The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1889-11-30
ON BOARD A PAY-cAR.


MON and Means Used In Delivering Rail
way Employer wages.
Every first class railroad in this
country keeps one or more pay-cars in
commission. and even the smaller
roads are beginning to find they car
not do without them. The monthly
and sometimes even fortnighsly paying
of OF large bodies OF men, involving
the transportation of heavy sums in
specie for hundreds of miles, seems to
have suggested this method OF pay.
ment at very early stage in the his
tory OF railroading. But in early
times it was generally accomplished
by trustworthy messenger leaving in
the hands OF each station agent along
the route such sums as might be owing
In his district; and it was not until
comparatively late times that car was
set apart and specially devoted to this
purpose.
The interior OF one Of these modern
pay-cars bears striking resemblance
to the Office of purser on board a
crack Atlantic liner. The came kind
of argus-eyed official presides over its
destinies, and its fittings, in the way of
the standing cot and apparatus for
washing, etc.-for even paymasters
must sleep occasionally, if only with
one eye shVt-serve to make the like
ness still more marked. Even while
en- route the motion Of the car bears
some analogy to the humping Of the
screw, and the illusion would be COM
plete if on looking through the heavily
barred window one were not rewarded
by glimpses of field and forest instead
of the restless surface of the ocean.
The novice in the business, who,
however, generally starts as an assist
ant, finds it almost impossible at first
to make up his balance-sheets on the
swiftly-moving car. His figures look
as though they had been struck by
lightning. and his writing is totally
illegible, however he may plume him
self upon its plainness when written on
terra firma- After a little practice,
however. he becomes used to the mo-
ton Of the car, and will write as good
a hand at fifty miles an hour as no
would at his desk at the Office. The
figuring on many pay-rolls. done while
travelling at high speed and under great
stress of short time, would do credit in
its appearance to many a frst-class ac-
countant's establishment.
But it requires something more than
mere good business qualifications to
make good paymaster. He must be
a man quick to act on an emergency,
and of undoubted personal courage
and nerve.
Every ruffian and train-robber along
the lines knows that an immense
Of cash lies within his grasp,
II he can once get the best of its cool
headed guardian; and numerous are
the schemes which have been put up In
order to obtain possession Of so much
wealth. The engineer who
runs the pay-car's special engine has
10 keep q very sharp lookout for ties
and other distractions. the almost in
precursor of an attack upor
the train.
A whole armory of weapons is with
In the reach OF the paymaster, day and
night, 80 arranged that, while not
Obtrusively apparent, he can place his
hands upon them instantly and with
out leaving his seat. The safe in
which he keeps his cash is an I'M
usually strong one. and his assistant is
. man generally chosen with some re-
gard to his physique and pluck. as we'll
IS his ability as an accountant
The great roads are paid off In sec.
lions. Each section boss is notified In
1ue time of the hour at which the car
will reach his station. and he notifies
his men men, so that no delay oc-
ours. Each man. as as he enters
the car. steps up to his desk,
gives his name. is identified by
the section boss, gets his cash and re-
ceipts his voucher. The same thing
occurs at the next station. and SO on
all down the road. An appeal against
''dockage" or ''short time lies from
the section boss to the main Office.
During the construction of new roads
The advent Of the pay-car at the termi-
nus of the line is welcomed with only
less hilarity and rejoicing than the sup
ply train. Tho construction camps at
such times often present scenes of the
widest excitement. Gambling Is an
svil hard to check in camp. Frequently
= man will be paid of with a months
wages in the morning. and have not
cent by nightfall. Then If he has
name for being good pay" he runs a
line Of credit at the numerous cheap
stores. which invariably spring up on
The line of construction, the proprie-
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