The San Francisco call., 1909-03-07
Gossip of RaiIwaynen

There was a look of pained surprise
on the face of John A. Gill when he
entered his office yesterday after his
trip to Sacramento
He gasped for breath. His face
turned purple, and it was feared ne was
about to suffer a stroke of apopIexy.
All he could do was to point in the
direction OF the unconscious Walter G.
Berkheiser. who, with his feet on the
desk, was devouring a large banana
while the skins of that delicate fruit
strewed the floor.
Gill finally regained control of his
speech, and placing his hand on Berk-
heisers shoulder said in a sepulchral
tone:
.fAh. you have foreotten"
As Berkheiser's mouth was full of
banana he could not reply.
And skins on the floor. too" con-
tinued Gill in Hamlet sort of voice
The base ingratitude of employees, .
cried Gill. 1T is not six months since
l slipped on banana peel and | vowed
then never to have one near me- and
especially in my office, but when my
back is turned, regardless of my feel
ings and the evil effect the sight a
banana has upon my nerve, you devour
them in my office and eat them as if
you actually liked them.
Berkheiser. my boy, if / were not
such just man, and with so amiable
a disposition l would fire you at once.
Never again eat banana if you want
TO learn railroading from me or wish
to stay in my service"
An assistant engineer of the West
ern Pacific. who modestly refrains from
giving his name, has written the toll
owing:
THE WESTERN PACIFIC
From the Mormon state to the Golden gate
Shall reach the new steel band
When the W. p. from the inland sea
Rolls into the silent land
Its course it will take by the old Salt lake
,tBut a dream is the trail of old.
And westward glide through the desert wide
To the far famed land OF gold.
whese the Humboldt springs from the soil and
New life to the sagebrush land
And the coyotes prowl all night and howl
AT the sheepmans lonely band.
Where the hills are high and the alkaH
On the barren plain lies white
The whirr of the wheel the railway steel
Shall ring through day and night.
And falls. so grand. where the rivers blend.
And canyons deep are seen,
And frowning cliffs seen through the riffs
Where the pineclad hills are green.
By river wide to the flowing tide
OF the nations western gate
Bearing the wealth of hills and mills
And the fruits of the golden state
When the road is laid with its easy grade
And engines built for speed
In the fight for the best of the traffic west
The W. P. shall lead.
The annual report of the police de-
partment of the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad for 1908 has been submitted
Dy u. A. Ogline, superintendent of no.
lice of the system During the year
more than 5000 arrests were made bv
| the railroad officers. resulting in con-
viction in about so per cent, of the
charges preferred. 80 of which were
| penitentiary offenses. 3.T00 confined to
1ails and warehouses, 143 to reform
schools and asylums and 2,4O0 fined.
He farmed along the lines of the
Southern Pacific on the Tucson division.
and came to the conclusion that what
/ his place needed was a fence.
Fencing is expensive in Arizona. but
as his team was idle he employed it in
removing mile of Southern Pacific
! fence to his farm.a
Detectives Were sent out to find
where the timber had disappeared and
after careful search it was located on
| the farm OF the impecunious ranchero.
lie was arrested and the theft was
proved.
WAL said fhe learned judge be-
/ fore whom the case was tried this is
singular case. You say Bill Jones.
whom ! have known all my life, moved
your old railroad fence to his rancho.
/ He didn't exactly. as YOU may call.
steal il, for lie didn't do away with the