Lewiston inter-state news. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1905-1906, 1905-07-07
The Station Agent
AT Alpena Station
tOriginal.l

Phil Carlton when nineteen years old
married a country girl and took posi-
ton on the railroad as brakeman. The
road ran through a semicivilized coun-
try. Pills family lived in log cabin.
Children came plenteously, demanding
NOD and clothes. and life was gener-
Ally unattractive Once in five years
Phil would make an application for q
better position, but three applications
only brought the post Of baggage agent
at a new station opened near his cabin
with starvation wages. After this he
frequently made applications for some
thing better till the superintendent be-
came weary Of reading them and re-
solved to put stop to them.
Up the road was a station. Alpena.
near which lived gang OF men who
succeeded in always riding free The
way they managed II was this: A grim
countenance with back ground Of
shocky hair and sombrero would ap-
pear at the window and ask for tick
ct. The agent would do the necessary
stamping and throw the ticket down,
mentioning the amount due. The appli-
cant would pick up the ticket and walk
away without making any payment
The agent knew il he declined to sub
NIT to this one sided way Of doing
business the applicant would poke a
revolver through the opening and be-
gin to shoot.
The superintendent on receipt OF
Fhil's last application wrote him that
In view Of his long and faithful serv
Ice on the road be was promoted to be
station agent ut Alpena. The writer
chuCkied as ne dictated the letter and
congratulated himself upon not in fu-
ture being troubled by the baggage
mans applications AS for Phil, he
knew all about the gangs operations
and saw at once that unless be collect
ed the fares he would be removed. II
he collected them. he must take his
chances of being shot. He thought the
matter over. resolved to accept the sit
uatlon and made his preparations &C
.cordingy.
Since Phil had been known In the
country roundabout as peaceable,
ploddiDG fellow. so soon as the gang
heard Of his appointment they made up
their minds 10 make more frequent and
longer trips The second morning aft
er the new agent took his place In the
ONCE one Of their number walked up to
the hols and asked for a ticket.
t,a Five dollars and thirty centa" said
Phil In 4 feeble voice. ,-t.,
Gimme the ticket. don't pay till
git the goods said the man. lazlly
drawing a weapon from his hip.
Quick as a fash a revolver was
thrust through the hole from within.
a shot rang out. and the applicant for
4. ticket dropped dead
There was no one else In the station
at the time, and Phil, going TO the
baggage room, took out an oblony box
put the corpse In It, nailed down the
lid. tackrd a card on II on which was
written The address OF the supcrihtend
ent and sent II by the next train. with
a railway ticket and $500 inclos.,d In
an env eIope! On n piece of paper he
wrote 20 20 with the rest: -..'
81 Ticket sold this morning Not used
sDont know what to do with 1T or the
r. money. n, forward them to you. Corps,
of the applicant In baggage ear Shall
KIN any ppore OF emf t - ..-t
tF & @ Nut4aa PHIL CARLTON.
~ Station Agent. Alp.sna.
When the superintendent read thil
note and learned from the bearer tina
there WAS. a coffin shaped box IN tn,
baggage. room awaiting his orders h,
was more astonished than II he ha,
been Informed that the whole li,ie o
the road had been swallowed by al
earthquake. Tie walked the foo. 10
awhile Ia deep meditation. then tool
Pitts note to the president. Hs.
That afternoon there was meeting
Of the boari u directors. with tn
Z roads attorney In attendance, who as
sured them that since Phil had not re
ceived nor cOuid provea 4 hat he had re
celved of<iers to kill any applicant 10
IA ticket who refused to pay hts far.
&, none Of them would be liable to bx M
rested ard tried for murder. Phil wa
+, alone responsible: but. considering tn
lawless state Of the country and tn
character Of the unsuccessful applican
for free ride. it was not believed tina
the man who had shot him would b
molested
The body was sent back to Alpen
for burial. and Fhil was directed not t
kill any more deadhead ticket sppl
cants fH 'eN
But Phil did not need to kill nm
more Of them. The others. takln
warming from the fate OF their compar
ion. found it unnecessary to trsvs
often thereafter ON the road and whe
they did, not being cure but the static
agent fearing that they had come I
- practice their FORMER methods, iwoul
shoot to kill. always paid their fare o
'nthe' train. Indeed Phil Cartons, al
ministratien Of the affairs Of Alpen
station proved 30 satisfactory that b
t was summoned to, the main ONCE wit
. . view to determining II he were nc
capable Of nlliHg some Important pos
uon. Not being an educated mar
,utbia was not to be considered. So Phi
d was made superintendent Or station,