The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1879-08-08
YARNS RY A TRAINS CREW.
Queer Stories that W ere Told in a
Flying Baggage Car.
lNew York SuN,l

from Philadelphia,o ,on the Pennsylvania
Railroad, the other night, and every
one of the train hands spun a yarn be-
fore we reached Jersey City. The
general conversation was started by
my asking about the occupation Of a
man saw on the track, carrying bag
and white light, and walking along
with his eyes on the ground. He
looked like geologist examining the
soil. was told that he was a tstrack
walker" and that the railroad employs
many men-one to every three miles
to patrol the track night aud day, after
the English plan. These track walkers
carry wrench, hammer, spikes,
anime every inch of the rails, particu-
larly the joints, repair whatever wears
out of order, and undo any obstruc-
tons that may have been erected with
mischievous intent.
ssAnd are distractions sometimes
found by thcm?' the conductor was
asked.
"More frequently than you'd think"
was that officials reply. tsThat very
man you asked about found q rail tied
across the track twice in "a hours, just
above Bristol station. He found ties
piled up more than once near II curve,
and as for loose raits-they are found
every night. Generally, loose rails are
in the natural order of events"
s'What does he do at night when he
comes across an obstruction ?" was the
next question. :
tsHe signals the endangered train,"
was the reply.
eyes, but his light is 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"
s'He is armed" the conductor inter-
rupted.
Stories of fights in which railroad
men took part, were suggested and
narrated. One WAS about q conductor
on the New Jersey Southern in Jim
Fisk's time, when the biggest train
loads ever seen in New Jersey were
Roughs were not uncommon, and a
custom the roughs had was that of
breaking car door panes. These lights
cost about $3.50, but the companies
charge 80 for them as a protective
measure. The conductor referred to
reported q number of broken panes
and told Superintendent Kimball he
could neither get the money nor arrest
the roughs. s'Then lick the -,"
Mr.. Kimball replied. "Do you order
me to lick any man I catch breaking a
glass 90 asked the conductor, Il frail
fellow of consumptive tendency. III
do" said the Superintendent. "Well,
that's all want to KNOW" replied the
conductor. That night the pIucky
train handler was brought into the
of cuts and bumps, and black and blue
all over. He was unable to walk. II
saw a man break glass and hit him
a clip in the nose," said the conductor.
ssThat's all, except that he was 200
pound Fourth Ward bruiser, with
hands like triphammers, and he wiped
the floor with me, pounded my head
on the seat irons, and jumped on my
stomach for fifteen minutes"
Tramps were considered in story
told by the news agent. He said that
on 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. A bright idea
seized the station agent. 1t was win
ter time. He went into the tramp
invaded sitting-room and pretended to
poke the fire. The poker was an inch
iron bar, five feet long. While he
fuddlcd with the damper, ho left the
poker buried in the hot Goals. The
tramps applauded his hospitality. He
| whistlcd cheerily and ratified the
! dampcr. Suddenly he sprang to his
feet, drew out the poker, three feet of
which was at white heat, and swinging
! it right and left he yelled at the panic
stricken tramps. A few of them went
out by the door, but the majority
plunged through the windows. In loss
than sixty seconds the station agent
was monarch Of all he surveyed.
| A brakeman told a queer yarn about
wealthy old miscreant in Iowa, a
farmer who did not fence his land prop
erly, yet grumbIed 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. It was believed
at the time that the farmer had tied
the rail to the track. Many persons
We're killed, and all the bodies but that
Of an aged woman were identified.
The first day after the accident the ole
farmer did not go to the town wherein
fb;- bodxy ouo;fa,J burial h11f nm fht