The times., 1899-11-05
A GOODNESS BETWEEN THEM.
NptOrmnn and Conductor Never
speak aS They Pass Along.

O. rom the ~. I0Nla hepuDllt-D
Like the two De Cadeau brothers. who
are said to have lived Tor years in the same
chateau in southern France without ever
exchanging a word. are Conductor William
Walsh and Motorman benjamin Lindsay
who operate the single car which runs on
a spur Of the Suburban Railway over Union
Avenue to Forest Park.
In the three long years during which the
two street railway men have run the car
they have not been upon speaking terms,
and although their duties throw them con-
stantly together never a word is exchanged
between them. II is not because the men
are dumb. for both are good conversation
alists. The cause of the silence is a cool
ness which has existed between them for
three years. Before that time Bill and
Ben were known as inseparable-in fact
had been schCOlmates together-and had
purposeIy arranged it so as they might
operate upon the same line.
The primary cause of the estrangement
is not known even TO the most intimate
friends of the men. Il is believed to have
been some trivial affair. which an eXpla-
nation would easily have set right Both.
however. felt too much pride to take that
step. The first intimation that anything
was amiss between the two which their ac-
quaintances and fellow employees had was
that they were not seen as much togs tber
after working hours. and ceased to visit
each other.
At last, so it is said by employees of the
road Walsh reported his erstwhile friend
for some slight fault, and a few weeks
after Lindsay reported Walsh for the same
error. From that time on greetings and
conversations were at an end betwiXt the
two men. Their mutual friends rallied
Q ra Of Of bzy
bringing the men together at parties fire.
quently endeayored 10 accomplish a recon
ciliation. All these efforts were without
good results, and only served to make the
existing gap wider.
Nowhere else in the service of the road
could two men be thrown more constantly
and closely together than upon the little
spur. There is but one car upon it, and the
waits between trips are of several minutes
duration. Frequently trips are made with
out carrying passenger, and the conductor
and mo1orman are the only persons on the
car. Both are among the most faithful
and efficient employees OF the road. and are
popular with the regular passengers whom
they carry from day TO day. These ali know
Of the cOoIness between the men. and have
tried without success 10 get them TO make
up. Now the passengers have given up
hops Of an amicable settlement and ranged
themselves on one side or the other.
Among the other employees Of the line the
two are spoken of as ''mutes." They fur
nish much merriment to their fellow work
men, who have many wagers up as 10 which
shall first break the silence.
At noon, when il is time for the motor
man TO eat his dinner, the conductor goes
to the front platform and touches him on
the shoulder with his finger The signal
Is readily understood. Lindsay leaves his
post. and, while dining Walsh takes charge
Of the car. On his return the conductor
takes his leave. This thing is kept up for
365 days in the year. Both men have been
In the service of the company for many
years, and the managers say that both
stand high upon the books