Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-02-11
THE BRAKEMAN AT CHURCH

On the road once more, with Leba
non fading away in the distance, the
fat passenger drumming idly on the
window pane, the cross passenger
sound asleep and the tall, thin passen'
ger reading General Grants Tour
Around the World" and wondering
why "Grcen's August Flower" should
be printed above the doors of "a Bud.
dhist Temple at Benares." To me
comes the brakeman, and seating him.
self on the arm Of the seat, says:
II went to church yesterday
"Yes y ! said, with that interested
infection that asks for more. "And
what church did you attend ?"
(Which do you guess ?" he asked.
"Some Union Mission church," |
hazarded.
"Now," he said, 81 don't like to run
on these branch roads very much !
don't often 90 to church, and when ]
do, | want to run on the main line
where your run is regular and you &c
on schedule time, and don't have tc
wait on connections. don't like tC
run on a branch. Good enough, but
don't like it,
episcopal ?" guessed.
Limited express" he said, call pal
ace cars, and two dollars extra for q
seat, fast time, and only stop at th,
big stations. Nice line, but too ex
baustive for a brakeman. All trair
men uniform, conductors punch anC
lantern Slver.plated, and no trainboyt
allowed. Then the passengers are al
lowed to talk back to the conductor
and it makes them too free and easy
No, couldn't stand the palace cars
Rich road, though. Don't often heal
Of receiver being appointed for ths
line. Some mighty nice people trave
on it, too
"Universalst p | suggested.
"Broad gauge said the brakeman
"does too much complimentary bust
ness. Everybody travels on pass
Conductor doesn't get fare once II
fifty miles. Stops at all flag stations
and won't run into anything but un
ion depot. No smoking-car on th'
train. Train orders are rather vague
though, and the train men don't ge
along well with the passengers. No
| don't 90 to the Universahst, thougl
| know some awfully good men whc
run on that road
Presbyterian ?" ! asked.
Marrow gauge, eh 7" said the brake
man, "pretty track, straight as rule
tunnelright through mountain rathe
than 60 around it. spirit-level grade
passengers have to show their ticket
before they get on the train. Might,
strict road, but the cars are a littl'
narrow have TO sit one in scat AM
no room in the aisle 10 dance. The
there is no stop over tickets allowed
got to go straight through to the sta
ton you're ticketed for, or you can
get on at all. When the car is full, n
extra coaches cars built at the shop
TO hold just 80 many, and nobody els
allowed on. But you don't often hea
of an accident on that road. It's rut
right up to the rules"
Maybe you joined the Free-Think
ers 2" ! said
'Scrub road, said the brakeman
"dirt road.bed and ballast, no timS
card and no train dispatcher. AL
trains run wild, and every enginee
makes his own time, just as he pleasei
. Smoke if you want to; kind Of goat
you.pleasb road Too many sid
tracks, and every switch wide open a
the time, with the switchman soun
asleep and the target lamp dead ou
Get on as you please and off when yo
want to. Don't have to show you
tickets, and the conductor isn't es
pected to do anything but amuse tn
passengers. No, sir, | was offered
pass, but don't like the line. | don
like TO travel on q road that has n
terminus. Do you know, sir, l aske
a Division Superintendent whore tina
road run TO, and he said he hope
TO die if he knew. | then aske
him if the General Superintendent
could tell me, and he said he ddn
, believe they bad a General Superb
tendent, and II they had, he didn
know anything more about the roa
than the passengers. asked bir
who he reported to, and he said, Nc
body. | asked a conductor who h
got bis orders from, and he said b
didn't take orders from any Twin
man or dead ghost And when ash
cd the engineer who he got his order
+ from, he said, he'd like to SEQ any
body give orders; he'd run that trai
4 to suit himself, or he'd run her in th
, ditch Now, you see, sir, I'm q raj
, road man, and don't care 10 run on
, load that has no time, or makes n
connections, runs nowhere, and has n
Superintendent. 1t may be all righ
l. but I've railroaded TOO long to under
take it,"
maybe you went 10 the Congrcgi
tonal church ?" ] said.
Popular road said the brakeman
ian old road, too one of the very ol,
est in this country Good road.be
and comfortable cars. Well manage
) road, too; directors don't intcricr
:. with division Superintendent and trai
; orders. Roads mighty popular br
!, itspretty independent, too. Yes, diJn
one Of the Division Superintendent
down cast discontinue one of the oldc
stations on this line two or three yeal
ago2 But it's mighty pleasant roa
TO travel on. Always has such splel
did class Of passengers"
"Did you try the Methodist" ?"
said.
"Now you're shouting" he said wit
some enthusiasm. mice road, el
. Fast time and plenty Of passenger
y Engines carry power Of stcam, ar
4 don't you forget Il steam gauge shoy
IS a hundred and enough all the tim
. Lively road when the conduct