New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-11-08
TRAVELLING CHILDREN.
WOES OF A CONDUCTORS LIFE.
From The Washington Star.


From The Washington Star.
In the of 4 recent trip from the far North
west to the Eastern States. reporter made II a
tce of shipping children from place to place by;
means OF passenger trains. The conductors all
said that the practice was increasing.
An old conductor on south-bound train out or
Chicago said that he had "fathered" more chill
drcn on his train this year than before.
Twice as many l asked.
Hardly that, but great many more than last
What were the ages OF the children this year,"
From eight to Twelve years noced h that t ny
out for themselves but the increasing number
scared me. and 1 began TO think of what would
economy developed a great habit OF sending their
children TO their grandmothers in the country, TO
their aunts sisters or cousins for fresh air or
What would you do under such cieumstanc ss
"Oh don't know Go crazy. Conductors have
very little time to father brood Of children en-
route. especially. If business is good and the
then suggested to this old conductor: who was
really careful kind ea p ma shf or 'hf the n
creased juvenile traffic by furnishing nursery cars
conductor replied. land they will have to furnish
ma,rons too and relieve US from being mammals
~ suppose the nursery car would be full Of
rattles and drums and toy pianos horns rocking
medicine chest full Of paregoric. cough balsam and
certainly. and II papa is forced to remain away
from home, for a long time and wishes to see his
rates under the most favorable conditions.
Nursery cars might be a good thing. anyhow.
daily is enormous. taking the whole country into
consideration. and the convenisnces are not worth
service Is adjusted to adults. not to children"
A CONDUCTORS EXPERIENCE.
The conductor said that last summer he carried
two yong children who had come from Texas.
ehde a5o"s years Of age had got G" on
at Memphis and rode under the fatherly care OF
Gagged. the card bearing the name and address OF
the relative to whom they were consigned, and the
members OF the consignment.
Numerous instances Of shipping children were
the instance of baby girl who was one of the
rportSrs sb during daysh trip
in The extreme western s part OF the State, and the
10 the conductor. 1t read follows:
Mamie =, aged three Going to Chicago
on the reverse side Of the slip was the name and
address in Chicago OF the chd's mother.
still in the seat where the conductor placed
her Her bright eyes twnkled but she did not
Of Of her ' feiow-passensers knew that she was was
travelling alone. After little the conductor in
after that one woman or another sat beside her
during the entire Journey of nearly three hundred
REFUSED TO BE CoMFORTED.
of evening fell and the lamps were lit in the
rushing 'rsin Then she T rn her mother and
cried until she got tired The conductor avn was se
efforts while the baby crying to soothe her
He was unsuccessful. After the last attempts he
III my wife was here she would have that baby
laughing in minute. My wife is a wonder that way
The baby cried Mamma VERY Very " pantysy very
Justify The. old maid in the seat with her told her
the old maid. looked wistfully. heplessy at the
sq!gaIlIns, baby a,Sy. AND ds said l;s,u 49,.
and pretty soon you will get there and your
'She ough, to know better than to send such
small child as that so far that It would have to ride
ara sn do ns aSs
and hushing em when they are squaing bloody
On and on sped the rat;llng train In the night
toward the great Western metropolis. The poor little
CRYING at length from exhaustion. and at las, fell
asleep with her head against the side of the cold
As the train rolled the switches inside the city
limits OF Chicago the conductor grew visloly more
bet IS to nobody would be at the depot to take the
baby. This statement excited my interest, and
awaited the end OF that trip anxiously
NO ONE WAS AT THE STATION
When the train stopped. with jerk and the hiss
OF air brakes, under the great high roof Of the
s of h ca nG watched hem un and
reached the watinsroorn. He placed the little bit
Nobody appeared to claim the baby.
on his face as he said: Just as expected. Some
body Is trying TO get rid OF this child and am
party to the heartlcss plot"
The conductor waited reasonable length Of time
and then no one having appeared TO take the baby.
he beckoned to policeman. The officer came
over and the two held a conversation. A few
moments later I the conductor going out into
the streets of the great Western metropolis with
the baby on his arm. Her arms were clasped
around his neck.
I learned that the conductor left the baby In
charge OF the matron at police headquarters and
that the baby's great-grandmother got her the next
day, Her mother sick the night before, ana
the great-grandmother was too old to go to the
depot at night The baby was shipped down the
road because the mother was too poor to 80 and
get her.