Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-19
AN IDEAL CONJUNCTION.

came oack IN nafd tones, Il know no one; fare,
please. honestly believe that this conductor
would mike his own wife or child nav their
| fare If they had no tickets and have heard
| him, up in the general bed room at the depot,
quarrel with himself, in his sleep, and demand
that he pay the fare or get off. When the
officials OF the road strike his train they in
varlably dive into their pockets to see if they
| have their passes or money. they know he IL
| impregnable to all Establishments or threats
He ia held in high esteem by all the officials,
and many are the stories told wherein he
/ figures rs the chief character
| "As practical raiiroader he Ia above the aver
age and has never had the misfortune to wreck
train owing to the misunderstanding Of
/ orders. This is saying a great deal when II Is
considered that he has served on the road for
| twenty years as conductor. He never leaves
telegraph station wherein he has received an
| order without fully understanding il aud seeing
that his engineer is also fully informed
Several times this ultra carefulness has led
| to annoying delays, but to a wreck, never In
| 1879 this conductor was coming south on night
train, the latest schedule of the night, and as
the road was a single track affair received
orders to take siding about fifteen miles ont
| of Washington and remain there until certain
north-bound train had passed. The siding was
| located at n small station where a telegraph
Office had not at that time been opened 1t was
also about hve miles from the nearest telegraph
/ Office.
| 1.-THE north-bound train met with mishap
on the outskirts of the city, but still on the
double track. and it was desired that the south
bound train be brought into Washington while
| the repairs were being made. How to reach
| the train was problem.
while 1t was being solved the south-bound
train went on the siding at the lonely station as
| ordered. Minutes went bv and finally widened
| into hours. Then the engineer became restless
/ and wanted to uncouple his engine and run TO
| the next station for additional orders, but the
not y11aA
| tied it. The engineer owes his life to that con-
| ductor for his decided stand on that occasion
"A track hand was finally routed out Of bed
| at the nearest telegraph station and given an
order 20 carry to the belated train. While on
| his lonely walk over the ties he came upon a
landslide directly behind sharp curve which
completely covered the track to the depth Of a
foot and was composed of gravel and clay.
Had an engine or train struck the obstruction
| it would, undoubtedly, have left the rails and
went over and down the steep embankment at
that spot
THE train was brought up TO the obstruction
and by the diligent use Of shovels and picks the
track was cleared and the train came into
Washington about five hours late. The passen-
gers on the delayed train at first we're inclined
to grow and censure the conductor for the de-
lay, but when they behed the death trap they
had missed general congratulations we're in
dulged in.
1.-The rules Of a single-track road would have
| advanced the train after certain period of
delay. irrespective of the telegraph orders given
the conductor. but he would take no chances
and the obstruction saved him a reprimand
from the head officials.
STORY OF THE OLD DAYS.
"One Of the greatest difficulties the old con-
ductors have to overcome is the fact that rail-
roading has advanced with giant strides during
the past ten years and to keep up with this
| progress. The old days of running trains to
| suit themselves are passed. but the rare old
tales Of that bygone period are still cherished
and retOld with great gusto at almost every
| gathering OF veteran conductors. One of the
| best of them. don't believe. has appeared in
print. it's worth being enhanced by being a
! strictly true story
! "A very unique character had charge of a
/ train running out of large city on a new
| branch road to small town twenty miles
! distant. He was n relative Of the superintendent
/ of the road and for this reason became over
bearing and thought he could do almost as be
pleased. This superintendent died about six
months before the incident herein related oc-
Cured.
1.-The conductor was a great lover of game
chickens and was recognized an authority on
that so-called sport. A friend one day sen,
him chicken of high pedigree, and the old
man was nightly tickled over the gift. He
carried it around in his arms. showing it 10
different friends. and about half an hour be-
fore the time set for his train leave the city
on its regular run dritted into saloon near the
depot to show his prize TO the proprietor.
"A discussion quickly arose as to the fighting
qualities of the bird, and as the aloo1 keeper
also owned few pugnacious chickens an i'm
promptu match was proposed and agreed to.
ION the train from the east that day which
made connections with the conductors train
herein mentioned was the new superintendent.
bound for the little town at the terminus of
that division. The superintendent alighted
from his train and walked over to the one in
waiting, and settling back in comfortable
seat was soon lost amid the news of the day in a
daily newspaper After reading short while
he noticed considerable growing around him,
INDUCED in by the passengers on account of the
train not starting. and, CHANGING at his watch.
saw that the train should have started twenty
minutes before. Leaving the car a jump
he hurried up to the locomotive and inquired Of
the engineer why he didn't pull out. The engl-
neer not recognizing him, said:
I'm waiting on Bill my conductor. l
can't pull out without him.
"'Where is hep inquired the superintendent.
"'He's got new chicken and / think he s
over in that saloon across the way showing him
Off
"The superintendent turned on his heel and
strobe toward the saloon with fire in his eyes.
When within a few yards of the saloon he was
brought to standstill by the door opening
with bang and the conductor appearing in
the doorway Win the chicken In one hand and
a big roll Of money in the other. which he
waved above his head with a triumphant yell
toward his engineer. 1t was evident his bird
| had won.
| ''He was permitted to make that one trip but
| to this day he is running as baggage master on
that little branch road. His relationship to the
former superintendent of the road, no doubt,
saved him from absolute discharge. but l know
he still dotes on game chickens"
-
Music-Loving, Law Abiding People.
| From the New York Recorder.
| The Welsh have many interesting character
istics. They are eminentiy distinguished for
their love of music. For thirteen consecutive
years the South Wales Choir has won the
queens challenge cup for choral singing in the
Crystal Palace against competitors from the
British Isles and the continent. They devote