Daily camera., 1901-09-11
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wtAt Il = oensfafly That stash
Him = the Down Read.
First DSsnassal, In Nest Cases, Caused
~ Drink, After That He was
asfs feen Rosa - ReaA
0ssains EnDasynsne.
THAT human nature IL pretty much
alike in su callings il shown by .
study Of the tramp railroad man."
said division superintendent Of one
of the trunk lines running into Wssh-
ington to Star man at the stGsson
one morning recently.
"The tramp railroad man usually
begins his career of wandering, seek
ing employment from road to road.
after his first dismissal because of
drinking. He may be an experienced
man, such as any road would be glad
TO employ, but his weakness sor
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
enforcing the rule demanding strict
sobriety with great rigidness. They
arc the most practical advocates Of
Temperance In the land. They do not
plead with men. and hold up frightful
examples of the result of drink. The
Question IL resolved to its most SIM
pie terms: II man wishes to keep
his place he has got to keep liquor
out Of his stomach. Railroad men
al know this. and the result Is that
railroad employees as q great body are
the most temperate Of the classes Of
the employed.
"A few years ago 1t was common
sight to see trainnen come out Of .
saloon or . hotel near the depot.
after . preliminary 'bracsr' before
starting on their run. It 10 . rare
sight now. and. Furthermore. ths rule
holds good at all times of the day,
whether on or OF duty. II train
man is known to tipple OF duty. he IL
at once called up before the division
superintendent and severely lectured.
III the admonition fails to have the
desired effect, he 10 summarily dis
missed. The managers of the roads
have determined that men who pos
sess disposition to drink cannot re-
main ON their payrolh. and the
Wholesale reformations and the good
In general which has been accom-
plished has been almost incalculsble.
.Probably there are more dismiss-
ais for drunkenness among switch
men than in the other grades of rail-
road employees. This IL because
switchmen and yardmen are sta
toned At one place, frequently near
saloons. 1t IL possible for them to
alp away occasionally for q drink,
rush the growler and drink its con-
tents on the ally. or have . drink
lsmuggied to them surreptitiously by
10 companion or . friend. But OF
goes their heads il they are detected.
and . close watch is kept. as their
positions. though humble, are among
the most important ~ to results
should they prove derelict in their
duty. Of any on the road.
mo. We have NO blacklist Of men
dismissed. II . man applies to Ms
for employment, We write to his ref
erences, and II the cause of his dis
missal is intemperance. We do not en-
ploy him. and he passes on TO try
his luck elsewhere. Previous expe-
rience on . railroad. however. counts
for . great deal. II We have evidence
that . man has really reformed. and
he 10 . good railroad man. We some
times give him . trial on what IL
known as . hard division. and il he
lives up TO his determination, be re-
tains his place, and good citizen has
been made OF him.
ut Is singular. though true. that
once railroad man begins to tramp.
as we say, II II the exception that he
climbs up again. He soon develops .
grievance. like other men on the
downward road, and falls into the er-
ror that erybody is against him. He
seldom lays the fault at his own door,
where II belongs.
I'VE demand the strietest sobriety
among the train dispatchers. These
men must always be in the full pos
session Of all their faculties unaided
by stimulants. II the smell Of
liquor IL detected on the breath Of
train dispatcher. the old man calls
the culprit down In unmistakabls
terms. and repetition Of his ofenss
means the loss Of his place. Az .
rule. train dhpstchers are teetotal-
ers.
"The prevention Of destruction Of
its property BY accident and the safe-
guarding Of the lives Of its passen-
gers are the cardinal principles gov
erning the control Of railroad en-
ployes. The swagger conductor or
engineer, with his nerves keyed up
BY . few drinks 10 now almost
memory. Each year the habit Of so
briefly, neatness, accuracy and truth
fulness are becoming more and more
part and parcel OF . railroad man BY
reason Of rigid enforcement Of the
rules. While II 10 true to large e1-
tent the companies are actuated BY
self-interest. and not BY temperance
or humanitarian motives. the result,
% far - the men ere concerned. 10
the same a. II the latter considers
tons were the only ones st issue"
AZ Dinnsr Pa1ty.
Fair Chatterer-Well. II you don't