The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-02-26
EDW. RIDLEY & SONS, 900 I. a.a 81 1 ss..p ST.
WAITING FoR DEAD MEMS sHoEs.
The Grim Intelligence U~nenpioyeA RailroaA
Men Arc Ever In Haste to Garry.


Men Are Ever In Haste 70 Garry.
Jimmy Rellly's lost his jobi" said . rugged
looking young man In q rusty pea Jacket and
o blue lannel shirt as he entered . railroad
officials ONCE in Jersey City on one OF tho
coolest. anowlsst days Of last week. And
I'd like to leave my name for the Job o brakin'
in his place, sir"
Lost his iob3 How's that"
"Jist got killed up In the yard!" replied the
young man in the pea jacket.
The railroad official promised to hold tho
application under consideration. INC the mar
went out, evidently we'll pleased.
There 10 no calling" said the oficsr. so
beset with dangers and hardships as that of .
railroad brakeman. especially on q freight or
coal train; and yet wero fifty brakemen killed
on this or any other road to-day there would
be an eager and anxious applicant for each
mans place as soon as the news OF his death
became known. Tho man who was In here
Just now evidently saw Brakeman Reilly killed.
because It couldn't have happened long be-
fore he came In. as I have received no of1cIal
notice Of the accident yet. and reports of that
n nsas dr. Rsi iii ia death. hut Whatever ni imp M,s.
sion it made upon Mn was lost IN the lat that
sos ee ono @ eiss. neg Ths as'i p r P,nffsd e him IN % a'' at y Z
S %bsteS Snd Of az sd ,Sss not he : s Ssifsy.d n ps ssSqri1 ~
livery railroad has a small army Of these
anxious and waiting applicants for chances to
step into dead mons shoes hanging around It's
yards and stations They are ohis1y men who
have followed railroadtng all their lives. and
have lost their jobs In some way. You see.
railroading Is a good deal like politics. II q
man goes into 1t once he Isn't worth a snap for
anything else: and. 80 II he gets out 81 1t he 10
nerpetually on tho lookout for the opportunity
isn't one Of the mon I refer to who does not
killed. and few OF them would hesitate to risk
their ovn lives In an effort to save that OF any
train man in danger. although they might
know that tho death OF that man would place
them In tho best position they could hops ever
70 MI: yet they haunt the tracks and the sta
ton yards day aftor day. Watching the switch.
Ing and the coming and going OF trains. know
ing that some one Of the train hands or
switshmsn Is sure to be killed now and then.
10 such y hants to bs.peak poor Reiily's PLACE
hard fate that prevented them from being
present when he was killed and robbed them
OF chance to reach my ear irst. It Isn't at
all likely that this onterprisine young man
will BIO hired In Reilly's place, although he
may be. il he isn't 1t will not shake his faith.
nor that Of any OF the others. In the import
ance OF having early intelligence Of fatal aoci-
dents 70 train men. and being, early to my
onics with the news and an application. OF. II
o.! the. one having authority at that polnt.
There is one OF these men who has brought INC
the first news OF seven different men he has
seen killed. ana he Is now, I have no doubt.
Watching for another accident with the hoDc
that he will get the dead mans Job"