New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-09-10
A .UANDS-UP" CONDUCTOR.
NOW NE COLLECTED FARES FROM A
TRAINLOAD OF MICHIGAN
IJNBERMEN.
LUNBERNlEN


and -ucinoors for tho most part, though some oI
them had seen service IN many branches OF
railroadins A. they smoked and chatted ana
listened I'D the pun pun Of the engines ana the
,llr,ln. Of bells i'm the yard below they were
reminded Of mishaps and adventures that had
hcfllleu them or their acqualntanccs IN the
..ours. IF many years On the road. rs their
cigars grow shorter their stories grow longer
and stronger until one wound up luri1 taIe
hristlng with shining pistol barrels narins
Torches cracks Of revolvors. frightened pas
,en.or~ and masked bandits in a midnight set
tlne on a. lonely Nebraska prairie.
well" said the Od Timer when the silence
following this recital began to grow oppressive,
"you An talk about the Wild and woody until
y,,ir tongue is tired. but I'll tell YOU there was
n rne right here in Michigan when We train
mon had customers To deal with that would
sill PLY have telesc"ped ana I'ra!,r1 an inc
reckless highwaymrn west of the Missouri
"Whcn was that asked the former speaker.
obviously
.Tha, was along some time after the war say.
~ fh,. carly seventies and the place was up IN
lhr woods in the northern part Of the lower pc
nfreul1 Those We're 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
ors ana freight N went up into the WOODS
n the fall o. the year and came out i'm the
srrlng These were about the only OCCASIONS
Upon which passenger train went up INTO 'he
wilderness.
-I was all right taking the umhormen up in
h, f,I That was easy They were dead
oroll. perfectly sober and as quiet ana orderly
A. n sunday school class just before Christmas
But coming back
.'The, were the most obstrcporous passengers
a conductor eyer had to collect fares from. me
way those wild eyed woodsmcn coming out IN lh'
srr,rg would pile into the cars and scraub-
through train would take the nerve out or
most any conductor In the United states to-day
They were like A band Of schoolboyS just let
out for 4 lark only ten times moro dangerous.
Thcir pockets were stuffed with grcenhacks
and .yhiak.v TASKS They shouted and fought,
cursed md sang ont Of pure high spirits. Ihey
H-r. good naturcd As rule, ana Only ANXIOUS
20 ct home and spend their money. but any
show Of restraint upon their action or moVr-
nents would plunge them instantly into an ugly
and furious temper
.Th.r. was a conductor working for the De
troit. Lansing and Northern in those days whose
nam. ,as McLaughlin. lie was a professional
wrestler before nc took to railroauing. ana VAS
con. dcrrd one Of the best in the country IL
va, + man Of fine physique. strong MN" ana
aver six feet tall lie it was whom they always
SOM un 90 the camps tO bring the lunD"iihrh
home and as he never failed 10 collect al i'iS'
three fourths Of he fares he was looked upon 80
a wonder.
D,rh. lor rollers came TO know him in time
AMI had great respect for his pro""ss. IErN
looked FOR his coming in the spring ana some
time, arranged friendly bouts between Mac an
whoever happened % bee champion sci'pp'i VI
the season. ~.
But there came a spring at last when Mac
dill NOT appear He had lcft the Detroit, lahSlHS
he uow runs On tho Northern Paclhc Kair"d'
out II MINNEAPOLIS In his stead the wonder
ing lumbcrmcn now 81" in"liun Sl|''l "l'i',
mas in no respect rDscnbed the muscular ana
giant framed Mac swing off the t'dlr Whrn il
siop.l up at the station in the woods. lh'
nov conductor vas johnny Hall, who had been
sent out TO do the best h. could IN Mac pir'.
"The aasscngcrs t. bee Immediately proposed
t. themselves what they thought would prove
a humorous and agreeable pastime. Every man
Jack + them agreed not under any cirrhm-
stances to pay his fare to the new conductor.
50 they boarded tho train IN high siee Al me
prospect If a free ride home
"Mranwhile John Hall had not failed to notice
a few signs which. when he remembered the
evil repute in which his passengers were held
by All railroad men, gave the futur" an oinln'uS
look lie walked forward and spoke a few
words 10 his engineer You cant get back to
civilization minute too soon. steve. ne Sau
.Jork her through tho woods for all shell stand
cit was Just nghtfall when they pulled away
from the lonely station and plunged into tn"
gloom If the forests If hemlock. pine ana tam
arack that lay before them for Ion miles johnny
Hall started at once to collect his fares lie
aproarad at the rear end Of the last coach with
his punch in his right hand his lantern hanging
from his left arm and one burly brak man
alpu1Sldr Of him.
"I her. was one husky WOodchopl"r IN the LAST
seat Fares please said Johnny
Fares be- d - said tn" passenger
"Thc other passengers continued their conver-
sations or gazed uncOnccrnedly through the WIN
dovs into the black night.
pay your fare o. get thrown Off the train,
said the conductor in even tones
q TX. 4 gladiator waiting for the word the
unruly passenger prepared to spring upon ms
victim He half rose from his seat. when some
thing happened. The pliers which the conductor
carried IN his right hand suddenly met the pas
scnger between the eyes. and h. tu'nblcd to the
floor II VAS blow for blow. and johnny nan
knew better than to 1T his antagonist get in the
first
"'Coycr 'em. Bill he said. and IN" big brake
man instantly whipped out two numerous Look
ing Colts and turned them upon thr asionlshcd
occupants Of the car Nobody stirred Will" ne
sung ,ut Any body that tries to l"aN" tins car
is a dead man. Keep your seats All kept their
seats. and eN erybody paid ms fare too. ~ ON"
had amy arguments that could stand up against