The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-04-22
a Brakeman at Church.

pane, the cross passenger sound asleep,
and the tall thin passenger reading
"Gen. Grants Tour Around the World. .
and wondering why "Green's August
Flower should be painted above the
doors OF Buddhist Temple at Be
mares" To me comes the brakeman,
and seating himself on the arms of the
seat, says:
81 went to church Yesterday"
"Yesr | said, with that interesting
infection that asks for more. "And
what church do you attend =
(Which do you guess p he asked.
"Sonc union mission church," l haz-
arded
'No," he said, Il don't like to run on
these branch roads very much l don't
often 60 to CHURCH, and when l do, l
want to run on the main line, where
your run is regular, and you go on
schedule time and don't have to wait on
connections. | don't like to run on
connections. Good enough, but don't
like ii"
i@BlsNbBal, SuNoSNh'
Limited express" he said, 'all
palace cars, and s. extra for a seat,
fast time and only stops at biz stations.
Nice line, but too exhaustive for Il
brakeman All train men in uniform,
conductors punch and lantern silver
plated, and no train boys allowed.
Then the passengers are allowed 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 hear of a
Receiver being appointed for that line.
Some mighty nice people travel on it,
too.
"Universalist 2 suggested.
BROAD gauge said the brakeman (;
does too much complimentary business.
Everybody travels on pass. Conductor
don't get fare once in fifty miles.
Stops at flag stations and won't run into
anything but union depot No smok-
ing car on the train. Train orders are
rather vague, though, and the train men
don't get along well with the passengers.
No, | don't 90 to the Universalist,
though l do know some awfully good
men VINO run on that road.
presbyterian p | asked.
Narrow gauge, ell 7" said the brake
man "pretty track, straight as a rule
tunnel right through mountain rather
than so around it; spirit-level grade
passengers have to show their tickets
before they get on the train. Mighty
strict road, but the cars are little mar
row have to sit one in a seat, and no
room in the aisle to dance. Then there
are no stop-over tickets allowed you
90 straight through to the station you're
ticketed for, or you can't get on at all
When the cars full no extra coaches;
cars built at the shop to hold just so
many, and nobody else allowed on. But
YOU don't often hear of an accident on
that road. It's run right up to the
rules
" Maybe you joined the Free Think
ers," | said.
Scrub road said the brakeman,
dirt road bed and no ballast no time
card and no train dispatcher All trains
run wild, and every engineer makes his
own time, just as he peases. Smoke if
you want to kind OF a go-as-you- please
road. Too many side tracks, and every
switch wide open all the time, with the
-switchman sound asleep and the target
lamp dead out. Get on as you please
and get off when you want TO- Don't
have to show your tickets, and the con-
ductor isn't expected to do anything but
amuse the passengers. No, sir, | was
offered pass, but don't like the line.
Don't like 10 travel on road that has
no terminus. Do you know, sir, asked
a division superintendent where the
road run to, and he said he hoped to die
if he knew. / asked him if the general
superintendent could tell me. and he said
he didn't believe they had a general
superintendent, and if they did, he didn't
know any more about the road than the
passengers asked him who he report
ed to, and he said nobody. / asked a
conductor who he got his orders from,
and he said he didn't take orders from
any living man or dead ghost. And
when | asked the engineer who he got
his orders from, he said he like to see
anybody give him orders; he'd run that
train to suit himself, or he'd run it into
the ditch. Now you see, sir, I'm rail
road man, and don't care to run on q