Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1883-02-07
The Brakeman.

The brakeman is q man who Is employed
by railroad company 10 stand upon the
top Of q freight car and work both hands
ST the engineer spd to help stop the train
when it is necessary.
Next to being barebacke rider in a
man, so be can sit on the wheel of q brake
man, so he csn sit on fhe wheel of brake
and chew tobacco while the train is run
ming at full speed. The fact thst brake
man is often seen pegglng broadcast over
the land on wooden leg or minus one
srm, often causes people to believe that he
Is an old soldier or has served term In
base ball club.
There are two kinds of brakemen-the
passenger and freight. The passenger
brakeman is a gentleman of considerable
leisure, and by the nonchalant way in
which he cUmes through Car and tramps
on the passengers feet is often mistaken
for the conductor.
He does not have much else to do but
siam doors, growl at the porter. and when
the train arrives at station yell ''Po-
nooyah when he should say, 'Pontha-
touls."
The freight brakeman Is an entirely dif
ferent man. he Is grim. silent and digni-
fed. He seldom speaks except TO curse
the green hands ON the rear end of the
tram, whom be affection refers 10 as a
pudding. Despite his faults, however,
he works hard and very often arises 10 a
position Of Importance, unless some day
he tries to use his body as a coupling pm
and fails.
Al night wien a freight tram is side
tracked at a meeting point and his CON-
panions are squatted on pile of cross,ies,
the brakeman is in his glory. lie tuen
discusses ad Iibitum the affairs of the road
and cutIcises every one from the President
down 10 the humblest Official. He does
not hesitate to say If the president can't
run a road any better than he does he
should go off some where and drive
canal boat.
After be bas said this and other things
concerning the asininity of official in gene
raj, be turns to one Of his companions and
slys:
Jimmie, did you ever know that fel-
low, Bill McGinty, who has just been ap-
pointed superintendent of the j. X. " CT
What McGIntyl OF course I've seen
him; and You bet he's fine old plum to
be superintendent"
swell, should think he vas, | was a
brakeman on the southern division of the
/. c. & ". when he got his first job old
Matt johnson was pulling us-and Nc
GInty was so green ne didn't know q draw
head from a switch frog. No matter how
slow old Matt johnson backed up that
fellow couldn't couple a car, and some
times for half an hour we were backing
W, and going ahead, until you could hear
Matt johnson curse for two miles off. I'll
be blamed if l don't think he tined to kill
McGInty. He used to cUme back and jam
the iraw-hcads under The cars, but when
he pulled ahead again McGinty would
step out without scratch on him. a
read, tell you. is mighty hard up when
they take such thing as McGinity."
At the conclusion OF such a speech the
whole crowd OF brakemen will review the
history of McGinty, and finally, without
dissenting voice, Will arrive al the con-
clusiOn that he is ''ane old plum" The
brakeman is TO BE- admired for the remark
able manner in which he gets wind of
various and sundry plans which the mana
cement intend TO place in operation and
wish 10 Keep quiet.
The brakeman will set on the end of a
Cross-tIe, swap Opinions concerning the
wisdom of the president in conoOcling
such plan long before the Ia de-da clerks
in The general Office obtain the merest
lnkling OF 1t. If an appointment is to be
made he will tell yOu'the name of the NAE
and the tine the appointment is to go into
effect