Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-10-29
THE PLUG Hat.
How 1t is Being Introduced ON Western
Freight Trains.
Pjnsburg Leader.


The arlstOcratic ideas Of the old world
appear to be gaining ground here. Some
years ago a carriage driver with a MUG
hat. with a large brass buckle on the hand
thereof. and dressed in liVerv.- was nm
known in this city; now there are so many
of them that people have ceased to wonder
at the spectacle Of person incased in a
green coat and crowned with plug hat
when driving carriage. Itappears now
mat THIS aristOcratic idea is TO be extended
on the freight trains, and the plugs are
required to be introduced on freight
trains. \ few weeks ago mention was
made in one Of the Eastern papers of the
brakemen and conductors on freight
trains wearing plug hats, and also that it
was about to be introduced on the Penn
syIYanIa and other roads. A reporter
visited several men connected with the
different railroads. The first gentleman
seen was freight conductor, who said he
did not think there were any plug hats
introduced on his road. which is the Fort
Wayne, but he had heard that there We're
several on the Panhandle; how true
II was he would not like to saw, but
If they We're introduced he was under the
impression that il was only for the pur-
pose Of Distinguishing themselves from
other people. Another gentleman was
seen and he said: "NOt many years ago
notified their men that on and after the
first of the month all their passenger
brakemen and conductors would have TO
purchase new uniforms, which consisted
Of a frOck coat with brass buttons. a vest
also with brass buttons and a cap very
nearly resembling i'm shape 10 the fire
mems now in use in this city, and were
also to have different style
Of cap i'll the summer, which is
Obeyed; the first uniforms were given
to the men by the company. but after they
We're worn out a new one had to be paid
for by themselves. Now" said the gen
tleman, this was done simply for the
purpose Of making a distinction between
the men employed on the trains and the
passengers, and l am under the impress
sion that this is the reason the men are
adopting the plug hat, because the en-
plOyers of the railroads are trying to
adopt a uniform for the brakemen and
conductors on freight trains, and that
their intentions are to go about it very
mild at first, but that by the first of next
spring a uniform will be adopted by the
employers for the brakemen."
one or two other railroad men expressed
their opinions in reference to the matter.
and they said there were about two men
employed on the Pan Handle who wore
them, and that there were about three
on the Pennsylvania Railroad, and that
altogether there were seven men on all
the railroads who wore plug hats, ''but,"
said one, ''we can give no other reasons
for them wearing them than those stated
above"
4 gentleman who holds a pretty high
position on the Lake Erie Road said: ''In
the course of about one year you will find
that the principal portion of the freight
brakemen and conductors will have uni
forms, but what it will look like ! cannot
say yet. / think the introduction of plug
hats by some of the men on the road is
only for the purpose of bringing about the
introduction of a uniform. You will al
ways find that our railroad men copy "A
great deal after the railroad men in East
ern cities. | am under the impression
that plug hats will be worn by the prin-
cipal portion of the freight conductors by
spring.