Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1899-10-31


n gether one day last month on the
cool and airy Office balcony of the
Union depot in Detroit. They were
conductors and engineers for the most
part, though some of them had seen
service in many branches Of railroad
ing. AS they smoked and chatted and
listened to the puff puff of the engines
and the changing of bells in the yard be-
low they were reminded of mishaps
and adventures that had befallen them
or their acquaintance in the course of
many years on the road As their
cigars grew shorter their stories grew
longer and stronger, until one wound
up a lurid tale bristling with shining
pistol barrels, faring torches, fright
ened passengers and masked bandits in
a midnight setting on a lonely Ne
braska prairie.
"Well," said the Old Timer, when the
silence following this recital began to
grow oppressive, "you can talk about
the wild and woolly until your tongue
is tired, but I'll tell you there was
time right here in Michigan when we
trainmen had customers TO deal with
that would simply have telescoped and
derailed all the reckless highwaymen
west of the Missouri"
when was that?" asked the former
speaker, obviously.
THAT was along some time after the
war, say, in the early seventies, and
the place was up in the woods in the
northern part of the lower peninsula.
Those were the days when the great
lumber camps were in the height Of
their glory. \ single railway track ran
up into the heart of the forest, and was
used all winter for hauling logs and
freight. Men went up into the woods
in the fall of the year and came out in
the spring. These were about the only
occasions upon which passenger
train went up into the wilderness.
at was all right taking the lumber
men up in the fall. That was easy.
They were dead broke, perfectly sober,
and as quiet and orderly as a Sunday
school class just before Christmas.
But coming home!
They were the most obstreperous
passengers a conductor ever had to col
lect fares from. The way those wild
eyed woodmen coming out in the
spring would pile into the cars and
scramble through train would take
the nerve ont Of most any conductor
in the United States to-day. They
were just like band OF schoolboys just
let out for lark, only ten times more
dangerous. r heir pockets were stuffed
with grecnbaclIs and whisky TASKS.
They shouted and fought, cursed and
sang out of pure high spirits. They
were goOd-nntured, as n rule, and only
anxious 10 get home and spend their
money, but any show of restraint upon
their actions or movements would
plunge them instantly into an ugly
and furious temper.
There was conductor working for
the Detroit, Lansing & Northern in
those days whose name was McLaugh-
lin. He was professional wrestler be-
fore he took TO Tailroading, and was
considered one Of the best in the coun.
try. He was man Of fine physique,
strong, 1.-THE and over six feet tan. He
it was whom they sent up to the camps
to bring the Iumbermen home, and as
he never failed to collect at least three
fourths Of the fares he was looked upon
as o wonder
"The log rollers came ia know him
in time and had great respect for his
proves. They looked for his coming
in the spring and sometimes arranged
friendly bouts between Mac and who
ever happened to be champion scrapper
Of the season. .
but there came a spring Mt last
when Mac did not appear. lie had left
the Detroit, Lansing & Northern rail
road and gone west. think he now
runs on the Northern Pacific railroad
out Of Minneapolis. In his stead the
wondering Iumbermen now saw medi-
um-si2ed man that in no respect re-
sembled The muscular and giant framed
Mac, swing or the train when It slowed
up at the station in the woods. The
new conductor was Johnny Han, who
had been sent out TO do the best he
could in Macs place.
'The passengers to be Immediately
proposed TO themselves what they
thought would prove humorous and
agreeable pastime. Every man jack Of
them agreed not under any circum-