Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-09-14
The Railroad Arab.

The Railroad Arab.
Have you ever met with the railroad
Arab? People who travel only on palace
cars. Pullman sleepers and passenger
coaches never see this particular type of
the genus homo. Bat they are the dread
and constant nuisance of the freight con-
ductors and train men. Passengers who
sometimes ride in the caboose of the
freight trains form some amusing acquain-
lance with them. They are the railroad
tramps," their hand against every man
and every mans hand again them.'
They hang around the freight houses
and water tanks after dark. watching for
an opportunity to steal ride. They run :,
as TO age all the way from seven years to
seventy, and 10 matter how young or how
old, will never condescened to walk even
mile at time, unless it is across the
country to forage on garden, or a hen
roost or beg meal at a farm house.
The railroad Arab never travels on pas
senger car and scarcely ever by day light.
D uring the day he lounges laziIy along
the track or Tolls under the trees in the
fields and when his stomach is full and the
night has gathered, be climbs into an
empty coal car and coils himself up at the
bottom or packs himself in along side a
cargo of coal or lumber, OF finding the
door Of box or cattle car unlocked, he
slips in one end and, lying down among
the filth, sweetly sleeps the night away.
Ii the watch on the train is too stIlct
for him. he will climb upon the brake I'M
der freight car and ride there as happy
as king and resents disturbance with
all the offended dignity of a dispossessed
first class passenger who has paid full fare,
and bloody battles sometimes occur on
the midnight trains between the train
men and the ARABS" when they are in
superior force.
A freight train with comfortable ca
boose attached. was rafting along the
other day on the Norfolk & Western rail-
boys were seen some distance ahead
throwing stones at the engineer and train
men on the train in front. who were hav-
dag a lively time swearing aud lodging.
When our train came up and before the
scabcose reached them, they made a rush
for the train and disappeared under the
cars. The train was stopped Immediately
the conductor expecting to find the boys
mangled bodies beneath. He got down
and looked under the cars and there they
all sat upon the brake bes ms. When Or
dered down, they came out swearing furi-
ously and showing fight, the oldest, boy
probably IA years of age, drew pistol and
the others picked up stones. The con-
ductor calling up his men surrounded
them in tile cut and captured them, tell
ing them he was going to take them to
Wytheville and put them in Jail. Then
they gave in and begged to be let off. They
said they were from Chicago and travelled
all the way in that style. Tire youngest
eight years old. The writer asked him
to show him where he rode and he slipped
under the car and got up on the broad
brake beam, with his feet On the lower
piece about six inches from the ground
and his head up against he bottom of the
car and sat there looking as well conten-
ted as if he had been the Presi. ent in his
dead head parlor car. In response to 4
little familiarity, he sWOre at the new5pa-
per man and gave him to unpei stand that
he had had enough OF that sert of thing
The older one said he had been all over
the Sonth riding under the freight cars
and did not want any better seat than d
brake beam. How they ever learned to
board moving train as they did and why
they had not been cut to pieces long ago,
is a mystery,
AS another train passed a station where
the reporter had stopped, the agent poin-
ted to an Arab lying in the filth On the
bottom of an empty stock car near some
fresh hides, which on that hot day. covered
with green flies must have been most un-
savory neighbors He called to him, the fel-
low started but then lay perfectly still
feigning sleep and the humane agent
would not stir him up, but let him have
his ride. So the poor fellows go through
life, caring for no one, no one caring for
them and ending their wretcked existence
crushed to atoms in a collision, cut in two
by the wheels of freight train or in the
State prison.
A NEW DRUG SToRE.-Waldo M. AL.
len & Bro. is the style of new drug
firm in this city. The senior who has fol
many years been Berkeley's right-band
man and most favorably known to tn,
trade as an experienced druggist and bus
mess man, has associated with him his
brother, Philip Allen, late of Lynchburg
they having purchased the drug stock ant
business of Logan, Tyree q Martin on Mali
street and will continue the business a
that stand The experience and popular
ity of these gentlemen will ensure them E
good business from the start.
GRAND JURoRs.-The following Specia
Grand Jury have been selected and drawn
to serve at the ensuing September term
the County Court: John Towberman
William Crosby, John A. Mills. Rudolph
Turk, Jacob Warwick, Frank M. Bell
Norman III. Hanger, J. Frank Ciemmer
Jerome II. B. Sellers. Attendance re
auired Monday, Sept. "a, 1888. at 10 o'clocl
A. NJ.