The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-05-22

in strength, knows how to handle his
lists. is quiet and genial ordinarily, but
when aroused is tartar.
Il sent for the conductor at once and
had him confront the men and tell his
story. II was to the effect that they had
pulled the bell cord and stopped the train
twice. You know how close trains run
at those times and the danger OF unex-
pected stops? At the first stop Jim, the
conductor told the men OF the danger
they were placing the train In. and in
a calm voice asked them not to do IL
again. They thought 1t a great lark and
laughed in Jim's face. The train had got
ten under good Roadway again and JIm's
back was hardly turned when the trick
was repeated. Here are Jim's words in
telling OF the scene that followed:
well. Cap, when I noticed the train
stacking up again / made for those fell
lows. No. a was right on our heels. and
10 stop at that point was taking mighty
big chances. So I pulled the go-ahead
signal. and. as that big fellow over there
stood in front Of me grinning, let go
at him with my right As he went down
his partner made at me with a cane and
] had to floor him also. l would have
put them off the train without using
unnecessary violence. but 1t was too
risky to stop
"All l said TO jim was that he didn't
hit them hard enough. and the meg left
my office swearing vengeance, but ]
never heard Of them afterward.
There are many other species OF the
fool-kiiler among the travelling public.
but | can't recall them all just now
There's the man who gets on the wrong
train and jumps Off as soon as he DIS
covers his mistake. no matter at what
speed the train may be running; and
the man that hangs out the car window
waiting 10 be struck by some chance
projection as his train speeds along.
CARLrss EMPLOYEES.
1.-THE railroad employees furnish an
other class Of 'fool-killers and, under
the circumstances. l think they are the
most remarkable. A person would think
that their dangerous work would make
them exceedingly sharp and cautious,
but the contrary seems to be the rule.
At times they will plead guilty to trans
actions that would appear foolish to an
idiot. The worst OF this class is the
brakeman who uses a heavy stick to
tighten up the brakes. He will never
take advice and seldom preserves enough
Of his anatomy to learn through eXper-
fence. The company does not ask man
to do more than he can accomplish with
his hands in the matter of setting the
brakes. Have you ever pulled hard on
rope and have 1t suddenly break?
Well. that is mild sensation compar-
ed with breaking brake rigging under
the pressure of a stout stick leverage.
The man has thrown all his weight on
the brake wheel: the train Is ioltng from
side TO side under high rate Of speed,
and then the chain parts. 1t can very
no wi chance
brakeman has Of gathering further eX-
perence in railroading after the mishap.
Another fool I'm the empioye class is
the man that works on the shifting en-
CINE. and thinks II looks smart to stand
in the middle of the track, and mount
the little platform in the front of the
engine as it comes towards him. He
can do this trick a thousand times, but
ne dare not miss 1t once. It's trying on
the old engineers nerves, but they have
to grin and bear it.
Then there is the fussy little official
who thinks he knows how 10 couple cars
because he's connected with The rail-
road. Whenever / see one of this class
20 in between the cars to couple up, /
first yell to him TO come out. and then,
if he doesn't hear me. start for a tele-
phone to call down the company's ply
stefan.
ITO take them in rotation, I would put
the engineer in the fool class who goes
under his engine 10 make repairs with
out telling any one about ii. The con-
ductor who Will start back over his
train in the dusk of the evening without
| his lantern. The fireman who Will try
to feed an engine coal without bracing
himself against the side of the tender.
The hagman who will allow himself to
fall asleep in his lite caboose when
| there is another train following on the
same schedule. The brakemen | have
| already classified. a great many of the
| track-walkers and repair hands come
under the fool-killer' head. as they will
persist in staying on the track in front
| of an approaching train until the last
| inch has been covered Sometimes their
| calculations are faulty. and then a va
cancy occurs in the force. '-Washington
Star.