The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-01-25

| Toms River, this was not supposed to
make much difference, although it proved
| otherwise later.
part of the route over the Pennsvl-
vania road to Toms River is rarely used.
At that time only one train, a combine
! ton of freight and passenger ears, WAS
run a week. The road employed no regu-
! lar force at the stations on the branch,
! but left these in the care of neighboring
| farmers, who were glad to get a small
salary for selling tickets, turning
switches, closing drawbridges and SO
forth three times a week From Jersey
/ City to Woodbridge the trains ran over
| the regular Pennsylvania tracks, but
there they branched off and run as far az
Point Pleasant, over the Long Branch
railroad, which was used also by the
trains OF the Central Railroad Of New Jer-
sey. Another change was made, about 40
miles out, to a branch Of the Pennsylva-
MIA called the Camden and Amboy divi-
sion, and it was on this that toe farmers
were employed
The delay IN getting the special started
allowed an accommodation train to get
ahead, and the special had, therefore, to
be run very slowly. The reporters tried
to get the conductor TO telegraph ahead
to have the accommodation train side
tracked until their train could pass, but
he would not undertake the responsibility,
and so the train had to go slowly until
Railway was reached. From that point
to Woodbridge, six miles, the train ran
rapidly. Here the reporters had hoped to
make up for lost time, but again they
were dis appointed. This time Central
railroad train was the cause of the de-
lay. II had got ahead and made frequent
stops, so that considerable time was lost
before the reporters train finally switched
over to the Amboy Division and found the
tracks clear.
But here new difficulty appeared. The
farmer switch tenders had not been noti-
fed about the special and many of them
were at church or visiting. Fortunately,
some of the switches being unlocked,
could be managed by the brakeman, and
even this caused much delay, as the train
had to be slowed up until hs could run
ahead and throw the switches. There are
many drawbridges on this part Of the
road, and at these the train had to DO
stopped, while the engineer footed his
whistle to attract attention, and the re-
porters, conductor and brakeman hunted
up the absent bridge tenders and got
them down to the tracks. One man was
found in church, and it took a substan-
t!aI inducement 10 get him out. On each
of the other occasions the bridge tender
had to be told repeatedly that this was a
real live special train before his astonish-
ment was sufficiently overcome to enable
him to attend TO the work of closing the
draw
The worst experience of this kind oc-
Cured at the big draw bridge Just before
Toms River was reached. 1t was nearly
$50, an hour and half beyond the time
set for reaching their destination, when
the train slowed up before the house Of
the bridge tender. 1t was pitch dark and
the lights in the house and the train
were the only things visible The re-
porters got out and followed the brake
men to the house. An old man, the /
father of the bridge tender, was the only I
person at home
Il don't see how you're ever goin' to
git that air draw closed, {" he said hope /
lessly, after the situation had been ex- |
planned to him. ''Dan amt ter home,
and / don't know whar veil find him. |
He went out to see his gal spell ago,
and calcerlate he be out drivin' some
whar."