The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1907-11-22
Maloney, the Section Boss
~ Dennis n. StoUaR


4Here,s N extra order for you. Ma
soney.n said Chris Munson the sec
spd trick" man. Who had Just relieved
~ day Dispatcher and had seated
himself before The battery Of tick
ers.
He passed the little yellow envelope
through the wicket to Jack Maloney,
he section boss. Jack had Just come
a from his days work TO file his re
nort with the division roadmaster.
The section boss opened the en-
yelope slowly and with work-stifened
nngers. To assure himself that he un-
derstood it he called Chris from the
desk and asked him to read 1t v e
Chris read aloud:
"Maloney, Foreman Section 40:
Take handcar and two men and
line carefully from Granite Pass to
Marlin. CONN containing corpse lost
of southbound Overland between
these two points. Find and report con-
dition. Edward Shields, Division
Chief"
Nov what do you think Of the likes
of that?" Maloney inquired. putting his
corncob fiercely. ITO come in from a
ten-hour shift chuckin' rails an be
sent corpse huntin'. Oh, it's a fine job
have"
He spread the order on his broad
palm and studied 1t seriously. Didn't
they send any details, Chris?" he
asked.
That's all there is to II, Jack" the
dispatcher replied. Its up to you to
find the corpse"
1T must have been a mighty lively
corpse to jump of the train" Malon-
ey remarked. "How in the divil did 1t
get out O. the carr"
Il don't know positively" said Chris
with a true railroadeE's caution. But
l believe l a guess.F
I'm the forward baggage a Of the
Overland which passed here an hour
ago." Chris said, was a coffin con-
tanning q c~orpse.'It has been a warm
day and the corpse had come a long
distance. l have an idea the baggage
man found the air anything but pleas
ant in the a He did what other bag
gagemen have done before-opened
the side door and slid the coffin near
1t. He may have anchored 1t out on
the platform as the baggage car on
this train has an open vestibule at
each end. In going around a curve
the coffin was lost"
Maloney turned from the wicket
and left the office. How the corpse
left the train was a matter of but lit
tie concern to him. The division chief
said he must find 1t, and Maloney In
tended to do SO.
He called two Of his men from the
section house, rolled out the hand
ear, and started slowly up the track.
mot very many people have an I'M
Outstanding of the section boss job"
Chris said, after Maloney had gone.
81 never vas a section boss, and l
hope l never will be one, but l have
seen enough of Jack Maloney's work
since I've been In the service to con.
vince me that he is really n of the
big men of the road. He not only is
required to keep a solid track under
rs 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 fill such orders
as the one just given him."
They certainly handed him a big
one this time"
I've never known Jack to fall down
yet, and I've worked on the same di.
vision with him for is years. Last
summer two commissioned officers
were taking a 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 nea there, and a
dispatch was sent him from Hugo to
catch the fugitive. He found the trail
and camped on 1t all night. Armed
only with a shovel he caught the out
law next morning.
"At another time he was called to
take the night trackwalker's place
the regular man being Ill and 1t was
too late to bring In another walker
from a neighboring section. The track
walkers duties on this section are tc
patrol the track 80 minutes ahead o.
the Overland between Granite Pass
and Leland, returning 80 minutes
ahead Of the express. A gasoline In
spection car is used.
Jack covered the first Is miles II
good shape, but when he reached the
siding in the deep cut on the sum
nit he was halted by three masked
men. In the blind darkness they CANE
upon them before he was aware. They
seized and dragged him from the car
For a time the three wrestled up ant
down the track. Jack fought desper
ately, tearing his coat from his bed,
In his mad endeavor to free himself
Finally they dragged him down thu
track. and tied him to the switch stan
Having no key to open 1t them
selves. 1t was the plan Of the rob