Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-06-04
RAILROAD CONDUCTORS.
Their Duties and Dangers-ResponsIbIl
ties and Pleasurss-The MOnArchs OF an
Hour.

Their Duties and Dangers-ResponsIbIl
ties and Plcasurss-The MOnarchs OF an
Hour.
They are generally considered to have
an enyiablo position, which signifies that
they wear good clothes, get good wages,
smoke good cigars and have little or
nothing to do. But those who look at it
in that way see only one side of the con-
ductor's life, and were they able to take
his place for time, they would soon be-
gin to question themselves if it were not,
after all, better to do little more man.
ual labor and get little less money than
to be harrassed with all the cares and re-
sponsibilities that they would find falls
to the lot of the conductor, to say moth
ing of the monotony and fatigue ofriding
over the same ground day after day, and,
if it is short route, several times day.
Still, there is no doubt that conduct
or's life is comparatively an easy and
pleasant one for man who is obliged to
work for his living in one way or an
other. 1t is source of satisfaction to
any man to be at the head of affairs in
which he is directly interested, if only
for brief period, 1t is human nature.
And from the time his train leaves its
starting point to that on which it reaches,
its destination, the authority of the con-
ductor is supreme and absolute, so long,
Of course, as he makes his time and
abides by the regulations. They are the
monarchs of an hour. People frequently
find fault at receiving curt replies from
conductors, and in fact all other railway
officials, but if they were to take the
place of one for a week they would no
longer wonder. 1t seems as if some peo-
pie reserve all the silly and useless ques-
tions they can think of and load them
selves up with them whenever they go
to travel and then discharge them broad
side at the long-suffering and wonderful
ly patient conductor, and if they run out
of new ones will repeat as often as the
conductor comes that way. These bores
are on every train and never allow the
conductor or any other train hand to
pass without asking some useless ques-
ton. What wonder then that the con-
ductor occasionally loses all patience and
answers rather curtly?
A conductor who leaves the city in the
morning and returns in the evening, got
off at q small station not far out, the
other evening, on his return trip. He
was approached by grim-visaged indi.
vidual, who addressed him in tone
that showed he was very much provoked
"Say, did you know you left me this
morning." The conductor responded
pleasantly: mo, l did not; and where
were your" II was in the depo
here" "Well, my dear sir, you mus
recollect that the depot never goes out
never load my passengers on with :
stretcher. If you want to ride with m,
you must climb on the train" The an
CRY man was completely nonplussed, ant
remarking, "Well, that's so, The turned
and walked away, apparently satisfied
Some conductors will 60 through
train and collect fares in half the tim
consumed by others, and at the sam
time have a pleasant word for each on
they meet; and then again, by sort o
magnetism they will hurry passenger
out of a crowded car on reaching som
side station, and load others in withou
loseing second of time, while other
will let the people come out at leisur
and stop for long farewell talks wit
other passengers before getting out, an
the train will leave y minute or tw
minutes late, which cannot be made u
rs more time is consumed at the mex
station, an important connection is lost
and passengers grumble at delays cause
by other passengers, and themselves i
turn, through the indulgence of the cor
ductors. The conductor who is quic
and decided, and at the same time coul
teous, has the least trouble with passer
gers, and the most friends among then
while by his reliability in making tim
he is held in much higher esteem by til
company.
But with all his cares, responsibility
ann vexations there is the bright an
! jolly side to the conductors life, an
when everything runs smoothly and hal
moniously his experiences are constant
, varying, and there is fund of droll il
cidents and singular events to be draw
: upon for his delectation which can hardl
occur in many occupations.