Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-11
HAvE YOU EVER MADE THE AcoUAINT-

'Hunkey Doreys?" II not spread out your net
Of inquiry. and il successful in gathering in q
Huakey' and q subsequent introduction to
ms companions you can enjoy an evening OF
unique and edifying entertainment in the shape
of story telling that will repay you two fold
Tor your trouble.
But first TO tell you who q "Hunkey Dorey'
Is and the origin Of this strange if not eupho-
rious title. A reporter of The STAR through a
chance acquaintance was admitted within the
secret portals and is therefore enabled to enter
upon a full description. The 'Hunkeys'' is a
social club organized a few years ago. Is COM
posed strictly OF railroad engineers with
records of over fifteen years at the throttle, en-
ployed upon railroads entering Washington and
al must be total abstainers- They are for the
most part grizzled veterans. whose active wears
OF service are nearer twenty-five than fifteen.
Their families reside in neighboring cities and
towns, ard the stay Of perhaps five or six
hours between trips in this city no doubt led
To tie formation of the club. The member
ship ls limited to twenty-five, and an engineer
must be veteran before ne can become a
member This strictness is a mystery, but is
evidently insisted upon so as to keep out a class
that know ii all, y as an old timer put it.
WHAT ''HUSKEY DoREr'' MEANS.
The definition of "Hunkey Dorey'' is hardly
and sprang up as a consequence Of the mixture
of the English and German languages. The
writer first heard the expression, if expression
II can be called, in interior town OF Penn
sylvania and il came from a Pennsylvania
Dutehman, who defined it as very fine or
FIRST class The members Of the club evil
IDENTITY know the literal translation although
unwilling TO admit it. and consider themselves
as gllt-edged and of the very best in their BUSH
ness; bence the name. 1t is needless to say
that the organization il looked upon with a
le1lOus eye by the younger generation of
throttle pullers. and to be enrolled as
"Hunkev almost equals the joy they expe-
rleneed when they were first assigned to the
personal control of the iron steed.
At their room. which overlOoks a prominent
street and Is connected by a dumb-waiter with
ine but reasonably priced restaurant, the
"HunAeys" gather between trips, discuss ques-
tlons Of interest in the railroad world. play
cards, smoke and enjoy themselves almost as
they see fit
TIE 'HUSKEYs' IN THEIR CLUB ROOM.
When The STAR reporter entered the den of
the "Hunkey Doreys," which was comfortably,
but not deliberately furnished, about dozen
knights OF the throttle were present. The re-
porter's entrance was hardly noticed as his
mentor . presence all the voucher neces-
sary. Around table in the center of the
room were gathered quartet Of highly ex-
cited but picturesque old fellows playing
boAuS u SoANs- Lhc WORN VI tuese men
with its responsibilities and nerye-taxine du-
ties naturally led the reporter to infer from
their excited manner that poker was the game
IN hand, as excitement Is second nature to
them, but 1t was the simple ladies' game,
casino How they would chuckle and crow
as big casino was captured or a sweep made
Their enjoyment would have made q profess
slonaI gamester turn pea-green color with
envy.
Over at the window group was running
the RAILROAD CnssiY, Of rha a "A
tales Of adventure on the road. A word from
the reporter turned the drift Of the CONVEX
sation toward the disastrous tunnel accident in
New York recently and the subsequent indict-
ment OF the Hon. Chauncey ". Depew and his
fellow directors for manslaughter. 1t will be
recalled that the victims of the wreck were
roasted TO death through the upsetting of the
stoves in the wrecked Cars The assertion of
Mr.. Depew that steam heating for railroad cars
had been tried and proved a failure was COM
batted by an intelligent looking, white haired
member Of the group in a most vigorous man
ner. His argument was entirely new and
seemed so plausible that his words are quoted
In full Turning to the reporter the veteran
said:
I'm the fret place no names"
he was assured on this point and continued:
WHY STEAM Is Nor USED FOR HEATING CARS.
There is one little word in connection with
steam heat for cars that covers the whole ques-
ton. That is. expense thing not gener-
ally known to the public is the fact that engi-
neers and fremen are paid a bonus for coal
saved during trip and at the end of each
month this amounts to quite a tidy sum. Be-
tween Washington and Baltimore a tender full
OF coal viii suffice BY holding the steam gauge
at about ninety-eight pounds. Now connect
pipes running through. say six cars on a cold
day, TO the engine. viii ninety-eight pound,
Of steam be sufficient? Certainly not. but by
shoveling In coal regardlessly three times that
to-
heat the cars comfortably. At this rate about
three times the amount of coal would be reces-
sary as Is now used or to put it more plainly
where Use two tons of coal now in forty miles
siA tons would be needed You know how much
coal a corporation like the New York Central
and Pennsylvania uses annually. Multiply il
by three and IN the amount in dollars and cents
you will get the solution of why steam heat is not
popular among railroad directors. speak
from experience and can substantiate my as
sertiOns."
THROWN FORTY FEET AND CNHuRr.
The old engineers remarks we're received
with a unanimity Of Endorsement by all around
him and the talk again switched of into other
subjects The reporter again strolled toward
the card table. but quickly retraced his steps as
peal Of laughter from the group at the win
dow told him the talk had drifted into some
thing Of humorous complexion. The re-
porter quickly learned that the eccentric funny
d2it experiences OF lneDrl0teQ llUlylQ-
uais Wac under discussion and as circums tances
developed a feast Of original anecdote was I'm
folded An engineer whom they called Charley
had Just concluded telling how he had struck
and thrown n drunken fellow fully forty feet
iato a corn field; his experience OF horrors and
Temorse at killing human being and then hi,
amusing amaZement when the stricken man had
gathered himself together and walked on as ii
being struck by locomotive was an everyday
occurrence.
After the laughter had subsidized at the telling
OF tins experience, little fat fellow. whose ro-
tuni figure told OF his foadness for good liy-
Ing, chIned In:
ROLLED USDER The CARS
II was standing in the doorway of a saloon
alongside the railroad track one day some
years past as a freight was slowly passing, when
atroublesome, almost paraly zed drunken fellow
was thrown out the other entrance to the
saloon As he reached the pavement he stun
bled fell and rolled close up TO the rails Be.
fore could reach him he had turned over 10
&c; lP, but turned the wrong way and rolled
completely under tho moving cars. In bis
drunken stupor he lay still, and as the hind
truck OF the nrst and the forward truck OF
the next car passed over him safely he rolled
out unframed The train was moving SLOWLY
OF course, but the brake rigging would have
torn sober man almos: TO pieces. NJ thank.
Tor pulling him to his feet. out OF danger was a
challenge to tight. which goes to show that il
aLways pest TO let drunken man fight 1t out