Evening star., 1901-08-09
"THE TRAMP RAILROAD MAN.,
What Generally Starts Him on the
Downward Road.

THAT human nature is pretty much alike
in all callings Is shown by study Of the
tramp railroad man." said g. division
superintendent Of one of the trunk lines
running into Washington to Star man at
the station this morning.
THE tramp railroad man usually begins
his career Of wandering, seeking employ
ment from road to road, after his first dis
missal because Of drinking. He may be
an experienced man, such as any road
would be glad to employ, but his weak
ness for whisky caused his downfall, and
like other men, once the downward slide
begins, every jolt in the toboggan path
sends him farther toward the bottom.
Railroads all over the country are en-
forcing the rule demanding strict sobriety
with great rigidness. They are the most
land. They do not plead with men, and
hold up frightful examples of the result
of drink. The question is resolved to it's
most simple terms: If a man wishes to
keep his place he has got to keep liquor
out of his stomach. Railroad men all know
this, and the result Is that railroad en-
ployes as great body are the most tenn
perate of the classes of the employed.
"A few years ago 1t was q common sight
to see trainmen come out of a saloon or
hotel near the depot, after a preliminary
'bracer before starting on their run. 1t is a
rare sight now, and, furthermore the rule
holds good at all times Of the day, whether
on or off duty. If trainman Is known to
tipple off duty. he is at once called up
verely lectured. If the admonition fails to
have the desired effect. he is summarily
dismissed. The managers OF the roads
have determined that men who possess q
payrolls. and the wholesale reformations
and the good In general which has been
accomplished has been almost incalculable.
Probably there are more dtsmissals for
drunkenness among swtchmen than In the
other grades of railroad employees This
Is because switchmen and yardmen are
stationed at one place, frequently near
saloons It is possible for them to slip
away occasionally for q drink rush the
growler and drink it's contents on the sly,
or have a drink smuggled to them surrep-
titiously by a companion or friend. But
off goes their heads IL they are detected.
ticns, though humble. are among the most
important as to results should they prove
derelict in their duty. Of any on the road.
mo, we have no blacklist of men dis
missed. If a man applies to us for en-
ployment, we write to his references. and
II the cause of his dismissal Is intem-
perance. we do not employ him, and he
passes on to try his luck elsewhere. Pre-
vious experience on a railroad. however,
counts for great deal. If We have evil
dence that man has really reformed, and
!! he is good railroad man. we sometimes
give him a trial on what Is known as q
hard division, and II he lives up to his
determination. he retains his place. and q
good citizen has been made Of him.
| railroad man begins to tramp as we say,
| 1t is the exception that he climbs up again.
He soon develops q grievance. like other
men on the downward road, and falls into
| the error that everybody Is against him.
| He seldom lays the fault at his own door.
where It belongs.
I'VE demand the strictest sobriety among
| the train dispatchers. These men must
always be In the full possession of all their
faculties unaided by stimulants. II the
smell of liquor is detected on the breath
of a train dispatcher, the old man. calls
| the culprit down in unmistakable terms,
and a repetition Of his offense means the
| loss Of his place. AS a rule. train dis
patchers are teetotalers
1.-The prevention Of destruction of it's
property by accident and the safeguarding
of the lives of its passengers are the car
dinal principles governing the control of
railroad employees. The swagger conductor
or engineer, with his nerves keyed UP by a
few drinks is now almost a memory.
Each year the habits Of sobriety, neatness,
accuracy and truthfulness are becoming
more and more part and parcel Of a rail-
road man by reason OF rigid enforcement
| of the rules. While It is true to q large
extent the companies are actuated by self
interest, and not by temperance or humapi-
| tartan motives. the result, as far a. the
| men are concerned, is the same as II the
! latter considerations were the only ones at
ISSUE"