The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-03-25
The Brakeman who went to Church.

infection that asks for more. " And
what church did you attendp" 81i a.,
(which do you guessP" he asked.
"Some gur.ion mission church," l
=" Nav" he said, "I don't like to run
on these branch roads very much. /
don't often 20 to church, and when /
do, / 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. Idon't like to run
on branch. GOOD enough, but don't
:" Episcopalp" guessed. .1no. oia 90
Limited express" he said, call pal
ace cars and two dollars extra for a
seat; fast time, and only stops at the
big stations. Nice. line, but too ex-
haustive for a 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 at the conductor;
No, / couldn't stand the palace cars.
Rich road, though. Don't often hear
of receiver being appointed for that
line. Some mighty nice people travel
on it, too" ltaf. ~ ..t
UniversalistP" guessed. 4 rHt
BROAD gauge" said the brakeman,
"does too much complimentary busi-
ness. Everybody travels on a pass.
Conductor doesn't get fare once in
fifty miles. Stops at all flag stations,
and won't run into anything but
union depot. No smoking car on the
train. Train orders are vague, though,
and the trainmen don't get along we'll
with the passengers. No, ! don't go to
the Universalist, though / know some
awfully good men who run on that
road. TH. "l# iWnna Hni fH ID
Perhaps you went to the Unitari-
ansp" 1.-''.' ..-I....'- ..'- 49,. "a
"No, didn't, but I might have done
worse. That is a mighty good road,
well ballasted with reason, though it
runs through region a little bit cold.
anc there is apt to be some ice and
snow on the track, but in case of acci-
dent there is no danger of upsetting the
stoves and being burnt up; and there's
one good thing about it, the neighbors
are generally ready to come and help
when you do get into trouble. They
like to have things nice and comfort
able in this worll, doing what they
think is about right and taking their
chances for the other. They don't seem
to take much stock in being as miser-
able as you can here in the hope that
YOU will be the happier for it there.
They seem to think that mans going
to reap the same kind of crop that he
plants, and that if he puts in a selfish,
worthless kind of life on this eartn il
amt a-going to come out a very fine
specimen in heaven. Seems to me
some sense as well as poetry in that
but l was raised an orthodox an6
'twouldn't do for me to be seen on that
train or / might lose my place on the
other line, as there's good deal o.
competition between the two roads, anC
our folks are getting afraid of losing
travel" ....... ....-.... ..,-....-.....
Presbyterian ?" I asked.
Marrow gauge, ehp" said the brake
man, "pretty track, straight as a rule
tunnel right through a mountain rather
than 60 around it; spirit level grade
passengers have to show their tickets
before they get on the train. Might
strict road, but the cars are n little mar
row: have TO sit one in a seat and NJ
room in the aisle to dance. Then there
no stop-over tickets allowed; got to go
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 shops to hold just 81
many and nobody else allowed on. Blu
you don't often hear of an accident ol
this road. It's run right up to TIL
rules"
"Mdybe you j0ined the free thinkers?
/ said.
"Scrub road" said the brakeman
"dirt road bed and no ballast; no tim
card and no train dispatcher. A.
trains run wild and every enginee
makes his own time, just as he pleases
Smoke if you want to; kind of go-as
you-please road. Too many side track
time, with the switchman sound asleel
, and the target lamp dead out. Get D
, as you please and get off when yo
want to. Don't have to show you
tickets, and the conductor isn't expecte
to do anything but amuse the passer
gers. No, sir, was offered a pass, br
| don't like the line. | don't like
travel on line that has no terminu!
I Do you know, sir, / asked divisio
/ superintendent where that road run tt
Q and he said he hoped to die if he knew
. l asked him if the general superintel
/ dent could tell me, and he said b
didn't believe they had general 81
8 perintendent, and if they had he didn
, know any more about the road tina
= the passengers. / asked him who |
/ reported to, and he said nobody
: asked a conductor who he got his o
4 ders from, and he said he didn't tai
1 orders from any living man or dea
/. ghost. And when l asked the engines
4 who he got his orders from, he sal
/ he'd like to see anybody give him o
e ders, he'd run that train to suit hin
Y self OF he'd run it into the ditch. No
e you see, sir, Pm railroad man, and
don't care to -un on a'road that max
n no connections, runs nowhere and HI
d no superintendent. 1t may be all righ
$ but I've railroaded too long to unde
:, stand it," -N ..,
a Ibid you try the MethodistP"
S asked. ... -.... I'D. $3.50.
e "Now you're shouting" he said wi
It some enthusiasm. mice road. el
d Fast time and plenty of passenger
Is Engines carry power OF steam, al
e don't you forget it; steam gauge sho,
j. hundred and enough all the tim
g Lively road when the conduct
Ie shouts all aboard you can hear hi
7, to the next station. Every train Ian
j. shines like q headlight. Stop-ov
le checks given on all through ticket
S. passengers drop off the train as oft
s. as they like, do the station two
W three days and hop on the next reviy
le train that comes laundering alor
ly Good, whole-souled, companional
IN conductors; amt a road in the count
e. where the passengers feel more
T. home. No passes; every passenl
Sc pays full traffic rates for his tick
is WESLEYAN house air brakes on all trai