Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-28

TH IN VII 1t would seem that
w IN the increased circu-
NN,ILlT lation of the daily
press would cause
decrease Of such a class, but the startling
innovations in mechanical appliances can
be, no doubt held responsible for the rapid
augmentation. A happy assurance that
everybody knows 30 much about every
thing that nobody needs any special over
sight or care. and that. In fact, every
body would be happier and general affairs
much better conducted If everything was
just let alone. would certainly be q very
comfortable doctrine. But this much-wish-
ed-for condition Of affairs has, apparently,
not been reached as yet.
A Foolish and Dangerous Trick.
During the great rush of travel to the
worlds fair last fall several gentlemen
from cultured Boston occupied seats in the
smoker Of a special train. 1t would be
supposed that the scenery along the route.
books. cards or, at the worst CONVERSE
ton would have kept them busy q major
part OF the route, but they found great
amusement In pulling the afr-brake cord
and stopping the train several times before
they were caught in the act It is difficult
to believe that they could possibly be ig-
norant of the danger to which they might
be exposing themselves and hundreds of
others by such insane folly. and the only
agreeable deduction to be drawn from that
incident is that the fines imposed upon the
cuiprits were sufficiently large to deter
them and their silly compeers from at
tempting such humorous conceits in the
future. Trains last fall were run very
close together. and the horrible wrecks
were quite sufficient to demonstrate the
pf rail traxy NJ
late day, without having the passengers
themselves add additional risks to the
changes OF their reaching their destfna-
tons without the aid Of the awe-inspiring
In almost every walk OF life this species
of idiot may be found. but against the
credit Of the railroads Of the country there
is charged about 90 per cent for the de-
velopment thereof. In conversation with
an official of one Of the local railroads re-
Gently an Evening Star reporter preached
the subject of the recklessness shown by
many people while travelling on or work
ing for railroads. The official said:
Railroad Mans Talk.
''Your designation OF this class Of people
as fool killers Is a most refined way of
putting It. We railroad men use a harsher
expression, which you newspaper men
generally designate with o dash. That
that dash is very expressive cannot be de-
MED, because our mentor the genial De-
pew, used the expression I speak Of at q
big railroad meeting only last week in
New York. and the newspapers the next
day lent refinement to his words by using
the dash.
but, to return to the subject Of fool
Killers" the official continued. II would
like to ask few questions. Why Will
stout man persist in running for trains and.
after he has caught them, make us summon
a physician at the next station to keep him
from dying on our hands through a stroke
month. out Of this station, year In and year
out, and you know how frequently We run
trains. We have reached that point where
we retain our breath and let them 60.
advice into this class of travellers ears
would raise small-sized cyclone II massed
together.
again. why will people persist in getting
off of moving cars backwards? This class
is generally a younger one and the action
results from seeing some one on the plat
form whom they know. They will first get
down to the last step on the car platform
ton and by their friends. give q shout of
recognition and Immediately step OF with
out taking their eyes from the faces Of the
dear ones. The climax is. Of course. SUBJ
timely ridiculous to the unsympathetic on
lockers. but extremely painful to those most
interested. including the railroad officials.
Our trainmen always keep a sharp lookout
for these fool killers but time and again
themselves.
In a Hurry to Get on.
''rhen. there is the Baltimore and subur-
ban commuter. By rights We should kill
or cripple one Of this group daily on an av-
erage. Our patent appliances save many
lives. When a train is fully half mile
from the terminal station they begin to
move. those In the forward cars toward the
platforms. and those in the rear cars to-
ward the front ones. In both cases there Is
a saving Of only feet and seconds in dis
lance and time. while the risk they run in
being jolted from the moving train is a
very great one. Almost every day have
cases reported to me Of hair-breadth es-
capes Of these people from injury The
danger lies, principally: In the crowding on
the platform; jostle from a fellow travel
er; the car swerves as It rounds a curve
and the unfortunate one regains conscious
ness In the hospital. This is another class
we have discontinued talking advice to-
You remember that horrible accident that
occurred not long since just outside the
city wherein young lady was killed
through walking around the end Of a train
and in front Of swift approaching ex-
press? Well. 1t was only the day after that
accident occurred that a well-known real
estate man Of this city came within an inch
of losing his life in exactly the same man
ner. All trains slack up as much as possi-
BILE when passing another train that is at
a standstill at a station, but II frequently
happens that slippery rails and heavy trains
prevent any great diminution In speed
That was the case In both instances / speak
OF. The poor girl was in a hurry and
couldn't wait for the train she had Travelled
on to pull away from the station and give a
clear view of the track and lost her life to
gain q minutes time In the case of thu
real estate man, he was drawn to that To-
cality by curiosity and business Interests
principally the former. He had. no douht
read the details Of the accident In the ma
pers Then he comes out the next day to thar
Identical station, walks around the rear ana
OF the stationery train as the luckless victiu,
had done. and only by the merest chance
cleared the rails as the express rushed nv
several onlookers turned away their heads
10 smut out the expected horrible sight
NOW, What excuse had that man for his
action! II he doesn't belong to the class ~
1901 Rulers then 1t would be hard to clas.
sify them. ~ SA~s-
The Conductor Was Right.
Wnile we were moving tho vast thron~
OF people In and out Of the city at the 10 a.
INAUGURATION and was In work up to INV
eyes, two Misunderstanding men struttad
into my office with grievance written ali
over their faces. Without stopping to take
breath they commenced telling me the con-
ductor on the train that had lust arrived
had Knocked them both down and other
wise maltreated them. looked down AZ
one OF our most trustworthy and popular
conductors had handled the train and the
men. also, from their looks. could hardly
suppress smile as. I'm my minds eye /
took in the scene. The conductor is a Her
cules In strength, knows how to handle hts