The Red Cloud chief., 1900-11-16
ONE TRAIN EACH DAY
THE FUNNY METHODS OF A FUNNY
LITTLE RAILROAD.

WIN III N@0fstHa n ~
neer wiz mack Up n Couple Of
Miles e Get a Forgotten Pipe.
"rust hold up your umbrella, sir, ar6
she'll stop Mt once" was the chez
response given an inquiry as to tie
possibility Of boarding an approaching
train on It's way from Wadebridge to
Bodwin, two queer old towns In Corn
wall, England. Up went the umbrella,
and sure enough the driver shut of
steam and pulled up just in front of
the would be passenger. And what q
sight 1t was!
The engin. sus constructed In
George St~epho1son's time and. | be-
lieve, under his pergoifal supervision.
But the carriages. There ire two OF
them, first and third class. respective
ly. The first class accommodation
consisted Of an open truck. such MS one
vees daily In New York cartlng cotton
bales or other merchandise, but pro-
vided with some benches. Rude and
uncomfortable as II seemed however.
it was luxurious compared to the third
class carriage. which was neither more
nor less than a common closed van,
such as cattle or furniture are con.
veyed In. and boosted neither seats,
buffers nor springs. Third class fare
was but IA cents, but the first class
passengers were mulcted In the sum
OF % cents for a journey Of barely
seven miles.
The engine driver, who OBLIGATED In
pi1antoIlu M nanI,tntnr l,n
guard and porter. came around collect.
Ing the tariff.
a little conversation elected some
surprising facts In connection with
this absurd out of date line. Formerly
II had been the custom to sell tickets ut
the termln, little triangular blue and
white bits Of ~pasteboard. with a hole
"a the middle, so that the ticSet col.
lector (also engine driver. stoker, etc.
could file them away on u string. But,
alas, the ravages of time spare not
even railway tickets, and eventually
they were all worn out! Sc now the
fares are collected on board. The rate
Of speed was strictly limited to ten
miles an hour. but incidental delays,
such rs picking up passengers, chasing
stray hats, removing cattle or sheep
from the track. took up so much time
that not lnfreGuently an hour and o
half or more was consumed In cover
Ing the short distance. | may mention
that passengers picked up on the way.
side paid no regular fare. but merely
tipped the engineer.
The need OF time tables was I'm.
known, for the train ran but one way
each day, and arranged the time Of de-
parture to suit intending travellers. II
Is related with much gusto In those
parts that two commercial travellers
once arrived at Bodwin just in time to
see the train round n curve some quar-
ter Of a mile Off. Turning to the aged
station master. Mr.. Worth, one Of
them inquired at what hour the next
train would leave. DAY after tomor.
row." l~aconically answered that OH.
cial.
The astonished drummer looked at
panlon, whispered, poor fellow; he's
crazy" But they were soon unde-
celved and, learning the true state Of
the case. hired a cart at some expense
10 accomplish their journey. What was
their modification, after proceeding a
couple OF miles. to see the train put
back to Bodwin. because. as they sub
s%equently discovered, the engineer had
forgotten to bring MS pipe along!
An interesting function always took
Place whenever nm incline was reached.
The driver, having regulated the speed
Of his iron horse, would climb out on
the front or the engine, and. sitting
between the buffers, strew sand on the
rails; occasionally It has happened
that. the supply Of sand proving insult
fcient, the engine would steam away
to the depot In search Of more.
The country through which the little
railway passes Is Of a high order of
beatty and affords many picturesque
gllmpses, Bodwin itself is a quaint lit
tie town that dates back to the days of
the Phoenicians and In later times was
Of much Importance. This may De
Judged from the fact that 1t supported
o cathedral and nc less than 13 other
churches. The retains of an old Taper
n0use are still 20 DO seen. commemorn-
tive Of the terrible scourge that In 1850
ravaged the whole country around. But.
a~lackaday, the solemn march Of prog
ress Is already beginning to destroy
this relic Of bygone days. and the ruth
less hand Of contractors and navvies
are paving the way for an ordinary.
common, everyday service Of expresses
and milk trains, and the Inhabitants
are depioring the loss Of their steady
going, II slow and uncomfortable, old
traln.-Ioa ADrNlea T1mea