Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-08-29
NO. POS.
Gales ano Skcttbes.
YARNS BY 4 TRAINS CREW.

| occupied the top of trunk in bag
gage ear at the rear of a way train from
Philadelphia. on the Pennsylvania rail-
road, the other night, and every one of the
train hands spun yarn before we reached
Jersey City. The general conversation
was started by my asking a question about
the occupation of man saw on the track
carrying bag and a white light and walk
ing along with his eyes on the ground.
He looked like IA geologst examining the
soil. | was told he was track WALKER
and that the railroad employ many men,
one to every three miles-to- patrol the
track night and day, after the English plan
These track walkers carry a wrench, ham,
mer. spikes, switch key, and what not.
They examine every inch of the rails par
ticularly the joints. repair whatever wears
out of order. and undo any obstruction
that may have been erected with mischiev-
ous intent.
"And are obstructions sometimes found
by them?'' the conductor was asked.
More frequently than you'd Think was
the officials reply. That very man you
asked about found Il rail tied across the
track twice in twenty-four hours, just
above Bristol station He found the tiles
piled up more than once near curve, and,
as for loose rails, they are found every
night. Generally, loose rails are in the
natural order of events
''What does he do at night when he
comes across an obstruction ?'' was the
next question.
''Iic signals the endangered train was
the reply.
Yes; but his light is q white one.
~ N,ll I,., Il -
put over the white shade" the conductor
made reply
"And if he attacks or is attacked
ale is armed, the conductor interrupt
ed.
men took part were suggested and narrat-
ed.
One was about conductor on the New
Jersey Southern in Jim Fisk's time. when
the biggest train-loads ever seen in New
jersey were carried down to Monmouth
Park. Roughs We're not uncommon, and
a custom the roughs had was that of break
ing car door panes. These lights cost
about Il dollar and half but the company
charged three dollars for them as pro-
to reported a number of broken door panes
neither get the money or arrest the roughs.
Then lick the ---,'' Mr.. Kimball
replied. '.Do you order me to lick any
man catch breaking a glass p'' asked the
conductor, a frail fellow of consumptive
tendency. II do,' replied the Superin-
tendent "Well. that's all / want to
know" said the conductor. That night
the plucky little train handler was brought
into the general Office at Long Branch
mass of cuts and bumps, and black and
blue all over. He was unable to walk.
IL saw man break glass aud hit him
clip in the nose" said the conductor
That's all, except that he was Il 200-pound-
er fourth ward bruiser with hands like trip
hammers, and he wiped the floor with me.
pounded my head on the seat irons and
Jumped on my stomach for fifteen min
utes."
Tramps were considered i'm story told
by the new agent He said that on sta
ton on the Pennsylvania division horde
of tramps captured and filed the depot,
and threatened to kill those who Of
fered to dislodge them. They lounged on
the benches, smoked. swore and fought.
4 bright idea seized the station agent.
1t was winter time He went into the
tramp-nvaded sitting room and pretended
to poke the fire. The poker was three
quarter inch bar, five feet long. While
he fuddled with the damper he left the
poker buried in the hot Goals. The tramps
applauded his hospitality. He whistled
cheerily and ratified the damper. Sudden
" he sprang to his feet drew out the pok-
er, three feet of which was white heat.
and swinging it right and left he yelled at
the panic stricken tramps \ few OF them
went out by the door, but the majority
plunged through the windows. In less
than sixty seconds the station agent was
monarch of all he surveyed.
A brakeman told a queer yarn about a
wealthy old miscrcant in Iowa. IA farmer
who did not fence his land properly, yet
orumbled when his cattle were killed.
The railroad beat him in the courts. and
he treasured up the hardest feelings
against the company One day rail was
tied across the track near the old farmers
land. and the first passenger train that
came along was wrecked. ltwas believed
at the time that the farmer had tied the
rail to the track. Many persons were
killed, and all the bodies but that OF an
aged woman were Unidentified. The first
dav after the accident the old farmer did
not 90 to the town wherein this body
awaited burial, but ON the following morn
inc he visited the post office and received
word that his sister was coming on from
the East to visit him. He rushed to the
morgue and identified the body of the UNI
known lady as that of his sister. In less
than year he became maniac, and in
his rawlings admitted that he had wrecked
the train
Another story was told of a stupid lamb
that was seen to run between the wheels
of a rapidly moving locomotive near Sun
bury. The engineer suffered a pang Of
regret, tor he was tender hearted, and
wouldn't run over snake if he could
help it, He looked back over the road
for the corpse of the unfortunate lamb.
To his astonishment he saw the lamb leap
from the track behind the last car and run
Ill L LII .S<ai