Evening journal., 1900-06-20
BETWEEN TWO FIRES
a ATRAlNMAN's cAusTlc COMMENT ON
RAILROAD RULES.

dent Means a Discharge Also.
II is an interesting position that one
finds when studying the relations that
connect the railroad employee with the
road Itself with regard 70 the rules
and regulations. 1t has ring Of
~heads l win, and tails you lose in
favor of the road when II comes TO de-
Gliding where the responsibility lies
when an accident occurs An old rail-
road employee, a member of train
crew, was conyersing with the writer
recently, and In going over II the situa-
ton might be better aud more Readily
understood II he were 20 be rnther
closely quoted from his standpoint and
IA his language.
"On our line he said. "we have
many a good mile that composes the
whole road, but win connne my
knowledge and experience OF working.
under rules and regulations as stand
Ing between the general managers
Office nnd the actual operation OF
trains. To follow every rule aud rcgu
lation to the letter would make travel
far safer than lying IN bed. but It
would be so slow aud tedious 60 the
passenger that the time made IN the
old days Of stage lines would appear
o 'hiers' time OF these days.
"ro make from even 30 miles per
hour up TO the so reached these days
and 10 live up TO everything pertain
Ing 70 slow ups, grade crossings. saw
Ing Of coal oil and material, slow stops
and starts. reduced speed over switches
and turnouts and a hundred and one
things 70 be remembered, would BE- the
worst kind OF folly II making time was
a consideration.
''Tnlle my ran, $50 miles, which ~ on
the card 60 be made Ia 4 hours and 52
minutes. not such a swift gait, e. be
sure. although IN winter. with snow,
Ice and bad weather, II is some little
klad OF a Job TO get around on time.
To live up TO every ironciad rule. those
In tie book, on the card and yarioys
Specials issued every day, you could
not pull that run through In ten hours,
and you might count yourself lucky II
you went through upon that time.
"A tralnhand has the choice or eli
ther making his time. for, II be IS Ere
I quently late, he Is either set back, suH-
pended fined or dismissed. or living up
to every rule. and. II not found doing
so In case OF accident, being dismissed
OF course where no accidents occur
the rules can be tampered with and
the management be blessed with BAN
daged eyes. but let a mishap occur,
and In order 10 protect themselves
/ they jog out the thousand or two
rules. and if you are found guilty YOU
receive an early dismissal So the
uanhand takes bis desperate chances
by playing at luck. by using discretion
in obeying his rule, as he Keeps bis po.
sitloa lonser unan he would through
/ strictly carrying out every one md
eventually being dismissed when the
first salary day arrives
] "In one book of rules upon n large
road appear nearly 600 regulations for
the employee 20 famliurize himself
with. or. as one OF the general rules
snys The head Of cnch department
must be convotsant with the rules.
supply copies of them 10 his subordi-
mates. see that they are understood. en-
force Obedience 10 them. 10 one VIII
be excused Tor the violation Of amy Of
them. even though net Included in
those applicable 20 his department lg-
norance Is no excuse for neglect of
/ duty
"rhen follows o most remarkable
clause or rule which reads, Every em-
plOyee while on duty connected wlth
the trains on any division of the road
is under the authority and must CON
form 10 the orders Of the superni I'D
eRt Of that division. Now. II the em-
ployee has a certain order from the su-
perintendent that conflicts with those
of the book. the road has him double
headed.
''To obey the superintendent and dis
obey the rule means discharge, as Il
distinctly states That no one win be ex-
cused for the violation Of any of tham.'
while on the other hand he must con-
form to the orders of the superlntond-
ent. SO he Is apt 10 become discharged
either way. but the road stands UNI
blamed IN either case. Besides these
rules, about % forms Of train orlers.
4 hand and lamp signals. II manner Of
using signals according to the train
rules, besides nearly 100 special rules
on time card.
"Then comes the changing occasion
ally of a rule or from day to day the
time Of some new rule. With this the
employee must learn by heart the
scheduled time OF some % regular
trains, not to mention as many spe-
clals. Is it a wonder not more acci-
dents occur when one employee may be
on duty Is or 20 continuous hours and
happens to forget just one Of these
things to be remembered T'-P0rtland
(Me.) Argus.
Boiled salt Meats.
The indigestible properties Of boiled
] ao1f fu