The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-28
AMONG THE RAILROADS.
THE DUTIES OF RAILROAD sUPERIN.
TENDENTs DoUBLY DISCUSSED.
Railroads Preparing to Handle the Large
Fruit Crop Promised-A Lease For
Four uries-Arrangements to Pre-
vent Cutting Of the Fruit Market.


duties Of railroad superintendent, says;
The superintendent OF railway in this
country who has, let us say, 800 miles of
road in his charge, has perhaps as great
variety of occupation, and as many differ
ent questions of Importance depending
upon his decision, as any other business
or professional man in the community.
Fully one-half OF his time will be speat
out OF doors looking after the physical con-
di,ion of his track, masonary, bridges sta
tons, buildings Of all kinds Concerning
the repair or renewal OF each he will have
TO pass judgment lie must know intim-
ately every foot OF his track, and in eases
OF emergency or accident, know jus. what
resources he can depend upon, and how to
make them most Immediately useful. lie
will visit the shops and round-houses
frequently, and will know the con-
struction and daily condition OF every
locomotive, every passenger and bag
gage car. He will consult with his
Master Mechanic, and often will decide
which car or engine shall and which shall
not be taken in for repair, etc. lie has
to plan and organize the work OF every
yard, every station. He must know the
duties OF each employe in his pay-rolls,
'--snd instruct all new men or see that il Is
properly done. He must keep inccssant
and yigilant watch on the movement OF all
trains, noting the slightest variation from
the schedules which he has prepared, and
looking carefully into the causes therefor
so as 10 avoid its recurrence. The first
thing in The morning he is greeted with
report giving the situation OF business on
the road, the events OF the night, move
ment of trains. location and volume OF
freight TO be handled. The last thing at
night he gets final report Of the location
and movement Of important trains, and he
never closes ms eyes without thinking
that perhaps the telephone will ring and
call him before dawn. During the day in
his Office he has reports TO make out, re-
QUESTIONS TO approve, varied corresp)n-
dencc,- not always agreeable, 10 answer
Mr.. VOORHEES, knows about the duties OF
railway superintendent much more than
he has told, but the rest IL also interesting
Mr. VOORHEES, has only given the mere al
phabel OF these duties. II may be added
that the 900 miles over which n railway
superintendent exercises jurisdiction X
peOped with an average OF five employees
10 the mile. This makes clieutage Of
1000 people, with their families. Then
the people along the line OF the road mcr-
chants who breathe vengeance because
their gooda do not arrive; the stocaman,
VINO threatens humiliation because lac can
not got cars 10 ship his stock ia promptly;
the old lady, who shipped her butter aud
can get no returns from III; the irate pas.
sergcrs, who complain OF conductors; the
school professor who wants excursion
rates Tor his pupils; the gushy, girly girls
who crowl upon him IN beyirs wanting n
reduced rate for ''just VA girls" the man
with the patent car coupler. the man with
the double deck car, the boodicr and lob.
byist with awful information about Repre-
sentative Bluejcans from Hickory County,
and the auti RAILROAD bill which he Is pre-
pairing, and just how TO defeat il; the
clergyman. the doctor. the lawyer the
farmer, the mechanic. The bu cher, the
- baker aud the canlcslick maker, and
every class and condition OF men. aud
men who arc not classed and conditioned
at al come to him day after day with nm.
ocasing regularity aud Unsuitable impoFia.
nifty. II matters not that the manage
mcnt OF railroads has been divided, that
the freight, passenger, mechanical and
other departments are separate aud dis.
tinci. Everybody asks f'r the suptrinlen-
dent aud everybody goes TO the superin'
tcndcnl.
Nor are these things the most annoying.
They are merely business matters and can
be disposed Of IN business way. There
are a thousand and one other matters OF q
half.personal, haltbusiness nature, that
are pcfp,cxiDg, not 10 say painful. nc times.
Section-Boss Mloriarity wants 10 know II
he can look for his new spike-niauls soon,
and can't the Superintendent send hin a
pass for Mrs. NJ. 10 visit friends mp the road.
''the poor craihur Is worruked down and
needs rcslil." Jimmy Flaxhcad, the
widows son who has been helping the
agent az c., writes that lao would like
u job; that he isa good telcgraphcr aud
thinks that he would suit anywhere, from
train-dispaichcr mp; Agent Jones hopes he
Is in the line OF promotion, and would like
10 leave where lac h on account OF the ill.
ness OF his family. Clerk Smith would like
aslation where lie could be agent aud
operator; passes are Asked for by employees
ioeycry point OF the known or discover.
able world, for themselves. their kindred
In the ascending. dcsccndingand collateral
lines, even to the fourth generation; thC
irain.dispalcher shows Freight Conductor
Toolasl stole four minutes time; Angus
Duzcnhcim, who runs the tank. wani'
> some new valves, and u. II. freight OF
some furniture lac purchased; the ngcnt u
. the Switch asks Il he can pen his hogs lhi
winter IN the oompany's stock yards and
thousand other things come IN daily 20 thl
superintendent, aud ho must dispose o
them. Then when the magnaies CONF
along 10 INSPECT his division OF the road
he has TO accompany them, while IN ht
heart u heavy. lumpisli. loaden thing, a.
heavy ~ n Young wiio's biscuit, for h
knows lee will have 10 apologize for th
nltlc.,rap OF slnton-hobsc at P an,
the rheumatic platform at !. .-. notwiih
etnnding tic fact that he has been askin
these same magnacs for months for none
10 repair these institutions. lie knows
too, that II there j. NJ ugly curve or q ba'
bridge. something will happen 10 the mag
mates will sec them. Pat Ranerty's sec
ton has grass growing on II. and he
sharply asked why this Is thus. notwitli
standing the fact that Il j. cotton pickin
time ani hands cannot be obiaincd a. th
price paid, and ~ on until the end Ol th
chapter IL Is constant worry and fret
aud yet there are supcfinicndonis VIII
can look through Il all aud suiilc, an
never complain Of their lot. They wad
through their work as though they wer
on treadmill, and when they are gath
cred IN 10 their fathers their chief clerk
take their places or bleed inwardly In Try
ing TO.