The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-03-18
A TRAMP OPERATOR,

had carried her full quota, II NC hau
realized what was back OF the Innocent
ouery of the trampish-looking substi-
tute operator at Hogarth he would
have been a pretty badly frightened
man. even though the event was three
days in the past Only Kenneth ana
the second trick train dispatcher knew
how close 700 persons had come to
death on the night of Sept. 4. True, a
certain boy may have had remote IDEA |
of it, but that is only u hazard, for he
was very stupid boy.
Kenneth was on the hog train. 1t was
habitual with him. His shoes were
punches of frayed leather; his trousers
were greasy and torn; Ids coat was
seedy, and although he had washed his
shirt regularly thrice a week In the
waters of whatever pond or creek he
CHANGED to discover In his line OF tran
sit. still. it was an evil-looking shirt
which did not beget confidence. He
was unshaved and in general appear
ance was similar to the accepted idea
of hobo. The time had passed many
years back when he felt that 1t was
worth while to appeal to station agents
or operators along the line Of his travel
for assistance. HIS garb and guise
were not such as to prompt self-respeet-
ing telegraphers to talk in his behalf
to the conductors of freight trains, and
SO what progress westward he made
was a tribute to his own vigilance and
agility-vigilance in detecting just
when the brakeman's back was turned
and agility in swinging under the cars
and upon the trucks. And he was per-
fectly and trampily satisfied.
Kenneth sauntered up the platform at
Hogarth and took seat on box just
outside the station window. He would
have been ordered away had the agent
been In the Office, but the agent was
not there The agent, having been over
; come by heat at oclock-September
y heat Is the most potent heat in that des-
. ert land-had been carried up to his
: house to rage in deliIium, and die, per-
haps, for all the medical attendance a
u Wyoming settlement could afford. II
/ was his student wins sat In flushed I'M
a portance at the telegraph table when
Kenneth roved up TO the window and
anchored en- the box. Kenneth had tour
Il ed the rad until he had tirst-rate
knowledge of the time card, and ht
us knew that If 602 was on time sh'
nd would draw her serpentine length o
r. freight cars up to the Hogarth station
~ M had nnni
etTr whizzing eastward with her fast mai
ire and her sleepers. 1t was his purpos
ioi to annex himself to 602 and process
eastward.
en- Idly, through the open window, h
nst studied the boy. He was very stupid
looking boy, and at this time of his 81
j. perior's disability very important boy
er Kenneth estimated his age at IA or II
and tried to think how stupendous
. opinion he himself had had of himse
when he was boy OF Is and was lei
for the first time In charge of an off1c
He listered in passively intereste
sort Of way as the boy fought on II
second wire for fifteen minutes In b
ich vigorous purpose to ask the time of
p far-away telegrapher, even though II
heavens might fall. 1t was like o
n times. eli plug operators, he remer
= bered. do that sort OF thing-fghtin
fighting, fighting In their DISCRIMINATE
to take the wire from any one else WI
may desire to use it the train dlspatc
or alone excepted from the list to
81 held hi contempt.
u The tramp operator wearied at last
- the boys ''smartness' on the line, al
ica leaned back against the side Of the ST
~ ton listening to the clamor of the d
. pateher c,rcuit-listening TO orders,
Gdl. ports and other minutas of runni
trains By telegraph. In the course
In. time he learned thing which caus
ooE' him to curse his luck and look up
- himself as one outraged, for by atter
n oa ing the racket Of the dispatcher's Il
ring be found that No. 1, the passenger ira
o o@l' was late, and instesd Of meeting her
San Rosalie, the station east of Hogan
,gue. where the tramp operator was waltz
- ,t Coz, the fast freight, had been giy
tore. permission to go as far as Williams
the SIIL1Uu uc4t WSct Va 44O6ult hs
, san the meeting. No. had been warned
ELEN due time of the change.
- The fast freight had been out of Re
A ssr lie ten minutes and was fast approa
! Cal. ing Hogarth when Kenneth heard
,ye,s, man at Humboldt telling the dispatc
selby that No. !, having made up fifteen n
:, - ute of Ter time, and being but Z
ore forty-fivc minutes late, desired to
rial coed on eastward to Hogarth for
- meeting rather than risk having
s sI, wal. at Williamson. The order
dlars promptly given, for express trains
- things which must be humored by 4
Els dlspatchsrs. This, Of course, mad
.ot.sh rerempsory to stop COZ at Hogarth
lreet give her revised order In conforr
-e-- . with that now held by the condu
IS of No. l. 1t was easy enough. All
easss 70 was needed was to call up the oper
: F5iss at Hogarth and tell him to display
red signal and STOP the approac
0. 40. freight train. Kenneth unders