Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-02-08
the PASSENGER TRAIN CONDUCTOR.
Hs Most Exactine Position In the Ranks
of Railroad EmploYes.

- -
of Railroad Employees.
The passenger train conductor has
In many respects the most difficult
position in The railroad ranks. lie
should be first class freight conductor
and a polished gentleman to boot. Eut
In his long apprenticeship on a freight
trim he has very likely been learning
how not to fulfill the additional re-
quirements ola passenger conductor
ship. In that service he could be UNI
couth and even boorish and still fill
his position tolerably well; now he
feels the need of a life time of tuition
in dealing with the diverse phases OF
human nature met with on a passen-
ger train. lie must nov manage his
train in a sort of automatic way, for
he has his mind filled with the care OF
his passengers and the collection of
tickets. He must be good at figures,
keeping accounts, and handling
money. though the freight train ser
vice has given him no experience IN
this line. Year by year the clerical
work connected with the taking up Of
tickets and collecting Of cash fares has
been increased until now OF many
roads an expert bank clerk would be
none too proficient for the duties i'm
posed. The conductor who grum-
blingly averred that 1t would take a
Philadelphia lawyer with three heads
10 fill his shoes was not far ont of the
way.
Every day, and perhaps a number
of times a day, he must collect fares
of fifty or "A hundred persons. in less
time than he ought TO have for ten.
OF that large number a few will gen
orally have a complaint 10 make or al
objection 10 offer or an impudent asser
ton concerning a fault Of the railroad
company which the conductor cannot
remedy and is not responsible for. a
woman will object to paying half fare
for a lO-year-old girl or to paying full
rates for one of Is. \ person whose
income is ten times larger than he de-
serves Will argue twenty minutes Ia
avoid paying 10 cents more lin CASH
than he would have been charged for
a ticket. PasSenge with legitimate
questions 10 ask VIII couch them IN
vague and back landed terms, and
those win useless ones will take mop
perfume times ~ PROFOUND them.
These are not occasional but every
day experiences The very best and
most intelligent people in the com
munity excepting those who travel
much are among those who oftenest
leave their wits at home when they
take a railroad trip.
All these people must he met in q
conciliatory manner, but without
varying the strict regulations in tho
least degree. The officers of the reve-
nue. department are memorable mas
tiers, and passengers offended by
alleged uncivil treatment are likely to
make absurd complaints at the super
intendent's Office. A conductor breads
an investigation Of this sort, however
unreasonable the passengers com-
plants may be, because it may tend
10 show that he lacked tact in handling
the case. But after becoming habitu-
aked 10 this sort Of dealings. there are
sill left the occasional disturbances
which no amount of philosophy a
make pleasant These are the en-
counters with drunken and disorderly
passengers. The conductor, starting
It the forward end of his train, finds,
perhaps, in the first a one or two
'toughs" who refuse payment Of fare
and are spelling for a fight.
Care must be taken with this sort of
character not TO punish him or use the
least bit OF unnecessary severity, for
he will, when sobered off, quite likely
be induced by a sharp lawyer TO sue
the railroad company for damages by
assault Tho conductor, however, If
he be one who has lin his freight train
experienced dealt with tramps is able
70 cope with his customer and contine
INN TO the baggage a or put him Oft
the train. But a tussle of this kind is,
Il best, far from soothing to the tenn
per, and the very next a may con
tain The wife of a millionaire, who will
expect the most genteel treatment and
critically object 10 any behavior on
the part Of the conductor which is not
fully up TO the highest drawing room
standard. Experiences of this kind, it
Tan be readily imagined, are exceed
mgly trying. The conductor cannot
give himself up completely TO learning
gentility, for he still has need for his
aid severity.-B. b. Adams, Jr., in
6cribner's Magazine.
The Onondaga Indian Tribe.
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