vain that underworld to explain
| that liked walking Tor its own sake, and that.
moreover, l had purpose In going afoot
! they could not understand and the talk invari-
aply wound up WIN reGommenda!ioh TO
| confess that toward the end OF last week
began TO grow tired Of my walk through San.
sas. The FARMS the scenery. the country itself
had grown more and more delightful, pictur-
esquc. and prosperous as ! entered western
more and more irowsy, dirty listiess. common
place, aud uncomfortable. SO yesterday morning,
at solomon. the idea occurred to me, Let me
get out OF this as soon as possible and begin by
expermcntinr on Jumping the cars" SO
waiting for a chance; but as 1t was sunday, no
trains came, and IN the afternoon took TO the
road again-not wttho u recommendation
from a one-eyed old man in Solomon, that II
would wit at the tank, four miles OF, could
Jump tn o'clock tram.
Inc sun set and the moon rose. The prairies
were sea OF shill sqhcals OF the mutitudinous
crickets walked on and on. NOtAnk. Night
began TO close IN. and bethought me - going
into camp, when suddenly, miles ON, heard
the whistle OF the 4 ain. / hurried onward.
Presently dark biect loom up before me.
/ II WIS the tank. hid myself among the high
grasses and awaited the coming train. Pres
en- ly the bright Lamp 20 cared coming round
tue curve. She slowly drew uD to the tank. and
then stopped for supplies. Alas, 1t was cattle
However, l mad made up my mind to attempt
this thing aud was not 10 be dauhted at the
tined them a well AS could 10 the faint moon
light. found that there was a small projecting
| ledge M the end OF each car. upon which could
place a foot. and that could hold on securely
to the 81 Is that lrmed the framework Of the
car. accordingly jumped up and placed my
self In position and breathlessy awaited the
starting Of the train. The wnistis sounded. the
performer. riding two derry. untained cars full OF
Texan steers.
In ABOUT a quarter OF an hour, however. and
before / had time To accustpm myself TO my
strange situation head appeared from the roof
"Hellol what are YOU dong thereI'
"Gettlng "A free ride" said l.
"Well, don't stop there In that dangerous
place CLIMB up the steps to the roof here"
obeyed. aud soon found myself lyiug on the
roof near my new interlocutur a young brake
man. lie questioned me very closely TO
where | mad oeen. why was taking free rides.
an 40 on to all of which, | regret To say, was
Obliged TO answer somehow. Finally. taxing
likiug to me, he told the he would give me a
free ride e. Kansas Clty n he could; but tnat
the conductor was a terribly smart man. and
that he did not think | could escape his eve,
He was right the conductor sped me at Ahi-
Ian uraf atu l " "A al n
cars after a brief inglorious ride OF hfteen
miles. Zoe experience was mortifyine. and
II was GLORIOUS delicious night. and threw
myself down Oh the yerandah Of the depot and
went to sleep.
Al hour or so after. was awakened by the
duh laundering Of another eastward train. as II
cane rolling into the station 1t was another
imme nsely long cattle train. with passen ger
car at the end. for the accommodation OF the
drovers. Try again" SAID the inward monitor.
| ran forward, and seated myself on the steps at
was again hving over the rails. / was discover
about quar,er of an hour before getting to
Junction Citytwen,y five miles,. The conductor.
"A short, fi;. good natured man, told me to come
into the car aud take a seat.
doing ms Sort OF thing You are a. an OF in
telhsence. can SEE. and you know you are do
Well said I. IL know It Is wrong. but ne
cessity sometimes forces "a To do things we
uOu't Ike.
, Haven't YOU any money!" said he.
Not cent replied, which WAS the tru'
!
Junction CIV" sad he.
IAN right, said |.
At Junction Ciiy, however, when he came and
shook me mot N naturedly) and asked me why
, l nad not got on, promised would disaprs
without inl at ne next station l:rpt my
this cauitil cnrnce for free nde. -
| ! thought that without casuistr' / might he
0 justified In getting betwe n the cattle cars
again. 50 cnose as conve lent par Of ears as
s could nm laid myself a. II At II the front cal
y as could, To escape observ Ition, ana awaited
the next moye, Several Of Tue guards and
brak emen flashed past me with their lanterns
tut not one observed me. The whistle sounded
, and 81 We wen,.
The experience that had in this novel and
exciting position lasted for upward Of three
y hours, 50 that had plenty II time 10 take note
II all that was interesting. 1t was not nearly ST
u lers prevented the cars from coming together 81
n inches wide Tor each loot. Al / had to do wa,
/, - keep 1rm hold Of the stats. The highest
n speed OF the tram was about fifteen miles pc
c hOur.
: Inc car in front Of me contained about
e twenty head OF cattle, ali immense lexdn steers
4 with horns Of prodigious Proportions. The ca
Der of cattle. They had not been watervd. as
afterward learned for two days, ana conse
/ quently were in a feverish, restless state.
o Close 70 me was white bull, rather smaller
= than the average, but "a ere iture ., very reso
= iute disposition. When nr / began to motto,
. my fellow passengers, this bull had got his norni
fixed IN the lower tier Of stats, anu was maxim.
n violent Efforts To FREQ himself la TN. he W
$ presently successful. lie then took 1t into his
u head that lie should like TO see the country a.
y | presented on me btutr slue Oh the car. ailO
I after squeezing himself End his companions un
mercifuliy. ana crushing one OF IN, nngeIs with
l. MS horns, he got round TO the desired position
q and for u few minutes seemed wei content
; Bat storm OF lightning and thunder va,
r raging al the while; the n4sues set nm NJ
g again In his tintrums, ana the last saw OF him
- at That time. he was pOughing his way to tnC
10 other end of The car.
; lhe three brutes that were now nearest to me
, In "a Kind OF bovine taugle, were eyIdentl, suffer
= ing terribly from thirst; and every time We
, came near water would light and thrust al each
y other with their horns ia "a dies pcra manner.
e when. however, they had subsidized /, to some
thing like quiet the poor brutes would seem
dOciie enough, and would ruD their great ruusl
. noses against IN, h4nd. hut then got seyert
u violent blows from their horns, which rather
4 OVerpal tncod TINS displ.N Of 5, up,tuY.
4 Tue lightning and thunder III the mean time
were tremendous. here was no ram. but
afterward learned that there was a terrific rail-
storm al THIS city (lopeka) ana the country
around.
Al length was inexpressibly relieved to see
streak OF dawn; some cocks crew IN the neigh
boring farms aud soon the east was blaze Vi
rosy splendur
n We had ist finished one OF these iutermi
o ngble waltlngs at a station which seem- to be
!, the fate OF trans Ort ,tiun tr ms, when one ri
the braksmen sped me, aud called the conduc-