davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1904-04-10
THE Willy WOOD.

ar EVELYN WOOD is distin-
guished by a Witness in which
- he has very few equals. He gave a
specimen OF this during the operations
following the Indian mutiny. He volun-
teered TO carry dispatches through the
enemy's country. and disguised him
self as an itinerant merchant, being
fairly familiar with Hlndustani Travel
ing by night and day, he got too close
to a rebel camp. and was arrested and
detained After being somewhat care
lessIy examined he was allowed to
spend the night in a tent AS he ex-
pected during the darkness some ma
tives crawled under the canvas and
stealthuy searched his saddle-bags and
wallets. but found nothing except sun
dry articles Of commerce, the dispatches
having been taken by Wood fr0m q slit
in his turban and buried underneath the
spot where he slept Next morning he
was/permitted 10 go. and reached the
British camp in safety.
The Washington times., 1904-04-10
POLITENESS THAT PAD

PROMINENT clergyman went to
n the Grand Central station on Fri
1 L day to meet a friend. says the
New York Press" Upon entering the
waiting room and looking around he saw
an elegantly dressed woman who ap-
parentIy was about TO board an outgoing
train She was carrying a multitude OF
parcels and besides had child that
with great difficulty she was trying 10
help along.
The clergyman offered his assistance.
which she accepted, afterward thanking
him graciously for his kindness. The
train moved out Of sight and he vent
back 10 the waiting room thinking OF
the endless opportunities one has for
doing good Then he discovered that
he was carrying the lady's hauds0lna
silk umbrella, with pearl and gold trim
mings.
When he showed the umbrella TO his
wife and told her how he got il she
laughed and said. ''Politeness pays. my
dear
The Washington times., 1904-04-10

company always treats US with consid-
Grafton. Sometimes we can have our
friends down here and have a checker
board there which very often put into
use; also some playing cards. Ny hours
are mostly at night, and extend UP to 1
o'clock in the morning. Late at night
the cars don't run often. and we can
take it pretty easy. It is the cold and
the wet outside that we mind principally.
In a heavy snowstorm the snow comes
drifting in until it would iii up the
whole place unless we stay underground
and keep the stove led hot 10 melt it.
The rain comes down in drenching tor
rents and makes pool on the floor.
''Ah, there comes No. o. I can tell
it by the peculiar screeching sound on
the rail Do you know" he continued,
resuming the conversation as "a moved
of again. That is a particular fi.culty
which the pitman gets developed to
marvellous degree. It's his ability to tell
sounds underground. Probably you viii
not believe it when say that on a cold
still night 7 can hear a car approaching
when it is fully mile Of.
The explanation is very simple when
you realize the fact that this whole pit
is practically an electric sounding board.
The rail there begins drumming in
way well known TO the pitnan when the
car is stu far of. Often I can tel
Just when a car hits a particular curve
There is a language for the pitman. just
as there is the locomotive engineer"
The Washington times., 1904-04-10

in and out constantly overhead. The
visitor was shown a place Of safety,
while Collins. during the intervals Of
his work. talked interestingly OF his
occupation
Yes, it is true that they accuse US Of
having the most dangerous occupation
IN Washington" he said but II a man
is careful and keeps his head 1 see no
reason why he should suffer nlishap.
The company provides US with rubber
gloves. and by means Of these we pro-
tect ourselves from the largest risk.
Altogether believe three pitmen have
been killed since the company began
this system OF course that's a pretty
big percentage considering the fact that
there are so few Of US. There was Jim
Maloney. one OF my old partners. JiTa
lost his life because he was too excit-
able to hold down this sort of a job. He
was stationed out at the Georgetown
plow pit. where they have a busy time
OF IL during the summer when the
Cabin John cars arc running The bust
ness was pretty lively one day. and Jim
lost his head.
Transfxed by Current.
You see that switch over there. Well
he left that on. and when he went TO
The Washington times., 1904-04-10

put the plow on his car his hand touched
the rail. instantly the shock transfxed
him. He hung there dead for several
minutes. Then the conductor Of the car
UP above wondering at the delay, came
10 the edge Of the pit and looked in.
There he saw MaIoney standing upright
with his body stiff in death. They took
him out. and another pitman had to be
found in a hurry"
Just at this moment a car came rumb-
ling over the opening to the right Of Col
Inns head With a quick movement he
had Jerked the heavy steel pillow into
place, opened the switch. and instan-
taneously as he did so the car darted off
without warning or before Collins could
reach for his bell cord to sound the
signal gong
Collins ran toward the opening and
shouted out something after the retreat
ing car which. however, was already far
away.
Motormen Are Careless.
There. you can see for yourself" he
said, returning. the kind of careless
ness We have TO put I'D with How did
that fellow know that my head or my
hand was not right under the car. in
The Washington times., 1904-04-10

position TO be sliced off when he started?
A conductor who leaves his trolley pole
is also another source of danger. If he
does, it means that the hanger to which
we attach the pIow is still charged with
electricity. and the moment we touch
our hands to it Zip we get it hot and
heavy. and it is all over with Mr.. Pit
man.
Two deaths which occurred under
somewhat similar conditions to these
were those OF John Page, in the Colum-
bia pit, and Edward COssack. in the An
acostia pit, though I believe it proved 70
be carelessness on their own part.
Then. too, there is the danger from
the outside that we run How do I
know. when I pop my mead out into
the street above, that some reckless au-
tomObilist IS not about TO dart over it.
There is a red flag. TO be sure; but, then.
people don't always look where they
are going, and automobiles as well as
horses run away. Those pits with open
tops are particularly subject to this
danger. One horrible case occurred in
which a pitman vas practically be-
headed as he stuck his head Up above
the pavement. a heavy automobile.
driven by a prominent local physician.
coming along just at that instant Run
away horses are also TO be greatly
feared. one pitman became so fright
ened because a horse came tumbling
down over him that he never came back
again
Does Not Mind It.
"As a rule we don't mind the life
much Men get used to anything. The
The Washington times., 1904-04-10
Beneath theCity' SStreetS
He Lives, Surrounded
lby Danger.
A Single False Move, a
Slight ForgetfuIneSS,
Means Death.
Yet With His Books and
Games He Leads a
Pleasant Life.

Y 7 ASHINGTON through its mod
NM ern system of street car
V transportation has developed
a new type Of cave dwelIer." He is not
one Of those prehistoric creatures about
whom we know through archaeolOgists,
but a very live and up-to-date individual
who lives and moves and has his being
through electricity, from which element
II may be mentioned incidentally his
life is in constant danger.
The cave which he inhabits is under
the street usually in some of the suburbs
where underground motor traction ends
and overhead trolley wires begin. The
important function which this individ-
ual performs in the interest OF rapid
transit is the breaking of the circuit
from the underground rail to the trolley
wire above. His abode is only about
eight feet deep and sixteen feet square,
and is underneath the street car tracks.
Literally coiled about with live wires
the man who lives in that narrow cir
conference must move about very cir
cumspectly
Few IN Number.
There are not a great number of these
newfangled cave jewellers in Washing
%
found in lexington. Anacostia. North
Capitol and T Streets, Prospect Avenue
and Thirty-sixth Street, Georgetown,
and the Alexandra crossing. Doubtless
the reader who is at all familiar with
Washington street cars has already
guessed that the man referred to is
none other than the 'pitman." Wash
ingtOn street cars through the main
part Of the city are operated by an I'M
foreground rail- When the suburbs are
reached the District government allows
the companies 10 string wires overhead,
and il is at these junction points that
'-pitman" is stationed.
Tho car rolls directly over his under.
ground abode. The master Of the pit
made marvelously adept through long
experience, reaches up his arm under
tho car puts on or pulls off the pillow
that connects "the car with the third
rail-, ''clang!' goes his signal gong. and
the car. with buzzing sound. is of
again in its travels. Probably not nine
cut OF ten Of the passengers on the
car have even noticed that there has
been any change in the manner in
Which they are being propelled. Few.
even if they leaned out of the windows
and looked down into the pit, would
realize how the man in there IS gam
bling with his own life day in and day
The Washington times., 1904-04-10
die FIRST Duly OF CITIZEN TO HIS CITYOBEDIENCE

irsistence on obedience to law. examples
whose healthful contagion will sweep
through the country from ocean to
ocean and from the lakes to the gulf.
No matter what you may think OF
them In other respects what lawabiding
American Is not proud Of the fact that
We have, not to mention others. two
such magnificent examples as Joseph W.
Folk and Theodore Roosevelt?
Purpose Is What Counts.
After all. IN the long struggle for civic
purity and righteousness reliance must
be placed not on mere modes OF ad-
ministration or forms Of government but
on the unfinching purpose. The man
behind the guns determines the outcome
Of the battle. It is often said that re-
form movements are spasunodic and last
only for one campaign The difficulty
is that in all reform forces there are
two considerable and unreliable factors.
One consists Of those who. being left out
by the administration in power. hope
through a change OF administration to
share in the offices and profits. and the
other Of those who believe in the re-
form movement only so far as IL
carries out their individual views.
They are the unreasonable reformers
who. II they cannot have things their
own way, become Immediately indiner-
ent to the success Of the movement.
Both Of these, and they are large ele-
ments, fall away at the next election
Permanent success will come only
through the widening and STRENGTHENING
conviction that reform is 70 be sought
for its own sake and not for any per
sonai advantage, and that the crank
Is not a safe leader in reform move
ments.
John Hamline's Example.
We must depend more and more on the
growing number of those whose single
thought Is civic purity. righteousness,
and obedience TO law You have had
In this city noble leaders in this work
Even as penned these fines news. came
OF the death OF one of vour civic
heroes. John II. Hamline. Fearless tire
less. seeking not self but the good NJ
the city he-left behind him a noble ex-
ample~whose influence viii long be felt.
IN the sS dTe1m Of the northern poets the brave
Fight on in shadowy phalanx in the realms Of
the upper sky
1t needs no stretch Of faith to believe
that though John Hamline's work on
earth Is finished. somewhere in the in
Unite universe, wherever needs may be.
MS hberated soul is still lighting for
purity and righteousness. Living he was
leader; dying he bequeathed these as
his good-by words of cheer and inspira-
ton; 20, Neptune. YOU may save me, If
you Will; you may sink me if you will;
but. whatever happen, l shall keep my
rudder true"
You stin have many vallantIy fighting
the same great battle. and where is
there a grander place for such "a strug-
gle? This is the queenly city in that
continental valley which is the final seat
Of empire. Internal and external com
merce find here their priuCely seat. Edu-
cation, art religion. are lofty and in
spring forces working through the
The Washington times., 1904-04-10

crowded streets and amid the countless
thousands of this inland metropolis
From every race and cline have poured
thousands into your midst, and today
Chicago IS the world in miniature. The
mightiest forces for good. as well as
the mighty forces for evil, are work
ing in this city. Who is there with the
high ambition to be and do for human
itv but will find in the long struggle
going On in this city place and oppor-
tunitv for his best and most persistent
efforts?
Waste no time or strength over trivial
differences concerning modes and meth
DDS Enlist under the single banner or
civic purity, righteousness, and ODE
dience to law. Just so soon IS that fact
is known and all come TO understand
The Washington times., 1904-04-10

that your single and resolute purpose
IS the maintenance Of peace, obedience
20 law; that that purpose is something
not taken up today to be laid down to-
morrow, but the fixed and abiding pur-
pose Of your lives, you may be sure that
disorderIy elements viii yield to that
purpose and you viii not merely lift
your chosen city to a high position in
business and wealth, in education,
science. art. and religion. but viii also
make 1t one where peace and order pre-
vail, where vice hides its head, where
justice rules, and the universal voice OF
the law hears no resisting reply. Then,
and not until then. win this great re-
public, Ocean-OOund, home OF the free,
and hope of humanity, point to Chicago
and say THE American City.
The Washington times., 1904-04-10

out just as the man who enters that
ether pit" the stock exchange, gam
b!es with his own or somebody else's
money.
Full Of Danger.
That it is dangerous. however. almost
anyone familiar with electricity Will
admit Thousands of volts of cleo
trlcity are chained in those wires which
crawl about on every side OF the cave.
Let "a single loose installation occur or
a wire be snapped in a storm, and the
DIT would be instantly charged with d
voltage equal 10 that Of the death
chair in Sing Sing.
Probably a thousand times a day the
ritman has TO turn on and turn of
certain particular switch Every time
he turns il on he must remember to
turn Il back. II he once fOrgets just
20 make this simple twist with his hand
he exposes himself TO almost certain
death. From outside agencies he Is
subjected TO the carelessness Of con-
CuCtors or motormen who may start
without the signal or leave the trolley
pole on when the car reaches the pit
In every sense. therefore. ii is safe 10
make the statement that no occupation
in Washington in which human beings
are engag ed is more perilOus than that
OF the man in the pit"
The Pitman's Home.
Apart from the danger which sur
rounds these electric pits. their most
picturesque feature is the fact that in
the case of some Of them. at least. they
are homes were human beings spend
The Washington times., 1904-04-10
The Pitman's Home.

charged with the duty Of preserving the
public peace must be Incorporated into
municipal life.
There has got to be impressed upon all
jewellers in a city a fun consciousness
Of the fact that there IS a power 10 pun
ish. a power that endures. and a power
that viii never let up. in the trOublOus
times in this city that followed the great
fire the Federal authorities finally inter
fered. Sheridan, at the head OF a little
company Of cavalry, rode through the
streets. He was warned that il was
dangerous. He knew better He knew
that everyone engaged In mob violence
was conscious Of the fact that Uncle Sam
was not TO be triHed with. that the lit
tie company of cavalry represented an
authority which could not be upset at
the next election. and that an injury 70
him or them would bring down all the
power of the National Government with
crushing force.
The Example of Washington.
Believe me. there is more in this con-
seriousness Of the stability UI power than
has yet been recognized as an element
for preserving the peace That really
is the secret Of the good government Of
Washington. 1t is not because the Of
ficiaIs there are better than those else
where. though care is taken by the ap-
pointing power 10 see that only the
best men are placed in office When ap-
pointed they are not deferred in the dis
charge OF their official duty by any
threat OF local politicians, or any fear
Of being put out Of office at subsequent
election.
They are conscious that they stand
l.. 81 "a - NIT p
the duty Of strictly and honestly en-
forcing all the regulations and laws Of
the city. and that that nations power
is back Of them to uphold what they
do and to punish those that would re-
sist.
In that stability lies the secret Of
Washington's municipal success. and
that sense Of stability viii be secured
in an our cities only when a perma-
ment tenure Of Office and civil service
reform are established.
The Opposite Danger
While have endeavorcd to point out
the Significance and Importance 70 the
well-being Of a city Of a strict and nun
obedience 10 law, including therein the
ordinances OF the city, / desire 10 sug-
gest a counterpart to this, and that IS
lAe uusy 10 not unnecessarily NSA 10
police regulations. Nothing frets one
so much as petty and seemingly need
less interference with his freedom Of
action.
1t is often said that thai IS the best
government which governs the least
This. o. course. cannot be taken as
broadly and absolutely true. for the
logical result would be that no gov
eminent was better than any. AS Dr.
Holmes suggested by his poem on The
one HOss Shay there are limits 20
logic And yet If not broadly and uni
versaiiy true. there is in It much Of
Truth. Undoubtedly that government is
the best which interferes with the free
action Of the citizen no further than
the protection Of the rights of other
citizens cOmDels. For a city council or
The Washington times., 1904-04-10
CONTINUED from Second Page.)

20 on the wings Of steam into every
village and hamlet and precinct Of the
land. and the character of the city life
as shadovved forth in these papers finds
its impress upon the life of the nation
as a whole. Everything. therefore,
which tends to rehabilitate the moral
health OF a city is having its wholesome
influence upon the moral health Of the
nation.
A Nations Problem.
And the Republic can hope to maintain
its hitherto growing position in the
family of nations only as IL shows itself
competent 10 master the life Of its
municipalities and relieve them from
the corruption and evil influences which
are 50 abundant therein. Indeed, many
of our most thoughtful students OF ma
tional life do not hesitate to affirm that
its great problem is the establishment
OF a purer and more honest city life.
Many disheartened ones feel that the
dark conditions Of that life are evidences
that popular government and free suf-
frage are failures. and fear that, as
CARLYLE said, democracy is Shooting
Niagara"
They point 70 the conceded fact that
washington IS the best governed city on
the continent. the most free from cor
rl1ptfon IN It's municipal life, and say
that there and there only are the citi=
zens derived Of all control. II IS I'M
deniable that many are troubled about
this. and regarding with horror the
corruption and lawlessness that pre-
vail IN many cities. wonder whether
municipal government must not be con-
sidered outside the scope Of the Declar-
alton of Independence and 70 rightfully
exist without the consent Of the gov
erned.
Remedies Suggested.
Many remedies are suggested. To pre-
vent wanton and unnecessary eXpendl-
lures OF public money and check the
corruption that goes with It, some pro
pose that every municipal government
shall have two legislative bodies, one
representing the property and the other
the individuals; or. 70 use favorite
rnrase Of the day. one representing the
dollar and the other the man, and that
no expenditures be permissible without
tho consent Of both bodies.
But IS it true that a man without
property is more easily purchasable
than a man with property ] fear ex-
nerience would answer this in the mega
live. Another suggestion is that the po-
lice control be taken away from the city
and vested in a commission appointed
bv the state. But that certainly ignores
home rule. whatever may be its effect
the city.
The Washington times., 1904-04-10

other governing board 10 pile up a null
titude Of needless restrictions is always
offensive. and when those restrictions
are petty in character they are exceed
mgly irritating
Go Slow on Legislation.
Hence wisdom and therefore duty de-
nand that governing boards in cities
as elsewhere keep their legislation be-
hind rather than in advance of what
many. perhaps even a small majority,
regard as beneficial While II Is the
duty o. the minority 10 abide by and
Onform its action 20 the legislation en-
acted by thu majority, yet II is equally
true that the majority has no moral
right simply because il is a majority
20 crowd its views into legislation Of
fey sive to a reasonable minority.
In other words. the minority has
rights which the majority should re-
spcct. and the mere fact that proposed
ordinances are satisfactory to the ma
iorlty does not always justify their en-
actment. Regard should be had to the
character of the proposed regulation.
the benefit which Will result, and the in
jury and irritation which it may cause.
Take for Illustration, the matter Of
tobacco. Suppose tobacco smoking is Of
fensive 90 a majority of the citizens,
and by them also believed to be hurtful
while a very considerable minority he
ievc it harmless and enjoy it. II might
not be an unreasonable and unfair use
OF power for the majority TO prohibit
smoking in cars or public halls. yet 1t
would be "A trespass on the liberties OF
the minority 10 prohibit smoking in the
streets. For 10 the free use of the
streets the minority has equal right
with the majority. and the fact that
some superseusitive one of the majority
is occasionally offended by Whit of
tobacco smoke does not justify the ma
jOrity in taking entirely away from the
minority the privilege of smoking on HE
streets.
lCf course, in what l have been saying
have had no reference to cases in
which a question Of morality exists.
Even though considerable minority
should believe IN the right Of free gam
bling houses OF free brothels. or if such
minority were Mormons and believed in
polygamy. l should not doubt the
right OF the majority 70 enforce its
views by ordinances in respect to
such moral questions. But the great
mass Of police regulations. OF city
ordinances. do not run along the lines
of morality, but along those of public
comfort and welfare, and along those
lines. as ! have indicated. the majority
should be tolerant OF the opinions Of the
minority.
Non-EnfOrcement Of Law.
I want before closing to refer to an
other matter; the inattention Of Of
hcers Of the law 10 its violations. es-
pecially in respect 70 ordinances which
odious. As / have pointed out. police
regulations deal with the minor affairs
Of conduct, and many are personally
annoying It is so easy for public Of
fetal to look upon their disregard as
not deserving attention. especially when
the delinquent Is. as they say a good
fellow. or ons having political influence
The Washington times., 1904-04-10
Stability in Office.

After all a better remedy, so far as
any matter Of organization is concerned.
is permanent tenure for those officials
charged with maintaining the public
peace. together with a widening OF the
reach Of civil service reform 20 ali CON
nected with its enforcement. The
thought Of stability In Office OF those