Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1889-10-24
ASLEEP At TINE BRAKE.
Street Car Drivers Who 6uccumb % Hard
VvnrL and NTOnOtnnv.

Street Car Drivers Who Succumb 70 Hard
Work and MonOtony.
"Some people don't think that this Is hard
work." said middle aged car driver to q
young policeman who had just swung him
self upon the front platform Of car upon
which was enjoying smoke. The police
man laughed der.sively, for he had "bin
thar" himself.
ats everlasting hard on your feet on
car platform, and it's pretty near as bad OH
patrol duty" said ho "There's little more
variety about it for the officer, for he tramps
awhile and then he can stand still awhile, and
sometimes, II the roundsman amt around,
sit down, or at least lean against something.
But on cur one is standing up right along,
and tell you it's terrible hard on the feet"
"Yes," chimed in the driver, as he put the
brake on hard and stopped his vehicle to per-
nit an aged negress with basket to come
aboard. ats blamed hard on the feet and
on the chest, and the back, too. Many time
my chest has been as sore as my feet The
brake strains follows arms and shoulders,
and the reins are pulling on him all the timo,
specially In slippery weather. And Lord.
how tired ono does get of It'll"
"Tiredl Well should smile," said the ex-
driver In uniform. "Why, there's lots Of
fellows In the business that goes right dead
Off to sleep while they're driving. remem-
Der driver on the Same line that used to
work for who got in the way Of going to
sleep regular on his last trip He got sus-
pendcd for it several times, and at last one
day he run into wagon and smashed the
splashboard in. Twas terrible jolt, and
when he woke up and saw what he'd done he
,lrl,t hn
fired anyhow, | guess. Now he's night
Waterman and says he can't get tired enough
to sleep"
as much as the hard work, i" said the driver
as the policeman alighted at the corner OF o
street, and the car whirled around another
corner out of tho electric glare and into tho
semi-glare Of side street. ayes, It's true
enough about men going to sleep while
they're driving. We work about ten hours
on ond now, and when we're through | tell
you man don't feel At for much. But as for
sleeping, why there used to 10 an old chap
that worked on an east side down town line
that runs all night. He had night car, and
he went to sleep just as soon as be can,e to
work. He'd put OH tho brake and stop or
start hts car according to the bell. and do al
most everything necessary while he was a
snoring like fog horn. Passengers used to
be quite scared at the noise he'd make, and
his conductor got so tired Of going OIL the
front platform to wake him up that he told
spotter' about it. Don't the spoilers ever
get on to men sleepngi Why, no, not at night,
cause there amt no spoilers about then
worth talking of. That old chap was just as
good asleep as awake. He never ran into
anything. Seemed to know in his sleep when
anything was ahead. OF course his horse
would slack up and when he felt the reins
loose suppose he put on his brake out of in
stinct. remember ono night was of duty
and boarded his car. rode about twenty
blocks with him snoring away, and he stopped
four or Ave times to take on or drop passen-
gers, but he never woke up. Then oil at
onco fire engine came galloping down the
avenue like mad. was just going to grab
the reins myself and hold the horses straight
when the old chap woke up and put on bis
brake. The engine dashed passed, bell clang-
ing and men a-hollering, and when it had
passed he sat down again-they allowed em
to use q scat OH the night cars-and went of
to sleep without ever noticing Mo. l shook
him by the shoulder and he opened his eyes
and says he, why, Bill, where did you come
fromr He never knew I'd boarded the car,
although I'd stood by him for twenty blocks
New York Herald.