Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1907-02-22

NJ KAlR Pat Francis
was very old conductor, but old man
Sankey was a veteran when Pat Fran
els began braking. Sankey ran q pas
senger train when Jimmie Brady was
running, and Jimmie afterward enlist
ed and was killed RI the Custer fight.
There was an odd tradition about
Sankey's name. He was tall.
swarthy fellow and carried the blood
of a Sioux chief in his veins 1t was
In the time Of the Black Hills excite
ment when railroad men, struck by
the gold fever were abandoning their
trains, even at way stations. and strik-
ing across the divide for Clark's Cross
ing. Men TO run the trains were hard
TO get, and Tom Porter. trainmaster,
was putting I'm every man he could
pick up without reference TO age or
color.
Porter-he died at Julesburg after
ward-was a great jollier, and he was
not afraid of anybody on earth
One day war party Of Sioux clat-
tered into town. They tore around
like storm and threatened TO scalp
everything. even to the local tickets.
The head braves dashed in on Tom
Porter. sitting In the dispatcher's Of
flee upstairs. The dispatcher wac hid
Ing under a loose plank in the baggage
room toOr. Tom. being bald as II sand
hill, considered himself exempt from
scalping parties He was working a
game or solitaire when they bore down
on him and interested them at once.
mat led To parley. which ended IN
Porter's hiring the whole bund to.
brake on freight trains. Old man San
key Is said to have been one OF that
original war party.
Now. this is merely a caboose story,
told on winter nights when traInmen
get stalled In the snow drifting down
from the Sioux country. But what fol
lows is better attested
Sankey, 10 start with. had peculiar
name - an unprOnounceable. unspell-
able unmnnageable name. I never
heard II, SO | can't give IL. 1t was as
hard 10 catch as an Indian cur. and
that name made more trouble on the
payrolls than all the other names put
together. Nobody at headquarters
could handle II. II was never turned
In twice alike, and they were always
writing Tom Porter about the thing.
Tom explained several times that II
was Sitting Bulls ambassador who
was drawing that money and that he
usually signed the payroll with tona-
hawk. But nobody at Omaha ever
knew how 10 take a Joke.
The first time Tom went down he
was called In very solemnly to ex-
plain again about the name. and. be-
ing IN hurry and very tired OF the
whole business. Tom spluttered:
Hang II, don't bother me any more
about that name. If you can't read II.
make 1t Sankey and be done with 1t"
They took Tom at his word. They
actually did make 1t Sankey, and mats
how our oldest conductor came to bear
the name OF the famous singer. and
more may say-good name as il was
and Is. the Sioux never disgraced 1t.
Probably every old traveller on the
system knew Sankey. He was not
only always ready TO answer questions,
out what is much more, always ready
10 answer the same question twice. 1t
Is that which makes conductors gray
headed and spoils their chances for
Notwithstanding the same questions
over and over again. Children were
apt 10 be bit startled at first sight
OF Sankey, he WAS 80 dark, but he
had very quiet smile that ALWAYS
made them friends after the second
trip through the sleepers. and thew
sometimes ran about asking for him
arter he had left the train.
Or late years-and IL is tbis that
hurts-these very same children. grown
ever 80 much bigger and riding again
to or from California or japan or Ans.
tralia, will ask when they reach tho
West End about the Indian conductor
But the conductors who now run the
overland trains pause at the question.
checking over the date limits on the
margins OF the coupon tickets. and.
handing the envelopes back, will look
al the children aud say slowly. He
isn't running any more"
II you have ever gone over our line
TO the mountains or 10 the coast YOU
may remember at McCloud. where they
change engines and set the diner in or
out. the pretty little green park TO the
east OF the depot. with IL row Of catalpa
trees along the platform line. 1t Ioo.Ss
like glass OF spring water.
III 1t happened to be Sankey's run
ana regular West End day. sunny and
delightful. you would be sure to see
standing under the catalpaS a shy.
dark skinned girl of fourteen or fifteen
years silently watching the prepara.
tons for the departure of the over.
land
And after the new engine had been
backed, champing. down and ha,,,o.,,,,,