Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-10
A HARD WORKED MAN
One Phase of Railway Life in the
Rural Districts as Seen By
THF COUNTRY STATION AGENT.
Acting as Telegrapher, Baggage Man and
General FactOtum,
PLEASANT FEATURES OF THE POSITION
rwR1rrEN FOR rHEnIsPArcH.1

| sAOuAu tulnk IL Woulo make you
crazy"
$50 it wo uld, if was one of the crazy
kind"
The station agent seated himself on a
| trunk, removed his hat and wiped his per-
| spring brow with a rather dingy looking
pocket handkerchief. A cloud of dust in
the distance, patches of brown smoke float
| ing in the sky, a low rumbling sound, and
pufs that grew fainter and more rapid until
they seemed to beat gentle tattoo, told that
a train had just departed. In front of the
platform were the shining tracks of steel, be-
hind was the shabby "depot," and down the
street was visible the rear end of an irregu-
lar procession of men, women and children,
making their way to the village
"YOu can rest while now," was sug-
gested.
"Just long enough to take BREATH" re-
piled the station agent, taking a bunch of
keys from his pocket and jingling them.
He was man OF few words. There was
decision in his face, quickness in his glance
and intelligence in his eyes. It was notice
able that even in moments of repose his
mind seemed to be at work, and that GER
tain look of attentiveness never entirely left
his countenance. His shoulders were broad,
and, when standing erect in his suit of blue,
there was something of the look of a COM
mander about him.
His name was plain John Smith, and he
had sole charge of the station at Pikeville,
village of about 400 population. It was on
the P. & @. Railroad, one of the largest cor
porations In the country. Pikeville is not
place of any considerable Importance, but it
is link in the great system, and 20 trains
day pass the station. Passengers get on and
of, freight is loaded and unloaGed, express
matter is received and dispatched, trunks
are checked to points hundreds of miles
away, dozens of kilograms are received and
sent every "a hours the arrival and depart
ure of trains are registered and wired to the
dispatcher's Office tickets are sold, questions
answered, way bills made out, books bal
anced, considerable sums of money handled
and host of other things attended to.
SMITHS DAILY ROUTINE.
Pikeville is not a large enough station to
warrant the division of its labor into depart
ments and the employment of three or four
men. John Smith does it all. He must, there
fore, as will be inferred, be a man capable
of rapid thought and action, with an eve for
details, wits that never get lost, nerves that
are not easily shaken and fidelity that is abb
solutely unquestionable.
Twenty.four hours of John Smiths life at
the Pikeville station will afford an excellent
example of what it is to be busy man. If
he gets out of bed early enough in the morn
ing he swallows hasty breakfast; if not, he
rushes off to the station with an empty
stomach. The first train is due
at 6 o'clock. John Smiths first
plunge is at the telegraph in
strument, where he makes his presence
known by few ticks. In a moment the
ci0no1 oopnou 1i,, K6oG
''No 14' has passed Middleport on time.
Then he makes sure that the switches are all
right. Next the window of the ticket office
is thrown open, and he begins selling the
magic bits of pasteboard, which are pass
ports to near and distant points. He must |
remember the exact amount of fare in every
case, make change rapidly and accurately, |
and be able to detect instantly punched |
coin or counterfeit banknote. He keeps |
one eye on the work before him, and the l
other on the clock. One ear attends to the |
calls of customers; the other listens to ticks |
from the telegraph instrument at |
message may come which must be taken |
with unerring accuracy and delivered to
the conductor Of the incoming train. Any |
failure in this duty might endanger the |
lives of hundreds of passengers, for at any |
time there is the possibility of orders |
coming to hold train for ten minutes or |
half an hour on account of q wreck, a be-
lated freight, a washout or a wildcat
Meantime there is the hum of busy con-
versation outside, and fusilade of ques-
tions through the window. John Smith
must answer promptly and courteously a
myriad OF queries regarding timetables,
stopping places, ETC., and man.
ifest fatherly interest in the affairs of the
various seekers for information.
SMITH AS BAGGAGE sMAsHER.
Waiting until the last minute before the
train is expected-perhaps until the long
warning whistle reaches his ears-he leaves
the ticket Office and rushes to little cabi-
net screwed against the wall of the waiting
room, and attends to the duty of checking
baggage. This may not be completed until
the train stands before the station. Then
out come five or six trunks from the bag
gage car, and in go half dozen belonging
TO embarking travellers. If any of the
,runks are particularly heavy, some friendly
oystander is generally at hand to render as
'lstance in lifting them; and it is a pecul-
srity OF human nature that services of this
Kind are often regarded as distinction on
lin who performs them. The stalwart
Toung man who is thus honored is wont to
,aze at the departing train as if he owned
t. and afterward make a great show of
,eing on terms of good fellowship with the
tation agent.
The first ordeal Of the day is past, and the
tation is strangely quiet after the five min
ties of hustle. John Smith, il he has had
10 breakfast, hastens home to satisfy his
lunger. The next train is due at $40, and
here is plenty to do. for it carries express
natter, and the number of outgoing and in
oming passengers will be larger. John
smith is at the station again by 7:30. There
ire people waiting for him with express
packages to be billed, and in manv cases he
S expected to address them, for he has great
kill with the pen and the marking brush.
There viii! be numerous disputes about
harges, In all of which the sta I
ion agent must maintain his posi-
ion with mingled frmness and urban 5
ty, and an occasional iudicious s
xpression of sympathy for the victim of {
ules which he acknowledges to be oppres-
i've, but which he has NO power to amend, 8
While arguing with one man he may be re- Y
ewing money from another, and at the
anne time hIllng IN way-bills at available
Suddenly he may be compelled s
leave all and make dive for the teIe-
raph instrument. For be it remembered 6
nat the express, freight, telegraph and
cket offices are all under the roof of a Q
ngle small building, where the eye and ear I
an command the whole situation; and the
larply sounding ticks must be interpreted
ghtly, or woe be the consequences.
BUT TIME Is FLYING.
he $40 troin is due in ten minutes. John
NTH must now dispose of the business be-
IRE him without waste of words. He can
Ot avoid offending somebody, but abusive
ords go In at one ear and out at the other.
life is too short for the station agent to in
ulge in small chickering's and petty resent
ents.