The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-12-28

The talk always ended that way. and
Jimmie Bradshaw knew It always would
end that way.
The trouble was. no one on the division
would take Jimmie seriously. and ne felt
that the ambition of his life would never
be fulfilled; that he would go plugging to
gray hairs ana the grave on an old freight
train.
II was funny to hear him complaining
about It. for everything, even his troubles,
came funny TO him, and in talking he had
an odd way OF suffering with his eyes,
which were red.
In fact, Jimmie was nearly all red; hair,
face, hands-they SAID his teeth were sandy
When the first rumors about the pro-
posed Yellow Mail reached the mountains
Jimmie was running a new ten-wheeier;
breaking her in on u freight "for some fell
low without a lick o sense 10 use on a lin
tied passenger rum" as Jimmie observed
bitterly.
The rumors about the mail as tho season.
advanced few thicker and faster.
Washington never was very progressive
In the matter OF Improving the transcon-
tinental service. but once by mistake thsy
put In a Postmaster General down there
who wouldn't take tho old song
When the bureau fellows that put u .ir
brains up In curl papers told tod him II
couldn't be done he smiled softly and sens
for the managers OF the crack lines across
the continent without suspsotinS how e
bore Incidentally on Jimmie Sradshawa
grievance against his master mechanic.
The Postmaster General called the manr
ayers of the big lines, and they bad q do
ner at Chamberlin's. and hey told him
the sams thing.
1T has been tried" they said IN xhs old.
tired way. y
California has been getting the worst e
1t for years on the mail SERVICE" perststsA
the Postmaster General moderately.
hWa don't think ANYTHING about pnfffnO
New York mai; in Chicago IN twenty hourA
1t ought to be simple to cut half q daH
across the Continent
Where's the fall DOWN. J.
The general managers looked at our rsp~
resentative sympathetcally, and couxhSd
cigar smoke his way to hide him
West OF the Missouri" murnured q
Pennsylvania swell. who pulled ibdinereu4-
ly at a 6ocent cigar. =
The West End representative was .umhap.
PLY accustomed to facing the finger q
scorn on such OCCASIONS
1T had becomss E1th oUr mGnaserv . BE-
dillon. There was never a conference s4
transconttnental lines IN which I'VE wSr
not scofsed at as tho weak line In the chain
of everything-maiL passenger. soeeiaiA
what not. .
This time . new man v.s sitting for tAa'
line at the ChamberHn dinner, a youngtsA
with g face that set Ike cement when
the West End was trod on
Tho Postmaster General was tncitnsdS
from the reputation We had. to look On ON
man as one looks At q dog without . pea.
igree, or at q cray horse in a bunch a
breda-
But something In the mouth OF mo Wssa
End man gave him pause.
The m General suppressed q ytDs
ing sarcasm with a sip Of chartIeuss and
nor did he mistake-the West EnA-
ar was about to speak
| why west Of the Mssounf !" he aahsdr
WITH; a lift of the face mot aftogsther san@
aid.. :
I Tho Pennsylvania man shfusssd h,s
brows. Y
If 1t In put through. how much of II DO
you y propose to take yoursslfT' Inquired
bur man. looking evenly at the Alsghany
o11cial-
"si1ty-nvs miles. including stops frsm
the New York Post Office to Canal strest'%
replied the PennsyIvania man, and his
words flowed with irritating casa
What DO you take?' continued the ma0s
with the jaw. turning to the Burlington
who was struggling, helas-
ID. with an artichoke-
Mason.
Say, seventy" repeated the "Qr' mana,
ger, with the loneliness Of a man who haa
niles to throw away.
Then suppose we say stIty-ffve from
Tenth and Mason to Ogden" suggested the
Ender.
There was . well-bred stare the tabla
sixty-hve miles an hour? Through
he Rockies?
The Postmaster General struck tho table
quick and heavily; he didn't want to lot itj
get away. why. hang It. Mr.. Bucks" hal
with emphasis. IF you will say
,ixty. the business is done.
We don't ask you to do the Rockies
n the time these fellows taks to cut tho
Do sixty. and 1 will put mall
n Frisco a day earlier every week in tina
Nothing on the West End to keep you
rom doing It." said General Manager
Bucks. He had been put UP then only
lbout six months. But"
Every one looked at tho young manages.
The Pennsylvania man looked With CONF
lence, for he instantly suspected thers
must be a string to such a proposition. or,
hat the new representative was talking
through his hat"
But what?" asked ths Cabinet member.
Incomfortably appreheusiye.
We are not putting or a sixty-dve-mna
chedule just because We love our country,
-ou understand. nor to heighten an already
,lorious reputation.
We are doing It for the stuff You
,ut up the money; we put up the speed
sixty miles; sixty-five-from the Mis-
ouri TO the Sierras."
The trade was on from that minute;
3uckS said no more then; he was 4 good
But next day, when IL came to
alking money, he talked more money into.
he West End treasury for one years run
ing than was ever talked before on a mall
ontract for the best three years work we
yer did.
When they asked him how much time hs
to get ready, and told him to take
lenty, three months was stipulated.
The contracts were drawn. and they were
by our people without hesitation
they knew Bucks.
But the Government weakened on sign-
Is. Nothing ever got through a Washing
IN department without a hitch, and they
aid our road had SO often failed on .ika
that they wanted a test.
There was a deal OF wrangIing, then a
.st run was agreed on by all the roads
oncerned.
If 1t proved successful, II the mail was
ut to the Golden Gate On the second of tho
public opinioa and the interests
the Philippines. it was concluded, would
lstify the heavy premium asked for the
ervice.
In this way the dicKering and the fgrr-
lg became In a measure public. and keyed
p everybody interested to a high pitch.
said nothing for publication, but. IN
ar Bucks energy, sawed wood three yhoIa
lonths.
Success meant with US prestige: but ran.
re meant obloquy for the road and n,
ur division chief who had been so Iat.I.
to handle II.
CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO