Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-12-18

section twnty-wan. house at Hot Springs"
77HE voice of the roadmaster rises sonorousy
over the roar of the wheels under the rub
berneck wagon" From his accent might
almost suspect the roadmaster being direct
from certain country famous for Its inexhaustible
supply of American policemen. arc leaving
ogden behind at the rate of 40 miles hour
and the pale dawn behind the eastern hills is be-
ginning glow with the first bright rays of the
upspringlng
far. has doubtless discovered that 1t early
in the morning 1t was In fact earlier than that.
They pleasant little habit of rising early in
the morning these Oregon Short Line annual
inspection trips. They really have the original
early bird beaten something like thirty ways from
the deuce whatever that may mean
Darkness covered the face of the Ogden yards
when Oscar laid violent hands the writer. 1t
6 O'Clock. and that's some carly in Ogden or
anywhere else, My spirits lower than
snakes, err. stomach at the thought of crawling
out of a comfortable bed and facing the chilly
breeze But Oscar obdurate. When the boss
tells him to get everybody in the up at o'clock
Oscar gets them up If they were actually dead
instead of dead asleep. Oscar would do his best
them.
Breakfast helped me BY the time I hac
wadded bacon and eggs. fried potatoes, hot
biscuit and JAM little fruit and cup OF coffee
just n little snack to pick at-into my system the
world somehow looked brighter. Then It Ho;
for the "rubberneck wagon" 1t "a nippina
and an eager air. that greeted US as we walked
forward.
THE RUBBERNECK" CAR.
The ''rubberneck" was attached to the front OF
the locomotive Perhaps description ought to
find place here, At the beginning it may be said
that the 'rubberneck" presents decidedly decol-
lette appearance There very little to 1t except
a glass door and two windows In front. two tiers
of seats rising front to and all kinds of
chilly atmosphere between the forward and the
aft as w. w. Jacobs Joseph Conrad would say
I asked the boss why, instead of leaving both
sides of the car open in that ow-necked. Vbodced
fashion he didn't have glass wincows all around
1t. His reply comforting. as comforting as
the fellow who asks his sick friend what hymns he
would like sung at the funeral we don't put the
glass in" he said. because, running ahead of the
engine this we might hit something Every
body ought to have a chance TO jump and If they
Jumped through a pane of glass 1t might hurt
them" e didn't seem to think 1t would hurt a
bit to leap lightly from train travelling at SO
miles an out upon pile of NICE soft ties
or feathery combination of crushed stone and
lava rock.
SLIGHTLY WORRIED.
And just when was rapidly trying to figure out
whether or not my accident policy covered ride
in the "rubberneck wagon" and concluding that
in simple justice to my family. and not because
was the least bit frightened, the boss gave the
signal and we were off. I wasn't in any hurry at
ALL but the engineer seemed to be- 1t was most
careless of him for he couldn't the track very
well from his cab way back behind the rubber
neck that way.
But nobody else seemed the least bit worried
Tho boss lit his pipe So did the chief engineer.
And at last I permitted my toes which were
glued to the soles of my feet, slowly to uncurl
After ALL It wasn't bit bad. The track was as
smooth as n billiard table the tow lines" on
either side stretched ahead of straight as
ever crow few. The fresh, sharp air of the morn
ing sang in our and lungs bulged with
Still the first stop some comfort. because 1t
afforded opportunity to stretch stinened legs
and warm chilly feet. The little station at Hot
Springs was immaculate as soap and water
could made It. One could have eaten on any part
of the and the walls and ceiling had been
put through thorough cleaning. If the writer
had been marking he certainly would have giyen
that station ten" which Is the highest mark The
sectionhouse and the pumphouse were also found
to be in good shape and the inspection OF the
Utah division in earnest
INCENTIVE TO employees.
The Oregon Short Line is one OF perhaps half-
dozen roads the country that annually sends
out a special train loaded with officials for a gen
eral inspection of the system. on these occasions
every mile of track including main line, branches
and snurs is carefully gone AS incentive
to section foremen have their allotment of track
in first class shape, and to station agents TO sec
that their buildings and grounds are In lrreproach-
able condition. handsome gold me6 Is are dis
tributed among those that have done the best
work
The train this year consisted OF three private cars
a standard Pullman and the "rubberneck wagon
the latter as has been said, being pushed aheat
OF the locomotive, with Pullman car Immediately
behind the observation and Immediately II
front Of the engine The writer does not pretent
to know why the Pullman Is also pushed ahead o
the engine. He has strictly private theory
though that 1t Is because. in the event that some