The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-12

that have been relieved OF their cargoes.
There must be no laziness. negligence.
no lapses OF memory; for failure TO carry
out the smallest detail of routine duty may
possibly result i'm a serious disaster, and Is
sure to result, anyway, in discharge or sus-
pension A swftchman once absent-minded-
~ left a jack on a rail after making some
couplings just outside of the city; an in
coming passenger train, as a result, was
derailed an hour later. several people In
jured-fortunately none were fatally hurt
and the railway company had to pay out
a lot of money in damages. That switch
man cannot for the life of him secure an
other position in these parts. and II is like
" that he has given up railroading alto
gether. for the disgrace of being guilty Of
such carelessness will stick to a railroader
like glue. and wherever he goes he Is
pretty sure to find that his record is known
among railroad men.
OF late the local switching crews have
had so much work crowded into their
twelve hours of wakefulness that they
have had little or no time in which to en-
Joy their. meals and have been compelled
to "eat as they CO." You may often. OBJ
serve switchman, during these busy days.
hurriedly munching a sandwich, or a fire.
man pulling at the bell-rope OF his loco
motive with one hand while he stuns a
piece OF pie into his mouth with the other.
AS to the yardmasters, they are working
as they have never had to work before,
and 1T is remarkable that they can succeed
in solving the puzzles that are constant
~ presenting themselves for considera-
ton. Some of the yards have such compli-
Gated side tracks for the switching OF the
cars that IL the yardmaster is away from
duty for single day, through sickness or
other compulsory absence. everything be-
comes a miserable tangle which only he
alone is able to straighten out. His duty
Il is to be on familiar terms with all Of the
cars entering his yard-to know at a glance
TO whom the loads of freight are con-
signed; whether the freight Is to be
hauled away in drays or to be stored in
adjacent warehouses and whether the cars
are TO remain In the yard for reloading
after their cargoes have been removed or
sent away to some other yard or side
track.
There Is a comical side to the present
rush OF freight business. 1t would seem
hardly possible that an entire carload Of
sugar could be lost right here in Indianap-
oils, and yet that is just what happened a
few weeks ago. A car containing 100 bar
reIs OF the best granulated sugar was con-
signed from a New York refinery to a
broker in Indianapolis who had, in his
turn, sold the sweet goods in advance to
several wholesale grocers. At that time
there was a great demand among the job
bers for granulated sugar, and as there
was a scarcity OF that grade in the In
dianapolis market, all OF the dealers who
had made purchases from the broker were
anxiously awaiting the arrival OF the
goods. But for some unaccountable rea-
son the car did not turn up within the
specified time. After several days OF wait
ing the broker grew impatient and COM
planned to the railway company over whose
road the car was to arrive in Indianapolis.
The company at once started it's systematic
tracing system a-going, and two days later
reported that the 100 barrels of sugar had
left Jersey City in accordance with in
structions; had been sent on westward
from Buffalo as soon as IL arrived there;
had been received at Cleveland in due time
and quickly transferred to the road lead
ing directly to Indiana polls, and had, be-
yond all doubt, been brought on to this
city along with a number OF other loads
of freight that were making the same jour-
ney. Inquiry proved that all OF 1.-The other
loads Of freight had been received and dis
tributed, but that there was absolutely no
record concerning the arrival of the car
loaded with the much-wanted granulated
sugar.
WELL what's become of it. anyway
demanded the indignant broker OF the
yardmaster who presides over the yard
where the car was to have been received.
II think the devil ran away with IL, sir, IS
said the yardmaster, who has certain
philosophy of his own.
But the devil hadn't done anything of the
kind. The car was discovered by mere &C.
cident five days later on a sidetrack but a
short distance from the railroad yard. The
chalk mark empty" had been scrawled
over its door by somebody, and none OF
the trainmen had doubted the truth of the
familiar sign 1t was piece Of luck that
the discovery of the mistake was made in
time to prevent the car being taken away
with a number Of "empties.'' While the
railroad companies had been carefully
tracing out the course of that missing
car between Jersey City and Indianapolis
and endeavoring vainly to find some hitch
In the journey which might have accounted
for its delay in arriving on time, the cause
OF all the trouble was being rudely
bumped and knocked about as an empty
within a stones throw OF its destination