Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1907-12-12
Maloney, the
Section Boss
BY DENNIS H. sTovALL
Copyright. by Daily Story PUB Co

VSopyr'ght. by Daily Story Pub Coz
Here's an extra order for YOU. Ma
loney," said Chris Munson the sec
ond trick" man, who had just relieved
the day dispatcher and had seated
himself before the battery of tick
ers.
He passed the little yellow envelope
through the wicket 10 Jack Maloney.
the section boss. Jack had Just come
IN from his days work to file his re-
port with the division roadmaster.
The section boss opened the en-
velope slowly and with work-stiffened
fingers. To assure himself that he I'M
derstood 1t he called Chris from the
desk and asked him to read it over.
CHRIS read aloud:
"Maloney, Foreman Section &c:
Take handcar and two men and cover
line carefully from Granite Pass to
Marlin. Coffin containing corpse lost
on southbound Overland between
these two points. Find and report con-
dition. Edward Shields, Division
Chief"
Now what dc sou think of the likes
OF thatf" Malon inquired, putting his
corncob fiercely To come in from q
ten-hour sssst huckin' rails an be
sent corpeWtin'. Oh. it's a fine too
He spreadk,, he order on his broad
palm and std led it seriously. Didn't
asked.
That's all shbrs is to It, Jack" the
dispatcher replied. TITS up to you to
find the corpse"
1T must have been a mighty lively
corpse to jump on the train" Malon-
ey remarked. How in the divil did it
get out O. the carr"
Il don't know positively" said Chris
with true railroader's caution. But
believe 1 can guess"
In the forward baggage car of the
Overland which passed here an hour
ago." Chris said. was a coffin con-
tanning g corpse 1t has been a warn
day and the corpse had come a long
distance. i have an idea the baggage
man found the air anything but pleas
ant In the car. He did what other bag
gagemon have done before-opened
the side door and slid the CONN near
1t. He may have anchored It out on
the platform as the baggage car on
this train has an open vestibule at
each end. In going around a curve
the cofan was lost"
Maloney turned from the wicket
and left the ONCE. How the corpse
left the train was q matter of but lit
tie concern to him. The division chief
said he must ind II, and Maloney In
tended to do 30.
He called two OF his men from the
section house, rolled out the hand
car, and started slowly up the track.
Not very many people have an IN
Outstanding of the section boss job"
Chris said, after Maloney had gone.
i never was a section boss, and /
hope / never will be one, but have
seen enough of Jack Maloneys work
since I've been in the service to con-
vince me that he is really one of the
big men of the road. He not only is
required to keep q solid track under
20 miles OF his section, and puts in a
ten-hour shift every day, but is
yanked out of bed at any and all
times of the night to I'LL such orders
as the one just given him."
They certainly handed him q big
one this time"
I've never known Jack to fall down
yet, and I've worked on the same d.
vision with him for Is years. Last
summer two commissioned officers
were taking 2 prisoner through here
to the military prison at Alcatraz
While the train was slowly climbing
the grade this side Of Tunnel Nine the
prisoner leaped out the car window
and struck for the heavy timber, max
Ing a clean getaway. Maloney was
working his crew near there. and a
dispatch was sent him from Hugo to