Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-02-13
THE EXPRESS TRAIN.

Two or three of us had lounged out of
the club one night, into Sankey's Office,
10 find out the news coming in by cable,
which the sleeping town would not hear
until the paper would be out tomorrow
Santley was editor of the Courier. He
was scribbling away at driving speed,
his hat on, an unlighted cigar in his
mouth.
"Youre at it late, Benz"
Accident on western road. Sixty
lives lost" without looking up.
We seized the long white slips which
lay coiled over the table, and read the
'Tut, tat !"
Infamous 7,
Nobody to blame, of course"
Il tell you the officers Of road
where such an accident is possible
should be tried for murder :" cried Fer
rers.
Santley showed his copy to the boy,
and lighted his cigar. L think you're
wroHg, Ferrcrs. Instead of being start
led at such casualties, [ never travel on
a railway that | am not amazed
at the security of them. Just think of
It. Thousands Of trains running yearly
GA each, with but minute to spare be-
tween safety and destruction, the safety
Of these depending on conductors, tel
egraph clerks, brakesneu, men of every
grade of intellect, their brains subject
to every kind of moods and disease and
tempers. The engineer takes a glass of
liquor; the conductor sets his watch
half a minute too fast; the fiagman
falls asleep, and the train is dashed to
ruin! 1t is not the accident that is to be
wondered at; it is the escape that is
miraculous ~
We all had dropped into seats by this
time. The night was young, and one
after another told some story of adven-
ture or danger Presently Sanity said,
There was an incident which occurred
on the Philadelphia and Erie road few
years ago, which made me feel as I do
IN the matter. [ happened to be an
eye witness to the whole affair"
"What was it, Benz
It's rather long story"
No matter. Go on. You can't go
home until your proof comes in, any
how"
No. Well, to make you under
stand, about five years ago had bad
observation-disclosures, handwriting
and poor. pay. You know how fast it
all wears out the machine The doctor
talked of diseases OF the gray matter of
the brain. ETC., and prescribed, instead
Of medicine, absolute rest and change
Of scene. would have swallowed all
the nostrums in a drug-shop rather
than have left the Office for a week.
III take country board and send in
my editorials said
No; you must drop office and work
utterly out of your life for month at
least Talk and think of planting pota-
toes, or embroidery-anything but
newspaper and politics.
well, [ obeyed. started on a pc
destrlan tour through Pennsylvania,
studied oil stock in Allegheny county,
and ate sauerkraut in Berks. Finally
! brought up-footsore and bored be-
yond bearing-in Williamsport. While
there, [ fell into the habit of lounging
about the railway station, studying the
constructions of the engines, and MAX
ing friends with the men. The man
with whom [ always fraternize most
readily is the skilled mechanic. He
aas degree of common sense-a store
Of certain facts which your young doc
or or politician is apt to lack Besides,
ne IS absolutely sure ofhis social stand
lng ground, and has grave selfrespect
which teaches him to respect you The
professional lad just started on his ca
reer is uneasy, not sure of his position;
he tries to climb perpetually I tell
you this to explain my intimacy with
many of the officials on the road,
especially with an engineer named
Blakely
This man attracted me first by his
ability to give me the information [
wanted IN few direct sharp words.
Like most reticent men, he knew the
weight and value of words. | soon be-
came personally much interested in
him. He was about forty, his hair
streaked with gray, with a grave, worn
face, which limited at a youth of hard
ships and much suffering. However.
Blakely had found his way to the up
lands at last. Three years before he.
had married a bright, cheefu woman.
They had one child-a boy. He had
work and good wages, and was, found,
high IN the confidence of the company.
On one occasion, having a Sunday off,
he took me up to Jersey Shore, where
his wife and boy lived. He was an ex-
ceptionally silent man, but when with
them was garrulous ard light hearted
as boy. In his eyes Jane was the
wisest and fairest of women. and the
boy wonder of intellect. One great
source of trouble to him was, as I found,
that he was able to see them but once
III three weeks. 1t was necessary for
the child's health to keep them in the
country air, and, indeed, he could not