Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-11-02
BABIES ON RAILROADS
A Nursery Gar Is Suggested as Much
Needed Convenience.
Experiences OF Conductors Who Are
Placed in Charge of Young Chill
dren on Long Journeys.


of The Star made it point to inquire OF
each conductor about the practice of ship
ping children from place to place by means
of passenger trains. The conductors all
said that the practice was increasing.
An old conductor on a south-beund train
out of Chicago said that he had "fathered''
more children on his train this year than
ever before.
Twice as many?' asked.
Hardly that. but great many more
than last year." he replied.
What were the ages of the children this
year,"
From eight to twelve years. I noticed
that they were all bright children, and al
most able to look out for themselves, but
the increasing number scared me, and l
began to think of what would become of
US conductors if people. afflicted with econ
omy developed great habit OF sending
their children to their grandmothers in the
country. to their aunts or sisters or cousins
for fresh air or some other reason
What would you do under such circum-
stances?"
''Oh, / don't know. Go crazy. Con-
ductors have very little time to father
brood of children en- route especially If
business is good and the coaches are full"
/ then suggested to this old conductor,
who really careful, kind-hearted
man, that the railroad companies could
easily provide for the increased juvenile
THAT is what the roads will have to do"
the conductor replied. land they will have
to furnish matrons, too. and relieve us from
being mammas and papas too.
Il suppose the nursery car would he full
of rattles and drums and toy pianos. horns.
rocking horses and other toys. and a tank
of milk and medicine chest full of pare
goric, cough balsam and soothing sirup?'
Certainly, and then If papa Is forced to
remain away from home for long time
and wishes to see his children. they can be
sent to him at reduced rates under the
most favorable conditions.
Nursery might be good thing,
anyhow. The number of young children
which are carried daily Is enormous, TAX
ing the whole country into consideration,
and the conveniences are not worth men
tioning Coaches are all built and pas
senger service Is adjusted to adults. not to
children"
A Conductors Experience.
The conductor said that last summer he
carried two young children who had come
from Texas, and were going up into the
northwest. Two other children, about
eight years of age, had gotten on at Mem
phis and ridden under the fatherly care of
conductors to Chicago. These children
were tagged, the card bearing the name
and address of the relative to whom they
were consigned, and the names and adj
dresses of the two bright young members
of the consignment
Numerous Instances of shipping children
were mentioned. but none of them were as
remarkable as the instance of a baby girl
who one of the reporters fellow-pas-
sengers during a daylight trip through
Wisconsin. She was put at station in
the extreme western part of the state. and
the people who came to the train with her
gave tag to the conductor. 1t read as
follows:
Mamie -; aged three. Going to Chi
cage To be delivered to M R
On the reverse side of the slip was the
name and address in Chicago of the child's
mother.
Baby R was warmly clothed, and
she sat very still in the car seat where the
conduo tor placed her. Her bright eyes
twinkled, but she did not say anything.
She kept so quiet that very few of her fell
low-pas sengers knew that she was travel
ing alone. After a little the conductor In
duced a woman to sit beside the little girl,
and after that one woman or another sa;
beside her during the entire Journey of
nearly three hundred miles.
Refused to he Comforted.
The baby was apparently happy until
the shades of evening fell and the lamps
were lit IN ths rushing train. Then she
wanted ner mother. and she cried for her
Justify. The woman in tire seat with Ter
offered her very cold comfort. and she
cried until she got tired. The conductor
made several efforts while the baby was
crying to soothe her. He was unsuccessful
After the last attempts he came over to
me and said.
that baby laughing in a minute. My wife
Is wonder that way. We have five little
ones. four girls and a boy"
.,. The baby baby, cried; cried Mamma" very plain
seat with her told her to keep STILL and
the conductor went back. leaned over the
old maid. looked wistfully. helplessly at
the squalling baby, and said:
There, There, Cos riding on the choo-
choo cars, and pretty soon you will get
there and see your mother.
she ought to know better than to send
such small child as that SO far that 1t
would have to ride at night" observed the
conductor. I'VE conductors have some
thing to do besides wiping babies noses and
murder
On and on sped the rafting train in the
night toward the great western metropolis.
The poor little traveller. weary, lonesome
from exhaustion. and at last fell asleep.
with her head against the side of the cold
old maid
As the train rolled over the switches in
Side the city limits of Chicago the conduc-
Tor grew Eisibly more nervous He came
10 me and said that he would bet & tn 81
NOBODY would be at the depot to take the
baby. This statement excited nv interest
and L awaited the end of that trip any
iously. up CHA
No One WINS at the Stallion.
When the train stopped, with a Jerk and
the hiss OF air brakes, under the great
nigh roof of the Chicago depot. / followed
the conductor and the baby out of the car
and watched them until they reached the
waiting room He placed the little bit Of
humanity on seat In the vast room and
looked anxiously about.
Nobody appeared to claim the baby.
Ihe conductor turned to me with a fear-
1uI look on his face, as he said: Gust a
expected Somebody is trying to get rid
OF this child and am a party to the heart
less plot"
the conductor waited a reasonable length
OF tine and then, no one having appeared
10 take the baby, he beckoned to a police
man The officer came over and the two
held a conversation. A few moments later
1 saw 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.
learned that the conductor left the baby
In charge of the matron at police head
quarters. and that the baby's great-erand-
mother got her the next day. Her mother
was sick the nigh: before, and the great
grandmother was too old to go to the
depot at night The baby was shipped down