The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-06-24
THE DIFFERENT TRACKS TAX I'm
BY DIFFERENT PEOPLE TO
HEAVENLY REGIONS,

Lebanon Is the capital Of Boone county and
Boone county Is the thirteenth county In the State
for agricultural resources. And there Is one very
remarkable fact In the history of the county and
city. They have no debt either bonded or float,
Ing. And what Is more remarkable neither city
nor county ever had a debt, They paid as they
went, and they are consequently rich, contented
and prosperous, and If all the people in Lebanon
are like the people met, they deserve to be rich
There maybe some stupid people in Lebanon.
but wasn't introduced TO any ofthem.
On the road once more with Lebanon fading IN
toe distance, the fat passenger drumming idly on
the window pane, the across passenger soand
asleep, and the tall thin passenger reading "Gen.
eral Grants Tour Around the World" and won.
dering why "Greene's August Flower should be
printed above the doors of "A Buddhist Temple
at Benares," To me comes the brakeman; seating
himself on the arm Of the seat, says:
Il went to church yesterday"
"Yes," 1 said, with that infection that asks for
more. "And what church did you attend ~
Which do you guessf" he asked.
Some union mission church," l hazzarded,
mo-" said he, II don't like to run on these
branch roads very much. I don't often 20 to
church, and when l do go I want to run on the
main line, where your run is regular and you 90
on schedule time, and don't have to wait on con.
n~ectlons, I don't like to run on a branch, Good
enough, but I don't like It,"
Episcopal" 1 guessed.
Limited express" he said, "all palace cars and
50 extra for a seat; fast time, and only stops at big
stations Nice line, but too exhaustive fora brake.
man All train man In ,YnfEoun, oo,a..--l.
punch and lantern silver. plated, and no train
boys allowed. Then the passengers are allowed
to talk back at the conductor; and 1t makes them
too free and easy. No, I couldn't stand the palace
cars. Rich road enough. Don't often hear Of a
receiver being appointed for that line. some
mighty nice people travel on 1t, too"
"Universalisti" l suggested.
Broad gauge" said the brakeman, docs too
much complimentary business. Everybody trav.
els on a pass, Conductor doesn't get fare once
in fifty miles. Stops at all flag stations, and won't
run into anything but a union depot. No smok.
ing car on the train. Train orders are vague
though, aud trainmen don't get along well with
the passengers, No l don't 60 to the UniVersalist
though l know some awfully good men who run
on that road"
Presbyterian" l asked,
Marrow gauge, eh2' said the brakeman, 'pret.
ty track, straight as a rule; tunnel right through
a mountain rather than go around It; spirit.level
grade; passengers have to show their tickets be.
fore they can get on the train. Mighty good road
but the cars are a little narrow; have to sit one In
a seat with no one in the aisle to dance. Then
there's no stop over tickets allowed; got to 20
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 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 Thinkers ?" 1
said.
Scrub road" said the brakeman, dirt road
bed and no ballast, no time card and no train
dispatcher. All trains run wild every engineer
makes his own time, just as he pleases. Smoke II
you want to; kind Of 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 conductor isn't expect.
ed to do anything but amuse the passengers. Mo-,
sir, | was offered a pass, but l don't like the line.
don't like to travel on a road that has no term.
linus. Do you know, sir, l asked division super
intendent where that road run to, and he said he
hoped to die If he knew. 1 asked him II the gen.
neral superintendent could tell me, and he said
he didn't believe they had a general superintend.
ent, and II they had he didn't know any more
about the road than the passenger, asked him
who he reported to and he said nobody I asked
q conductor who he got orders from, he said he
didn't take orders from any living man or dead
ghost. And when l asked the engineer where 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 1t into the ditch. Now, you
see, I'm a railroad man, and l don't care to run
on a road that has no time, made no connections,
runs nowhere and has no superintendent. 1t may
be all right but l have railroaded too long to IN.
derstand It,"
Did you try the Methodist" l said.
Nov, you're shouting" he said with some en-.
thuAiasm. mice road, ehi Fast time and plenty
Of passengers. Engines carry . power Of steam.
and don't you forget II; steam gauge shows q hun.
dred 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 headlight. Stop over checks given on all
through tickets passenger 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, compAn.
ionRble conductors; amt q road in the country
where the passengers feel more at home. No
passes; every passenger pays full traffic rates for
his ticket. WeSleyanhouse air brake on all trains,
too; pretty safe road, but I didn't ride over that
road yesterday"
Maybe you wenttO the Congregational church,
I said. ,
Popular road, u said the brakeman, ian old one
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
superintendents and train orders. Road mighty
popular, but It's pretty independent, too. See
didn't one Of the division Superintendents dowr
east discontinue one Of the Oldest stations on thi
line two or three years agoi But It's a mighty
pleasant road to travel on. Always has such
splendid class Of passengers"
Perhaps you tried the BaptistP"I guessed ono
more.
"Ah, ha," said the brakeman, shes q dais
isn't she2 River road; beautiful curve; swee
around anything to keep close to the river, bu
It's all steel rail and rock ballast single track al
the way and not q side'track nom the round