The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-08-19
PORTER LIVES IN LUXURY
HIS HOME IS A $4,000 PARLOR
CAR ON A SFDETRACK AT
SPRINGFIELD, MASS.
COACH CANNOT BE MOVED

Allen Dudley coEored, and his petite
and pretty white wife, are holding the
fort against all corners IN a side-tracked
$4,000 palace car, at Springfield Mass,
waiting for "the ghost to walk" This
'relegated piece Of rolling stock IS the Sc
qusetered home Of this iself-insta Gus
todian. who is as fearless as a bulldog
relative to a legal or fstic encounter.
The car attracts considerable attention
as it stands on a spur of track adjacent to
the works of the Wason Car Manufac-
turing company at Brightwood. in this
city. and crowds daily visit Allen and his
fair wife
The subject of this sketch was en-
gagged some time ago as a porter on this
Cnce moving palace, by the American
Palace Car company, and thereby hangs
a tale. This concern had an office on
William street, New York. Boston and
Westfield capitalists are said to be IN
terested in the venture, which has been
tied up by legal complications for a year
and a half.
Mr.. and Mrs. Dudley came to Spring
field in January, 1899. with the palatial
car Boston, which is the name of the car
where they now live, and which was
brought here for repairs. 1t has since
remained in the WasOn yards at Bright
wood, and the officials of the company,
by which 1t was repaired. state that it
will not leave its pres INT location until a
bill Of 81 800 for repairs has been paid.
LAWYERS HAVE SOME CLAIMS.
To add to the complications, several
oil Ia ri
they are waiting to press at the fist
prOpitious opportunity. Meanwhile Dud-
ley is stig loyal to the company and the
palace car is as spick and span as If 1t
were in commission awaiting orders.
Dudley, who IS thirty-one years old, and
was born in Ohio. began to work for the
American Palace Car company four years
ago. and has outlived in service every
official and employee Of the company at
that time He has Travelled over pretty
much all Of the United States and Canada
in the Boston. which is conceded to be the
finest palace car in existence, barring
few private cars.
The car has never been placed at the
disposal of the travelling public, It's trips
having been of an exhibition character.
A party of railroad men with their fam
lilies attended the Cotton exposition at
Atlanta In the car, and on evenings the
main apartment was cleared for dancing
Dudley says that there was great wonder
ment depicted on the faces of Georgia
citizens who caught a glimpse of the
dancing party as the special whiried by
at a speed close to sixty miles an
hour.
Another trip which he recalls with
pleasure was one of the thirty-six Boston
mon VINO made winter trip to Califor-
MIA party Of New York brokers also
had q lively time on an excursion to Nj
agara Falls. While in Canada the Bos-
ton had the governor general as a guest.
Dudley has a pleasant impression of that
dignitary. whom he surprised by prepar-
ing an apartment ready for a nights oc-
cupany in a minute and quarter.
HAD INTERESTING EXPERIENCES.
Dudley has had some interesting expe-
rfences with unweIcome visitors since the
car has been on the tracks at Bright
wood The Boston is supplied with an
abundance of silver and fine linen. The
fact that the car offered unusual posi-
bilities for thieves was discovered very
soon after its arrival in this city, and and
investigation along this line has been
continuous performance.
When Dudley learned that there had
been q burglary in the neighborhood and
that the burglars, after Beating the occu-
pants of the house, had retreated to
shop just In the rear Of his car, the
equanimity Of himself and wife was natu-
rally disturbed.
The first attempt to force an entrance
in the Boston, which can be bolted and
barred until it is as .-cure as strong
box, was early in the evening on a win
ters night. Dudley heard the sound Of
crawbar working underneath the car and
surmised that he had unwelcome visitors.
IF their efforts were confined to opera
lions beneath the car Dudley knew that
was safe for some time to come, and he
chuckled- at the thought of the seven
floors through which the burglar or
burglars would have to saw or pry
through.
The intruders soon found that the floor
ing Of the Boston was.of more substantial
nature than they had calculated upon.
and. after trying the doors, which We're
firmly secured. he was-allowed to remain
in peaceful possession of the car for sew
eral months.
NEXT VISIT OF BURGLARS
The next Intrusion was on a hot sum
mer's night. Mrs. Dudly i, N;ted that
some one was trying to enter the car.
Dudley, however, knew better, but just