The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-09-08

"Why, I remember"-the motorman
was fairly launched on a food of rcmi-
niscence-'I remember the first day 1
ran a car. 1 was tipping along down en-
Broadway, and a fat old party started
across the street, quite a little way in
front of me. He slipped on the track
and sat down kerchug right between
the rails. I had plenty of time to stop
the car, but when l saw that chap fail
L just froze stiff. with my hand frozen
to the handle bar. I killed that man.
and picked up the fragments and at
tended the funeral, and went to my
own trial and was sent up for man
slaughter, all in one-twentieth- Of a sec
ond-
The poor fellow was bald. shiny bald
and his hat had fallen off. The pink
bald spot was perfectly fascinating.
couldn't take my eyes off of it. l was
sure that was where we'd hit him, right
in the middle of that shiny pink bald
spot. I felt sick all over, and began
to see two or three bald men on the
track. Then the fellow with me grabbed
the brake and began using language
to me. He stopped the car. We weren't
within ten feet of the bald man. and he
got up and trotted off as unconcerned as
anything; but 1 felt as if I'd been
through a long spell of sickness. I
thought I'd resign the next day, but I
didn't"
But that sort of thing doesn't last,
does it?" asked the reporter.
Great Scott, no. \ man would die
of it. if it kept up. You soon get used
to things. It's nervous work, though,
even for an old hand. He doesn't get
scares, but when bed time comes he's
tuckered out all right enough. Then
there's some men who never do really
get used to the work, haven't got the
nerve for it, and either go to pieces or
resign.
There's a big difference in the length
of time needed to put the different men
on to the Job. Some men pick il up in
4. few days-cool, level-headed, nervy
men, who are used to thinking quick
and acting quick. A green hand is
supposed to have a competent man with
him for fifteen days, before he is al
lowed to take the car out alone. but
some men don't need any help after the
first few days. Then, again, other men
aren't anywhere near ready at the end
of ffteen days. I've known them TO be
six weeks breaking in a new motorman,
but generally if a fellow turns out to
be as slow as that they drop him,
don't take him on at ALL"
rs the work very bad when you get
used to it?''
"Oh. not so rotten. 1t would be great
fun if you would just have long, clear
stretches and let her zip. 1 used to
drive horse car and that was pretty
poor sport, but for the first month or
so that 1 was on d cable car was too
nervous to get any enjoyment out Of
the thing. L can remember the first
time 1 really got q pleasant thrill out
of it, though I'd had thrills enough of
another kind. This was one October
morning 1t was cool and clear and the
sun was just getting down to work
one Of those mornings when you don't
owe your father and mother grudge.
There weren't very many people on
the streets yet, and 7 could let1the old
machine out when 1 slid it out of the
shed.
1--WE turned uptown. and I just let
uD on the bit and shook the reins a
bit. Say. she jumped pretty nearly out
from under me, but ] had her in hand
and we went humming along like an
express train. ] just played with that
cable. 1t was so blamed strong and
yet it had TO kDuckle to me and felt
Bronx and part or Queens 1 wanted
to wave my cap and yell. I had an
idea that car was a live thing and /
talked 10 it and jollied it as if I'd gone
dotty.
Gee. that was a bully trip. Some
times | feel that way now for a min
ute, when I let her out over a clear
track, but I've never had such a jog as
had this morning. 1 was talking to a
railroad engineer one day. He said he
often felt like that when he threw the
throttle open and felt the engine leap.
There amt much room for leaping
down on Broadway
The motorman had cheered I'D aston
ishiy. Now he had dropped back into
gloom.
Those. cussed truck drivers." he
said, vindictively.
Pretty bad, are they2" said the re-
porter, sympathetically.