Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-04-16

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
conductor ism t expected to do any thing but
amuse the passengers. No sir. was offer
ed pass, but don't like the line. don't
nus. Do you know sir asked a division
superintendent, where that road run to,
and he said he hoped to die If he knew. !
asked him il the general superintendent
could tell me, and he said he didn't believe
they had a general superintendent, and II
they had he didn't know any more about
the road than the passengers / asked hifa
who be reported to, and he said nobody
I asked conductor " no be got his orders
from, and he said he didn't take orders
from any living man or dead ghost, And
when I asked the engineer who he got his
orders from, he said he'd like to see any
body 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 a railroad
man, and I don't care to run on road
that has no time, makes no connections,
runs nowhere. and has no superintendent
1t may be all right, but I've railroaded it
too long to understand it. y
did you try the Methodist?' said.
Nov, you're shouting he said with
some enthusiasm. ''Nice road, eh? Fast
time and plenty of passengers. Engines
carry power of steam, and don't you for
get it; steam gauge shows hundred and
enough all the time. Lively road; when
the conductor shouts all aboard you can
hear him to the next station. Every train
lamp shines like head light. Stop-over
checks given on all through tickets; pas
senger can drop off the train as often as
he likes, do the station two or three days
and hop on the next revival train that
comes laundering along. Good, whole
souled, companionable conductors; amt
road in the country where the passengers
feel more at home. No passes; every pas
senger pays full traffic rates for his ticket.
Wesleyan house air brake on all trains,
too; pretty safe road, but l didn't ride
over it yesterday"
"Maybe you went to the Congregational
church," said.
popular road" said the brakeman. san
old road, too; one of the very oldest in this
country. Good road-bed and comfortable
cars. Well-managed road, too; directors
don't interfere with division superintend-
ents and train orders. Road g mighty pop
ular, but it's pretty independent, too. See.
didn't one of the division superintendent
down east discontinue one of the Oldest
stations on this line two or three years
ago? But lisa mighty pleasant road to
travel on. Always has such splendid
class of passengers.
"Perhaps you tried the Baptist?" I
guessed once more.
''Ah, ha'' said the brakeman, ''she's
daisy. isn't she? river road; beautiful
curves; sweep around anything to keep
close to the river. but it's all steel rail and
rock ballast, single track all the way, and
not side track from the round-house to
the terminus. Takes heap Of water to
run it through; double tanks at every sta
tion. and there isn't an engine in the shops
that can pull pound or run mile on less
than two gauges. But it runs through a
lovely country; these river roads always
do; river on one side and hills on the 9th.
er, and it's a steady climb up the grade all
the way till the run ends where the foun-
tain head of the river begins. Yes, sir,
I'll take the river road every time for a
lovely trip, sure connections, and good
time, and no prairie dust blowing in at the
windows. And yesterday when the con,
ductor came around for the tickets with
little basket punch didn't ask him to
pass me, but paid nay fair like little
man-twenty-6ye cents for an hours run,
and little concert by the passengers
throwed in. 1 tell you, pilgrim, you take
the river road when you want
But, just here, the long whistle from the
engine announced station, and the brake
man hurried to the door, shouting:
''Zionville! This train makes no stops
between here and Indianapolis!'e B,rl
ington (Ia). Haaokeye.