The Bossier banner., 1880-07-01
Railroad COnductOrs..Their Duties, Dan.
gers and Responsibilities.

They are generally considered to have
an enviable 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 conductors life, and were they
| able to take his place for time, they
would soon begin to toquestion themselves
if it were not, after all, better to do a
little more manual labor and get little
less money than to be harrassed with
all the cares and responsibilities that
they would find falls to the lot of ths
conductor, tc say nothing of the mcnot-
ony and fatigue of riding over the Same
ground day after day.. and, if it is a
short route, several times day.
Still, there is no doubt that conduct
or's life is comparatively an easv 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 not
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 conductor is supreme and abso-
lutte, 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 week
they would no longer wonder. 1t seems
as if some people reserve all the silly
and useless questions they can think of
and load themselves up with them
whenever they 60 to travel and then
discharge them broadside at the long,
suffering and wonderfully patient con-
ductor, 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 conduct
or or any other train hand to pass with
out asking some useless question.
What wonder then that the conductor
occasionally loses all patience and an.
swers rather curtly?
Some conductors will 90 through
train and collect fares in half the time
consumed by others, and at the same
eAAAAO nav +" PIOttottAU WI u 1OI cdC1l Ou0
they meet; and then again, by sort of
magnetism they will hurry passengers
out of crowded car on reaching some
side station and load others in without
losing a second of time, while others
will let the people come out at leisure
and stop for long farewell talks with
other passengers before getting out
and the train will leave minute or two
late, which cannot be made up as more
time is consumed at the next station
an important connection is lost, and
passengers grumble at delays caused by
other passengers, and themselves in
turn, through the indulgence OF the con-
ductors. The conductor who is quick
and decided, and at the same time cour-
teous, has the least trouble with passen.
gers and the most friends among them,
while by his reliability in making time
he is held in much higher esteem by the
But with all his cares, responsibilities
and vexations there is the bright and
Jolly side to the conductors life, and
when everything runs smoothly and
harmoniously his experiences are con-
stantly varying and there is fund of
droll incidents and singular events to
be drawn upon for his delectation which
can hardly occur in many occupations.