Wichita eagle., 1889-11-02
ASLEEP AT THE BRAKE.
Street Car Drivers Who Succumb to Hard
Work and MOnOtOny.

Work and MOnOtony.
Some people don't think that this is hard
work" said a middle aged car driver to a
young policeman who had just swung him.
self upon The front platform of a car upon
which l was enjoying a smoke. The police
man laughed derisively, for he had bin
thar himself
cts everlasting hard on your feet on a
car platform, and it's pretty near as bad on
patrol duty" said he. There's little more
variety about it for the officer, for he tramps
awhile and then he can stand still awhile and
sometimes, if the roundsman amt around,
sit down, or at least lean against something.
But on car one is standing up right along,
and I tell you it's terrible hard on the feet"
YES" chirned 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 Its 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 a fellows arms and shoulders,
and the reins are pulling on him all the time,
specially in slippery weather. And Lord,
how tired one does get Of it,''
"Tired! Well I should SMILE" said the ex-
driver in uniform. "Why, there's lots Of
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-
pended 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
just quit work right off. He would have been
fred anyhow, l guess. Now he's a night
Waterman and says he can't get tired enough
to sleep"
Its the monotony that makes man tired,
as much as the hard work" said the driver
as the policeman alighted at the corner Of q
street, and the car whiried around another
corner out of the electric glare and into the
semi-glare of a side street. YES, it's true
enough a~Jut men going to sleep while
they're driving. We work about ten hours
on end now, and when we're through / tell
You q man don't feel fit for much. But as for
sleeping, why there used to be an old chap
that worked on an east side down town line
that runs all night He had a night car. and
be went to sleep just as soon as he came to
work He'd put on the brake and stop OF
start his car according 20 the bell. and do al
most everything necessary while ne was a.
snoring like fog horn. Passengers used to
be quite scared at the noise he'd make, and
his conductor got 50 tired of going on the
front platform to wake him up that he told a
'spotter' about it. Don't the spoilers ever
get on TO men sleepingi Why, no, not at night,
cause there amt no spoilers about then
worth talking of. That old chap was just SIS
good asleep as awake. He never ran into
anything Seemed 10 know in his sleep when
anything was ahead OF course his horse
would slack up. and when he felt the reins
loose l suppose he put on his brake out Of IN
stinct / remember one night / was Of duty
and boarded his car ! rode about twenty
blocks with MIN snoring away, and he stopped
four or five times to take on or drop rassen-
gers, but he never woke up. Then all a,
once IRE engine came galloping down tie
avenue ike mad l was just going 20 grab
the reins myself and hold tie horses straight
when the cid chap woke up aud put on his
brake. The engine dashed passed, bel clang
ing and men a-hollering, sad when it had
passed ne sat down again-they allowed em
10 use seat on the night cars-and went OF
10 sleep without ever noticing NE. / shook
him by the shoulder and be opened MS eyes
and says he, Why. Bill, where did yoa come
fromF He never knew I'd boarded the car.
although I'd STOOD by him for twenty biockx'