, 1891-08-09
VALUE OF PRIVATE CARS.
They Certainly Emphasize the Value
of Men Who Occupy Them.

They Certainly Emphasize the value
OF Men Who Occupy Them.
A short time ago there was some news
paper talk of taking off the private cars
used by the officials of the Union Pacific,
and some of the erterprising railroad
news writers gave it out that the private
cars were a useless luxury.
A short trip in the private car of the
superintendent of the Wyoming division
by a LEADER reporter a few weeks ago
brought convincing proof that the private
car is not a useless luxury, but on the
contrary, affords one of the best methods
for an Official to keep in touch with the
details of his road that could be devised.
The trip in question was made between
Evanston and Ogden and with MIR,
Wurtele and the reporter was Mr.. Garrett
O'Neil. assistant superintendent in
charge OF the western part of the Wgom-
ing division. Seated on the rear platform
of the car, which was the last one on the
train, the two railroad men made as
thorough inspection of'the line as though
they had walked over it.
The scenery on this part of the road is
grand and picturesque. The line is
through the narrow gorge of the Weber
Canon. The rushing waters OF the river,
precipitous cliffs. walls of wierdly shaped
rock rising hundreds of feet sheer from
the side OF the track. sudden tunnels and
mingling views of rugged mountains and
spots Of cultivated valleys make the
Journey a series of scenic surprises and
delis hts unsurpassed on any road. Except
to point out and tell the reporter the
name of some especially attractive bit of
scenery such as the famous DEVILS Slide,
the railroad men paid no attention to the
brilliant panorama of mountain, river and
forest which unrolled in the splendor of
the bright sunshine, but kept their eyes
intent upon the road bed and its make
up. Mr.. O'Neil had a note book In
hand and iotted down memoranda as his
chief called his attention to needed re-
pairs or improvements on the line. The
numbers on telegraph poles and bridges
served to locate every place where work
was directed to be done.
Nothing seemed to escape the obseryant
gaze of the superintendent. A piece of
track which to the reporter seemed ALSO
lutely perfect showed up points where
repairs were directed to be made at once.
That e~mbankment is filled too much on
the upper side and not enough on the
lower" Have that hanging rock pulled
down, it's liable to wash out any time"
Have vour work train men pull those
logs from that bridge pier" Send your
men along this section with brush hooks
That siding on the water tank should be
mended; that broken place is Just the
place for sparks to lodge" That curve
pitch is too fiat; have it raised" Have
those old ties picked up" These were a
sample of the suggestions, which the as
slstant noted down. Not only did the
superintendent seem to know every foot
of the line and its condition, but he was
acquainted with every engineer. station
hBtuJt tcitkldpu OpCihbOi nv oSSNio
foreman that was passed. Like Caesar
he knew every man in his army.
Picking up a pad Of telegraph blank
from the table desk in the car, the super
intendent wrote three or four telegram
to officials at Cheyenne, Laramie anC
other points. Mr.. O'Neil, standing OF
the platform, handed them to the opera
tor ut the next station as the train passed.
Half an hour later answers to them were
handed in from a station ten or fifteen
miles farther on. With as much certainty
as though sitting in his office at Cheyenne
Mr.. Wurtele was being kept acquainted
with every important detail on the whole
500 miles of his division and from his
point of view in his private car, was per
sonally arranging to strengthen and keep
in perfect repair the important piece of
road between Evanston and Ogden, the
most difficult to keep in good order Of any
on the whole main line.
The private car is not fitted up luxuri-
ously BY any means. A business-llke
looking uesk, registering ueNlCes " NclI
the speed of the trains, charts Of the va
rious standard appliances in use on the
line, blue prints of time cards and rules
and regulations make up the furnishings
Of the car. A colored porter keeps the
car in order and acts as cook, the car be-
ing provided with a range and cooking
utensils. A Pullman berth is also built
in the car, as often the superintendent is
obliged, in the case of a wreck or snow
blockade-to make the car his home as
well as office. for days and weeks at a
stretch.
When THE LEADER reporter left the
car at Ogden, almost the last words he
heard were, Garrett. that switch rod is
loose; have it fixed" and he was more
firmly convinced than ever that the pri-
vate car of a practical railroad man is not
a glitteripg luxury, but a practical bust
ness office. too useful to be abolished.
Go to Abney & Johnston's for saddle
horses for men or ladies.
Something entirely new is Alex Turn