Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1895-08-08
THE eAeoAeEMAN EXPLAINS.
Tie Declares That No Trunks Arc Smashed
ON the Railroad.

vi tut ANttfouWs
How do SO many trunks get bro.
Kemp" repeated the baggageman us his
face took on an anxious and weary
look. We'll, that's question which
has puzzled me for good many years,
and I'd give good deal for satisfac'
tory answer"
"rhe baggage-smasher doesn't have
anything to do with it, OF course?' was
sarcastically queried.
mot thing, sir. That's where the
public does him rank injustice. In the
old days they have smashed up q trunk
occasionally, but in these modern
times trunks are handled like glass
ware. I've been on the road for seven
years, and during all that time have
noteven ripped the handle off Ia trunk"
"But trunks come off your car all
smashed up"
Eyes, sometimes, and I've had peo-
pie complain OF me and try to get me
discharged They were laboring UNI
der misapprehension however. In
seven cases out of ten the trunk is
damaged before it leaves home. Peo-
pie never send trunk to the shop UNI
til the last minute"
"Is the motion of the train hard on
trunlSs?"
Every hard, sir. 1t jars the nails
and screws loose, and the first thing
you know the sides of trunk fall In
and am blamed for it. We have to
stand trunks on end, you know, to
economic space. While in that posi-.
ton they are still more susceptible to
the jarring"
at doesn't hurt trunk to drop il
from the car door to the platform,
does it?'
"Not the slightest. On the contrary,
IL it is an old trunk the shock will
tighten it as good as new On my run
save the public at least three thou
sand dollars per year for repairs to the
trunks. You have seen two men seize
trunk and fling it on top the pile on
q truck. At such times you think you
hear the sound of breaking glass, but
you are mistaken. 1t is the loose lock
of the trunk settling into place and
saving the owner at least fifty cents in
cash. You have seen trunk fall from
the top of load on transfer truck,
haven't you9"
Eyes, have"
"The noise was like bursting open
a door, and You probably felt
like giving somebody piece OF
your mind. The injury was pure
ly imaginary, The fall simply bolt
ed the casters on and strengthened
the hinges. lam sorry the public la
bors under the hallucination it does,
as it puts a baggageman in bad light.
suppose you sometimes stand around
TO see your trunk on the carp"
"Yes, often do"
"And when you see it rolled over and
over and ended with bang and spun
halfway down the car you feel cold
chill?"
81 do"
swell, chill no more Such handling
is really a benefit to the trunk ant
should be an extra charge. Dear me
but wish the public was more appre
ciativer
"How would you 90 to work to dam
age trnnls?'
81 do not know have laid awake
nights and specialized, and planned
and wondered, but have never solved
the question. There is no way coult
do it. In case of wreck u trunl
might get damaged, but while unde
my care 1t is as safe as its owner il
the parlor car. For years and years
have handled at least five hundred
trunks per week, and in no case have
been to blame for any damage. Iwisl
the public understood this, as it would
make my life more cheerful. 1t is use
less to hope, though. The baggage
man is slandered railroad man, ant
so he must remain while people travc
with trunks"
And he caught the handle of an OLE
trunk, gave 1t a wrench which brolS
both hinges and split the cover, ant
sighed drearily as he turned to hi
work checking off Detroit Free Press