Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-01-26
The Brakeman at Church.


ON the road once more, with Leba-
non fading away in the distance, the
fat Messenger drumming idly on the
windOW rane, the cross passenger sound
asleeb. and the tall, thin, passenger
reading "Gen.n Grants Tour Around
the World" To me comes the brake
man, and seating himselfon the arm Of
the seat, says: II
al went to church yesterday"
.'Yes?" / said, with that interested
infection that asks for more. "And
what church did you attend?"
(which do you guess?" he asked.
"Some union mission church," l
hazarded.
"No,n he said, "I don't like to run on
these branch roads very much. l don't
often 90 to church, and when do, l
want to run on the main line, where
YOUR run is regular and you go on sched-
Ille time, and don't have to wait on
connections. l don't like to run on a
branch. Good enough, but 1 don't
like it.n
"Episcopal?" / guessed.
"Lfmited express" he said, "all pal
ace cars, and two dollars extra for
seat, fast time, and only stop at the big
stations, Nice line, but too exhaustive
for brakeman. All train men in uni
form. conductors punch and lantern
silver plated, and no train boys allowed.
Then the passengers are allowed to talk
back to the conductor, and it makes
them too free and easy. No, couldn't
stand the palace cars. Rich road,
though. Don't often hear of a receiver
being appointed for that line. Some
mighty nice people travel on it, too y
"Unlversalist?" / suggested.
"Broad gauge" said the brakeman,
ness. Everybody travels on pass.
Conductor doesn't get fare once in
fifty miles. Stops at all flag stations,
and won't run into anything but a un-
ion depot. No smoking-car on the
train. Train orders are rather vague,
though, and the trainmen don't get
along we'll with the passengers. No, |
don't 60 to the Universalist, though |
know some awfully good men who run
onthat road. "
"Presbyterian?" 1 asked.
marrow gauge, eh?" said the brake.
man, "pretty track, straight as rule;
tunnel right through mountain rath-
er than go aronnd it; spirit-level grade;
passengers have to show their tickets
before they get on the train. Mighty
strict road, but the cars are little mar
row: have to sit one in seat and nc
room in the aisle to dance. Then there
is no stop-Over tickets allowed; got tC
90 straight through to the station you're
ticketed for, or you can't get on at all
When the cars full, no extra coaches
cars are built at the shops to hold just
so many, and nobody else allowed on
But you don't often hear of an acci
dent on that road. It's run right up tC
the rules"
"May be you Joined the Free-Thiuk
ers?n | said.
"Scrub road" said the brakeman
"dirt road-bed and no ballast no time
card and no train dispatcher. All trains
run wild, and every engineer makes
his own time, just as he pleases. Smoke
if you want TO: kind of go-as you
please road. Too many side tracks
and every switch wide open all th'
time, with the switchman sound asleel
and the target lamp dead out. Get oil
as you please and off when you want to
Don't have to show your tickets, anC
the conductor isn't expected to do any
thing but amuse the passengers. No
sir, l WAS offered pass, but don't lik
the line. / don't like to travel on
road that has no terminus. Do yoI
know, sir, l asked a division superin
tendent where that road run to, and h
said he hoped to die if he knew.
asked him if the genera! superintend
ent could tell me, and he said he didn'
believe they had general superin
tendent, and if they had, he didn'
know any more about the road tina,
the passengers. asked him who h
reported to, and he said, Nobody
asked a conductor who he got hi
orders from, and he said he didn't tax
orders from any living man or dea
,ghost.' And when l asked the er
gineer who he got his orders from, h
said, he'd like to see anybody give hin
orders; he'd run that train to suit hi
self, or he'd run her in the ditch Nov
you see, sir, I'm a railroad man, and
don't care to run on q road that has n
time, or makes no connections, run
nowhere and has no superintendent
1t may be all right, but I've railroade
too long to understand it,"
MAY be you went to the Congrega
tional church?' said.
popular road" said the brakeman
ian old road, too; one of the very ole
est in this country. Good road be
and comfortable cars. Well manage
road, too; directors don't interfere wit
division superintendent and trai
orders. Roads mighty popular, br
it's pretty independent, too. Ye
didn't one of the division superintent
ents down East discontinue one of th
Oldest stations on this lie two or thre
years ogo? But it'sa mighty pleasar
road to travel on. Always has such
splendid class of passengers"
"Did you try the Methodist"
said.
"Now you're shouting" he said wit
some enthusiasm. mice road, ell
Fast time and plenty of passenger
Engines carry power of steam, an
don't you forget it; steam guage shoy
hundred and enough all the tim,
Lively road; when the conductor shou
tall aboard, you can hear him to IL
next station. Every train-light shin,
like a headlight. Stop-over checl
are given on all through tickets; pa
sengers can drop off the train as ofte
as he likes, do the station two or thr,
times and hop on the next reviv
train that comes laundering along.
Good, whole-souled, companionab
conductors; amt road in the countl
where the passengers feel more ;
home No masses. every DaSSenp(