Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-12-01
The BraAemas.
New Orleans Times-D,moerat.


The brakeman is a man who is employed
by a railroad company to stand upon the
top of FREE ght car and work both hands al
the engineer and 10 hel p stop the train when
1t is necessary.
Next to being a bareback rider in circns,
the small boy pants 10 be brakeman, so he
can sit on the wheel of a brake aud chew
tobacco while the train is running at fell
speed. The fact that a brakeman is often
seen pegging broadcast over the on q
wooden leg or minus one arm often causes
people to believe that he is an old soldier,
or has served term in base ballclub.
There are two kinds of brakemen, the pas
senger and freight. The passenger brake
man is gentleman of considerable leisure,
and by the nonchalsnt way in which he
comes through a car and tramps on the pas
aengers' feet is often mistaken for the con-
ductor.
He does not have much else TO do but
slam doors, growl at the porter, and when
the train arrives at a station to yell "Pon-
ooyah," when he should say "Pontch atoula."
The freight brakeman IL an entirely dit
ferent man. He Is grim, silent and digui-
fed. He seldom speaks except TO curse the
green hand on the rear end of the train,
whom he affectionately refers to as a 60
pudding" Despite his faults, however, he
works hard and very often rises to position
of importance, unless some day he tries 10
use his body as a coupling-pin and fails.
At night, when a freisht-train is eide
tracked at a meeting poin', and all his com
panions are spotted on pile of tross-Iies,
the brakeman is in his glory. He then dis
cusses dd h6itum the affairs of the road, and
criticises every one from the president down
to the most humble official. He does not
hesitate to cay that if the president can't run
road any better than ne does he should &C
of somewhere and drive caual-boat.
After he has said this and other things
concerning the asininitY OF the officials in
general he turns 10 one OF his companions
and says: Jimmie, did you ever know that
fellow Bill McGinty, who has just been APP
pointed superintendent of the j. X. and &. :"
What, MtGinty? OF course PVe seer
him. and you bet he's fine old plum 10 bt
eunarinte ndent."
"Well, / should think he was 1 wal
brakeman on the southern division of the
G. and N. when he got his first job-old Mat
johnson was pulling us-and McGinty wa
30 green he didn't know draw-head from /
switch frog. No IN tier how slow old Mat
johnson backed up, that fellow couldn'
couple car, and sometimes for half an hou
we were backing up and going head unit
you could hear Matt John 4on curse for tive
miles of. Pll b - if | don't think h
tried to kill M,G,nty. He used 10 COM
back and jam the draw heads under the cars
but when he pulled again McGinty won't.
step out without scratch on him. A road
1 tell you, is mighty hard up when they TAX
such a thing as McGiniy."
At the conclusion OF such a speech III
whole crowd OF brakemen will review tn
history of McGinty, and finally, without
dissenting voice, will arrive at the conclusion
that he is sine old plum" The brakeman
is to be admired for the remarkable m anne
in which he gets wind of various and sundr
plans which The management intend l
place ia operation and wish 10 keep quiet.
The brakeman will sit on the eud Of eros
tie, swap opinions concerning the wisdom
the president in connecting such a plan Ion
before the la-de-da clerks in the genera
office obtains the merest inklirg OF i. Ii a
appoint ment is 10 be made he will tell 20
the name of the man and the time the al
pointmeut is 10 90 into eff ct.