The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-30
DOWN ON THE RAILROADS.
The Cause That Led to & Texas Con-
gresham Change of Attitude.

From the Net5 York Tribune.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 1s.-Maj. Martin, the
member from Palestine, Tex, has always
been on the side of railroad corporations,
but since his return this year, his friends
tell me, he is especially down upon them
He has his reason, and the public viii be on
his side when they hear it.
1t seems that on his last trip he missed
connection at st. Louis, city which comes
in the route from Texas 10 Washington.
After waiting half aday he boarded train,
showing the porter his ticket, and settled
down for his twenty seven hours ride.
The Texas and st. Louis road has many
points Of rare interest, and the Texas MEM
Der leaned far out OF the window TO read
what might be called the most interesting
sign ever put up on any wayside station.
The name OF the struggling village IS called
Mitchell, and any one who has Travelled on
the road has noticed that the first four let
terS are on one side of the bow window and
the last four make a suggestive grouping on
the other. Major Martin chuckled over
this, as has many another traveller, and it
was not until the lusty brakeman called
/ Venus" the brakemans pronunciation
| for Venice, that the Texan bethought him
| of his ticket. The conductor had not taken
| it, and when he came through again the
train was sixteen miles out from st. Louis.
| Hello, old fellow, you're on the wrong
| train" was the comment that greeted the
surprised Texan.
| Now, the modern Athenian or "Bill Mar
tin, as he is Familiarity called, is stoical and
never complains. At the first stopping
place he grasped his carpetbag and alighted,
| wasting not moment in asking questions,
but headed straight for st. Louis. He had
no way of knowing that trains sometimes
pulled into st. Louis, aud the only solution
4 L. Nj Tah
| YEARLY along the railroad track, standing
aside to let bustling passenger or laden
freight train pass. The path is pleasant
enough, for the road runs through the low
lands of the Mississippi, but the Texan does
not recall the trip with any pleasure. His
sessions clothing was in his carpetbag, and
it grew heavier and heavier with his
| course.
He has never brought trunk to the capt.
tai, but since this experience he has confded
in friend that he will next time.
just before entering ST. Louis the road
bed follows the course of the river and the
scenery is of exceeding beauty, but Maj.
Martin never refers to 1t in glowldg terms.
He reached the famous tunnel which con
meets East st. Louis with the main city
spanning the river where it is three-quar
tiers of mile in width. The Texan did not
take the path usually assigned to carriages
and foot passengers, but stuck sturdily Il
the railroad He had left by that rOut'
and by that he meant to return. Danger
Gus, dark and smoky it is. but he emerged
in safety at the other side. The first per
son he met was little newsboy. Pulling
, out his ticket he said:
''See that, youngster? If you'll put m
on the train that goes to where that ticke
says I'll give you four bits; for - if
know where do want to 60"
The newsboy did his work well and In
few minutes Maj. Martin was once NOR
seated in railroad train, but it took tn
affidavits Of the conductors, the porter an
the newsboy to assure him that he was a
right. He reached Washington safely, BID
K it was only week ago that he explained
9 his friends why he was so down on tn
railroads.