The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-08-07
YARNS BY A TRAINS CREW.
Queer Stories that Were Told in
Flying Baggage Car.

MIA railroad, the other night, and eve
ry one of the train hands spun yarn
before we reached Jersey City. The
general conversation was started by
my asking about the occupation of a
man | saw on the track, carrying a
bag and a white light, and Walking
along with his eyes Gu The ground.
He looked like geolOgist examining
the soil. | was told that he was
track walker" and that the railroad
employs many men-one to every
three miles-to patrol the track night
and day, after the English plan.
These track walkers carry Il wrench,
hammer, spikes, switch key, and what
not. They examine every inch Of
the rails, particularly the joints, re-
pair whatever wears out Of order, and
undo any obstructions that may have
been erected with mischlevous intent.
"And are distractions sometimes
found by them?" the conductor was
asked. "More frequently than you'd
think" was that officials. reply.
THAT very man you asked about
found a rail tied across the track twice
in twenty-tour hours, just above B"is-
toI station. He found ties piled up
more than once near Il curve, and as
for loose rails-they are found every
night. Generally, loose rails are in
the natural order of eVeLts"
What does he do at night when he
comes arrosS an obstruction ," was the
next question.
"He signals the endangered train,"
was the reply.
"Yes, but his light is a white one"
"Well, he carries red glass cover
to put over the white shade" the con-
ductor made reply.
"And if he attacks or is attacked"
He rs arme1," the conductor inter-
rupted.
Tramps were considered in story
told by the news agent. He said that
on Il station on the Pennsylvania Di-
vision, horde of tramps captured
and filled the depot, and threatened
To kill those who offered to dislodge
them. They lounged on the benches
smoked, sWore, and fought. \ bright
idea seized the station agent. 1t was
winter time. He went into the tramp
invaded sitting room, and pretended
to poke the fire. The poker was
three-guarter inch bar, five feet long.
" hile he fuddled with the damper
he left the poker buried i'll the hot
Goals. The tramps applauded his
hospitality. He whistled cheerily
and ratified the damper. Suddenly
he sprang to his feet, drew out the
poker, three feet Of which was at white
neat. and swinging it light and left he
yelled at the paGlc stricken tramps.
y few Of them went out by the door,
but the majority plunged through the
windows. In less than sixty seconds
the station agent was monach Of all
he surveyed.
y brakeman told a queer yarn
about a wealthy Old miscreant in Iowa,
farmer who did not fence his land
properly yet grumbled when his cat>
lie were killed. Ihe railroad beat
him in the courts, and he treasured
up the hardest feelings against the
company. One Gay a rail was tied
across the track near the old farmers
land, and the first passenger train that
came along was wrecked. 1t was be-
lieved at the time that the former had
tied the rail to the track. Many per-
sons were killed, and all the bodies
but that ofan aged woman were identi-
ed. The first day after the accident
the old farmer did not 90 to the town
wherein this body awaited burial, but
on the following morning he visited
the post office, and received word that
his sister was coming on flom the
east to visit him. lie rushed to the
morgue and identified the body of the
unknown lady us that of his sister. In
less than year he became maniac,
and In his rawlings admitted that he
had wrecked the train.
\ story was told of Il Hudson Riv-
er engineer who killed man that sud-
denly stepped in front OF his engine.
lie had been watching the man and
saw his face as he crossed over the
track and walked into the engine
The man was blind. The engineer
caught Il glimpse Of the victims face
as lie was struck. His expression
was one Of terror. His scream was
heard above the pounding Of thei en-
glne. The sig ght haunted theengineer
until he quit the business. Every
night at that spot that scene was re-
enacted. He took day train, but
at noon the apparition haunted the
spot. He even Went into the service
of another company, yet at unexpect-
ed moments the spectre Of the blind
man seemed to start UP in the track,
to throw his arms over his head wild>
ly, to scream, and to be crushed under
the locomotive. 1t was more than
the engineer could bear.
Then there was narrated a weird
story that1 had heard before. 1t was
about an apparition of a train on the
Hudson River railroad. 1t was told
with an effort at sincerity that did not
deceive the listener, but | am told
that there are many trackmen and
laborers along the line of the Hudson
River railroad who pretended to haye
seen The spectacle. The tale was
about a mystic counterpart of the fun
aral train that hnre hraham in