The record-union., 1893-02-24
LAssoED A LOCOMOTIVE.
A Reminiscence of Early Days Alo
the Union Pacific KailroRd.


Many are the "reminiscences related of
life on the rail in the early days OF the
Union Pacific. Away back in the 'I0s,
shortly alter the completion of the road
to Ogden, Utah, the officials of the west
ern portion OF the overland often found
themselves hard pressed for the requisite
force OF skilled men necessary to man
their trains TO meet the demands OF the
constantly increasing freight traffic. 1t
was during the prevalence of the mining
fever throughout Colorado and neighbor
ing territories. The disease quickly
spread TO the train service, and the earn
ings of many of the boys were regularly
invested in mining speculations, mostly
through grub stakes. Dame Fortune
on those whom she wished to. favor,
says writer i'll the st. Louis Republic,
and, at the time of which l write, it was
observed the old girl did not disguise her
preference for the knights of the rail-
Fortunes were acquired in a day, and in
stances are cited OF a brakeman who one
day was polishing wheels for 81 90 per
day and no overtime, next month might
be seen industriously acquiring cal
louses in scissoring coupons. Frequent
occurrences of the above nature naturally
lett their impression on the resources of
the officials, who were often forced to
press into service men who twisted a
brake for the first time on the day of
their employment. But the officials had
no other recourse. A nabob will not
brake on freight train, at least not while
he is nabobing. On one occasion cow
boy was employed to fill the position of
first mate on a freight train.
His conductor instructed leather
breeches to fetch the engine and place her
on the train, while the former proceeded
/ to the dispatcher's Office, where he regis
tArpI big and alSn a L-irlT tNyn
These done, he engaged the dispatcher in
conversation, in which for a quarter of an
hour he entertained the latter with an
instructive discourse on the subject of
handling trains by telegraph. After
kindly thanking the conductor for his
advice the guardian of the train meekly
intimated that the east-bound freight
which his train mad orders to meet at
Howell, was there awaiting his arrival.
Rushing to the register, where his pencil
nervously recorded his departure, he
yelled out as parting adieu, Pm gone
at ll:09," and stepped out into the night.
Upon reaching his train he found her
engineless. He was also short one cow
boy. His search for the "brakey'' was
quickly rewarded. The yard engine had
just paused to couple on to string of
cars. This was our newly found brake
mans opportunity, and he was not slow
in taking advantage of it. When dis
covered by the conductor, Mr.. Cowboy
was in the act of throwing his lasso; the
next moment the graceful folds straight
ened out, the loop fell snugly over the
smokestack, and the switching engine
was a.captive. The conductor was about
to say, 'By gump' when he was inter-
rupted by the voice of the brakeman,
who, observing his chief approach, cried
out in joyful ecstacy: "It's all right, now,
boss, Pve ketched her at last and will
have her on the train in jiffy. You see,
this deal is kinder new to me, but on our
next drive Pll have her down pat.'