Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-03-07
A BRAKEMAN AT CHURCH.

On the road once more, with lebanon
fading away in the distance, the fat pas
senger drumming idly on the window
pane, the cross passenger reading "GeH.
Grants Tour Around the World" and
wondering why "Green's August Flower
should be printed above the doors of "a
Buddhist temple at Benares." To me
comes the brakeman, and seating himself
on the arm Of the seat says:
II went to church yerterday."
"Yes?" I said, with that interesting
infection that asks for more. "And what
church do you attend?"
(Which do you guessa" he asked.
"Some union mission church?" I haz.
arded.
"No'' he said, II don't like to run
on these branch roads very much. I don't
often 90 to church, and when I do,
want to run on the main line, where youl
1un is regular and you go on schedule
time and don't have to wait on connec-
tons. 1 don't like to run on branch
Good enough, but I don't like L."
'.Eplscopall' I guessed
"Limited express" he said, all palace
cars, and two dollars extra for seat, fast
time and only stop at the big stations.
Nice line, but too exhaustive for brake
man. All train men IN uniform, conduc-
tors punch and lantern silver-plated, and
no train boys allowed. Then the pas
sengers are allowed to talk back at the
conductor, and it makes them too free
and easy. No, couldn't stand the pal
ace cars. Rich road, though. Don't
often hear of receiver being appointed
for that line Some mighty nice people
travel on it, too"
"Universalist?" suggested.
BROAD gauge" said the brakeman
''does too much complimentary business.
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 a union depot. Nc
smoking car o. the train. Train or
ders are rather vague, though, and the
train men don't get along well with the
passengers. No, don't go to the Uni
versal1st, though 1 know some awfully
good men who run on that road"
"Presbyterlan2" asked.
Marrow guage, eh?'' said the brake
man, pretty track, straight as rule:
tunnel light through mountain rather
than 60 around it; spirit level grade
passengers have to show their ticket be-
fore they get on the train. Mighty strict
road, but the cars are little narrow
have to sit ore in a seat and no room In
the aisle to dance. Then there IS no
stop-over tickets allowed; got to &C
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 SC
many and nobody else allowed on. But
YOU don't hear of an accident on that
road. It's run right up to rules. -.
"Maybe you joined the Free Thlnkersl
I said.
"Scrub road said the brakeman, "dilt
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 pieases. Smoke II you
want to. kind of go-as-you-please road.
Too many side-tracks, and every switch
wide open at the time, with the switch
man 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 expected to do anything but
amuse the passengers. No, sir, | was
offered pass, but I don't like the line.
don't like to travel on road that has No
terminus. Do you know, Sir, l asked a
division superintendent where that road