The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-07-18
Gossip Of RailWaymen

H@- Heo the ora FdlfOdQiHdh
as he lifted his glass to his lips and
thanked Andy Stewart for the drink
1t has been an instructive afternoon
as well. and I am sorry that some of
the members of the Transportation
club were not with me But. then,
again, the members OF this splendid
organization, at least some OF them.
think II impossible to be taught. Well
perhaps they are right 1 wouldn't
Is Ike a contract 70 teach all of them.
No. sir; / am seeking rest in my an
cient days
AS l was about to say. before /
committed the sin of aggression, | have
been attending a lecture delivered by
Frank E. Batturs before q congress Of
railroadmen. l tell you that fellow
can sling English He does not go In
for the highfalutin style He never
puts the hay out OF reach Of the horse,
and the brakes and the conductors
can't go home saying they didn't know
what ne was Ginning about. Leave
a brakeman alone for not knowing
when he does not want to know he Is
the most splendid specimen OF not
knowing when he don't want to In the
whole universe.
Frank is strong on pohteness II
he had his way the Southern PACING
would have a lot OF conductors and
brskemen who could give pointers 10
Edward NJ. Greenway, the society duck
don't know that 1 have even seen the
gent, but a brakeman on the Del
Monte run says he is even more affable
than any cigar drummer he knows, and
they generally have a sample cigar
about them. No, sir; / wish to posi-
lively deny the calumny that Green
way ever gave a bottle OF champagne
TO that brakey. either hot or cold.
Let me get back on the track again.
You fellows are forever butting in
and getting a fellow sidetracked or
derailed Frank? or course I know
Frank. He and 1 used TO go TO the
same tailor, and Frank just spoiled
that tailor. He was such an ornery
young man that he persisted in paving
that tailor cash. That wasn't business,
for that blessed tailor began to try to
make everybody follow Franks bad
habits. But. bless you. he couldn't
make me do anything unreasonable.
1 told him I admired Frank, but as
for paying a tailor cash, that was
against any sane mans creed.
Now, let me get back again
Frank had a crowd OF brakes before
him and he spoke to them on polite
ness.
Boys. have you a father or a
mother? Because If you never had any
you are to be pitied' says Frank, but
maybe you have a sister, or worse
still, a sweetheart. Sweethearts are
all very well in their way, but rail-
roadman has no right TO have sweet
heart He wants to be with her all
the time What a railroadman ought
10 do is TO get married early and then
he won't care how long he stays away
from home. Now. suppose you had a
sweetheart on a train and she asked
a brakeman just as IL was pulling out
OF the mole when she would reach
Oskaloosa. and whether pa would be
on hand to meet her. how you'd you
like him to be gruff and indicate by the
tilt of his nose that she was a we'll
won't say WHAT
Now. don't think you would feel
like punching that mans head for
brin ging the tears to her beautiful
eyes when she was starting on long
and wearfsome journey, and you NOT
with her? How much nicer for the
girl and for the brakeman II he an
swered pleasantly.
. There is a deuce of lot of money
spent each month, Frank went on to
say, by the railroad companies ad-
yertising their trains, and then some
brakeman or conductor spoils all the
work by a piece of rudeness- 1t don't
cost anything to be civil But, remem-
Der, travellers are irritable. They are
not like you people, used 70 running
on trains, and generally they are
pretty nervous. and it takes judgment
to get along with them. All of you
bows have that. and il you are only a
little polite you will find IL is the
best way TO get along
You railroad boys don't know what
you are bucking up against half the
time, though some of you are uneom-
monty smart. Let me tell you an in
stance. A brakeman wanted to shove
a travellers valise on the rack be-
cause he imagined mis- small bag made
another chaps saratoga stick out in
the aisle The man objected
..aI amt going TO steal your bag"
bawIs out the brakeman, and he looks
AZ him as II he wanted to fight. Now,
that chap is a friend of most OF the
officials. and he could have had that
brakeman hauled over the Goals You
never know, went on Frank, when
Won will be liable 10 make a mistake
like that so never get funny with a
passenger. Remember, the company
makes money out OF the passenge
while the company is paying you your
salary There is a great deal OF diff
ference in the two situations.
Now when a company has a corps
of men who are polite and attentive
70 passengers. it makes that road
talked of from one end of the continent
to the other. The reason the BurIing
ton was so popular once was because
Colonel Sanborn presented bouquets to
every one entering the dining ROOM
You all can hand out bouquets II YOU
want to, and we need not keep up any
conversatories and gardeners either
Frank is about right. Politeness
does make things go smoother, and If
man is only as keen to avoid hurting
the feelings of others, as he is in
keeping his corns out of the way of
others, he would be happier
There are other things which Frank
might look into. He might make a
talk TO the car cleaners. They are a
fine body OF men, Why gentlemanly
railroad housemaids could make a for
tune patenting their methods OF clean
ing car. In comes train where the
second class passengers have been
sleeping all night, and wake up euss-
ing the company. My, those cars are
a sight, especially in the green fruit
season. And the way the passengers
eat bananas and peanuts is a caution.
T. @oroaS the housernaid All fhA stufs