The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-07-28
PLAYED TAG WITH DEATH.
Experiences of a Former Santa Fe Man
in Central America
fFrom the Ell Paso Herald. ]

[F'rom the FL Paso Herald
]. w. Robbins, who ran train out
of Ell Paso on the Santa Fe in 1888 and
1884 and on the Mexican Central in
1889, left Ell Paso about 10 years ago,
a sDecin en- of a perfectly healthy man.
Before leaving Texas he had never ex-
perienced days illness in his life. He
arrived in Ell PaSO yesterday phys1-
cal wreck and as yellow as ochre. After
10 years experience in Mexican, Central
and South American countries, where
pestiiences and epidemics of every kind
rage the year round, he is returning to
his home in New York in the hopes that
skilled medical treatment will restore
him the good health he once enjoyed.
Mr. Robbins life since leaving Ell
Paso has been fraught with many adj
ventures and has been one continual
game of tag with death in which he
escaped with his life and little else
He went to the isthmuS of Panama
and entered the service of the Panama
Railway company in the capacity OF
locomotive engineer. On the line of the
| road yellow fever and smallpox were
! prevalent continuously. He was fortu-
nate in not succumbing to any of them,
| and by saving his earnings and invest
ing then judiciously, at the end OF
! five years he had accumulated a modest
| fortune of several thousand dollars.
! Ee then retired from the road and
! engaged in the saloon business. AT
/ first he enjoyed a period of prosperous
| business but the turbulent population
started a little revolution which para
| lyzed everything. The party in power
! terrorized the people and posted procla-
nations that any person found on the
| streets after 9 o'clock at night without
! a permit would be shot. All places of
! business were closed at that hour.
During the period of business depres-
sion incident to the revolution. he los
all the little fortune he had aecumu-
! lated during his years of toll Then .he
was forced to go to work again an
went to Ecuador. in which country h.
ran an engine for 10 months. Leaving
! there he came north to the state OF
Vera Cruz in Mexico, and took rul,
! on the Ferrocarril de Tehuantepec from
Coatzacoaloos on the Golfo de Cam
peehe to Salina Cruz on the Colo de
/ Tehuantepec on the Pacific coast. There
| he was stricken with yellow fever and
| came near running into the terminal
He was able to leave the hospital last
week and at once came to Ell Paso.
When man goes to Central America
| with the intention Of railroading. he
is taking long chances said Mr.. Rob
bins. IF yellow jack, smallpox CIR some
thing else does not knock him out, h.
may have to wait years before he can
get a job, unless he should happen to b.
exceptionally fortunate in the latter re-
spect. The youngest men on the road
Of them 10 to Is. The Oldest has been
there "a John r. Shaler, the general
superintendent, has been there nearly
a quarter of a century.
good pay. Engineers receive $15s50 il
gold and room with bath attached al
both terminals. They also get meals al
81 each, Colombian money To tran
sients the same meals cost $3.50 Con-
ductors receive $15S.50 gold and the same
accom- n odations and rates as engi-
neers. Only American conductors and
engineers are used. The f1remen anc
brakemen are negroes from the island
of Jamaica.
THE Panama railroad is the Who'll.
thing down In that country and for i
the revolutionists of both parties al.
ways entertained the profoundest re
spect. Their property is as safe as any
in the United States. During the revo
luton about three years ago when
was in the saloon business, the American
consul sent the revolutionists word tina
If any persons on any highway goins
to the trains or any property belong
ing to the company were molested tn,
United States gunboats would blow VI
the whole tsthmus. They have an ide'
that any monkey business with Uncl
Sam would result in complete destruc
ton Of the entire country"