Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-07-03

He Evsded . Grave Responsibility
One OF the Disadvantages OF Makfng
Your Intentions KnOwn-A vfctim Of
Railroad Competitions.
II have changed my plans about my trip to
Chicago" said MI. Stretcher Longbow as o STAR
reporter sat down In . chair in his Office. The
reporter knew by the tone of the voice that all
the particulars were coming, and settled him.
ELF comfortably.
"You see" began Mr.. Longbow, 81 think 1
mentioned to several persons that intended
to 60 to Chicago. At any rate, it became pretty
well known, and one Of the papers published 1t.
suppose 1t was the widespread knowledge Of
my purpose that induced q gentleman to come
into my ONCE one day aud kindly leave gor-
geous placard announcing that on the great
Parlor Car road the fastest trains In the world
made the trip from Washington to Chicago in
twenty-three hours.
"When had made up my mind to take the
great Parlof Car route, by all means another
man tugged a huge bulletin board into the Office
and set 1t down In front of me. This announced
that on the great Buffet Car route trains were
run nom chicago In twenty-five hours and fifty
I'VE minutes. When came down to the office
the next morning, found another placard had
been showed under the door Of my office It an
nounced that the great Parlor Car road having
enabled to run trains from Washington to Chi.
Gago IN twSs ad hours and fifty-three min
handbill, still damp from the press, setting out
that the great Buffet Car road having obtained
the sht Of way an alley in
in the astonishing time of twenty two hours,
fifty-two minutes and fifty-five seconds. It Is
hs bS
the way in Goat hollow the great Parlor Car
route cut down its time to twenty two hours,
fifty,two minutes and thirty seconds. The
Buffet Car road then made a cut across q
meadow and reduced the time to twenty-five
hours, fifty minutes. First one route and then
the other cut on the time until they both stuck
at twenty-five hours, thirty minutes, and
neither Of them could make another squirt
an easy, rapid taikerHstrolIed into nv Office
dor q, ne, I understand You contemplate trip
I did at one time said.
4 am afraid, said the dapper gentlemen, you
been ee By he
hours and thirty minutes desire to cali your your
about hundred statements of citizens who
were represented as solemnly swearing to the
hour and second of their departure from WASH
looked pretty satisfactory, and about settled
the matter in my mind. That evening. how
man, with q chid-like and innocent faceHa
face worth a great deal of money to any rail-
road company-came into the office. 1T is re-
thought I would drop in and caution you
against the deceptive statements and worthless
aftiday h of the opposition. You cannot inn
make constant efforts to prevent such UGH
the opposition to run their trains In the time
they announce. But We do it every day.
don't want you to take my word for it. |
want you to send man over the road first and
try it-some disinterested person. The dapper.
looking man came in the next day TO bring in
some affidavits he had forgotten, and to ex-
saved me from calamity. 'The opposition
ought TO stop trying to come up to our splendid
daily smashups that their rash attempts to ac-
complish the impossible bring about When
the dignifed old gentleman with the child-like
having concealed from me the facts about these
daily smash-ups. He looked at me with pity
man ian OF your fine MIND he said been
OF our pneumatic buffers and anti-telescopic
automatic portable expansive switches, ar
an hour can pass each OTHER ~ on the sams
track without the slightest jar? We never have
accidents, but the company has, with the most
possibility that any passenger should be hurt
even IN the remote contingency of an accident
1 ,,, Why, when the opposition started
possibly rot away, fall across the track and
wreck one OF our trains. our company at once
dashed the tops OF the telegraph poles to the
trees and houses in such "a way that If one of
them should ever fall it could not fall towards
the track. We did that simply to reassure ner-
vOuS passengers. Then the opposition darkly
limited that the ropes might easily be cut BY
some thonghtless or wicked persons. What did
@e uo we man With gun at the
fend the rope with his life It required $4,000
men and guns to go around. but our company
undertook the expense rather than leave even
the slightest basis for any question as to the
absolute safety Of the road
We'll, these two gentlemen haunted
I'm odd H.
tie ways. l found myself constantly re-
minded of the claims of one road or the other
My grocer and butcher were enlisted in the
cause of the roads and never a pound of meat
or bunch Of turnips came into the house with.
out having. concealed about 1t pamphlet ex-
route was the best, quickest and d safest t Ny
house was strewn with maps of the United
states, with broad bands running between
Car or Parlor Car as the case might be.
Zone day remarked to my honest, child-like
pense to secure my fare to Chicago. Bless you.
my SON. he said, its the moral effect we are
after. You see, it is we'll known you are going to
Chicago; The whole city will know that you, after
careful investigation, saw through the tiimsy
and tricky Pretence Of the opposition and took
our road; kesult:-The opposition will have to
close up Its Chicago business, and you will have
conferred benefit upon the travelling public
VI spoke OF the same matter ofexpense to my
let any expense stand in the way of the end we
SEEK s.t,1 This is great Opportunity: Everyone
Will know that you go to Chicago by our road,
40 not Intend to fiatter you, by saying that the
people Of this community willaccept your judg-
ment as final Your going by our road will put
an end to the feeble efforts of the opposition
which seem only an annoyance to tile people
some OF whom are occasionally deceived by
their preposterous announcements
II began to feel grave responsibility. It was
trying situation. The board of directors
OF the great Parlor Car route rented the house
next door to mine at the left. and held meet
ings there nightly to consider what step they
should take next. The president and other
officers of the Buffet Car route established them
selves In the house at my right, and opened
daily communication with me, awaiting my
decision. felt that was growing nervous and
either road into bankruptcy, but thank
heaven, l have thrown Off the load and am
plan."
Here Mr.. Longbow stopped, evidently seeking
the encouragement of a question before pro-
ceeainE, f., SO the reporter inquired, "What is
~ am going by canal boat said Mr. Long
bow, somewhat explosively, and then paused
10 note the effect OF his communication upon
the listener. II have written to the managers
OF the several lines, and been assured that there
Is Is no other competing line that may be thrown
into bankruptcy. 1t will take me twenty days
TO make the trip, but then it will be great re-
canal"
The WOOdlawn Farmers Club.
The June meeting of the Woodlawn Farmers
club was held at e. E. Mason's, June 9th, s,
H. Snowden, chairman; N. W. Pierson. secre-
report. Poulty and butter for the Alexandria
III