The Winslow mail., 1901-02-14
RAILROAD TATTLE..

next the cabOOSe. While there
is nothing said about it in the
book of rules, nor in special
rules, nor has any bulletin been
posted to that effect, there is an
unwritten law, strong and i'm
mutable as the codes of the
Medes and Persians, that when
there is a car IN the train high
enough to entirely eclipse and
obscure the caboose, it shall be
put right next to and ahead OF
it, where it will do the most
good. The above mentioned
case is the first instance of in
subordination of switchmen that
has come under my observation
for some time.
Every one knows that the at
mosphere of the ill-ventilated
caboose is usually laden with
tobacco smoke. the car unduly
heated, and close confinement
within it has an enervating and
deleterious effect upon the con-
stitution of the hind shack. Ere
quently an ex-conductor and
proverbially lazy, would surely
fall by the wayside did not
chance, providence and the nat
ural cussedness of switchmen
combine to save himself. When
high car is SO placed as to OBJ
scure the cupalo, it occasionally
becomes necessary for the shack
to open the door or window and
climb to the top of the car, and
this not only permits a supply
of fresh ozone laden air to enter
the caboose, but the exercise
demanded stimulates and invig-
crates the shack.
They provide a hind shack for
ting rear end of the train-so far
as [ can discover for purely dec
orative and ornamental pur-
poses. [ think engineers are
fairly entitled to demand a like
courtesy for the head end, and l
would suggest to them that they
request that a wooden figure
head be placed on their engines
to offset the shack. And I will
say further, that I am ready and
willing to assist them in invent
ing and devising a suitable and
appropriate emblem. I am good
at such things and can guaran-
tee in case my services are de-
sired to produce something that
will just suit myself.
[ am writing this at Seligman,
and am Ell route to Los Angeles,
where there is a woman living
who is related to me by mar
riage. [ am going to see her.
I like to visit my relations. 1t
does me good. It makes me feel
SO grateful to myself for the
pleasure can thus give to 9th
ers.
I came as far as Seligman in
our caboose, and told the con-
ductor and hind man to wake
me upat Flag, and Williams and
Ash Fork, so [ could eat some.
Not only did they fail to comply
with any part of this reasona-
bic request, but when [ finally
did wake up (tWo hours after our
arrival here) [ discovered that
the brutes had secured posses
sion of my Harvey house meal
book and devoured all my grub
stake. I was desperately hun
cry, and it took me an hour to
dispose of the captains over
coat for a sufficient sum to ena-
BILE me to procure square meal
and have enough left to feed me
till I reached Los Angeles.
Some men seem utterly desti-
tute of any sense OF honor or
principle. There is an old say
ing that "There is honor among
thieves" but I am convinced
that the author of it lived be-
tore the invention of railroads
and the evolution of the hind
shack.
Some one recently referred to
my articles as being "humor
Gus. " I cannot conceive by what
mental process he arrived at
this verdict. If by some obliq-
uity of moral perception the
simnle truth appears tshumor-