The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1911-06-16
CLYDE Hayes "Railroad caruso."

Wy way vi blNNlolbli ii' "'NiN o'''i'
at one end of his car and blow shut
the door at the other end, and that
every time he called n station he
shook a travelling man out of his seat,
so they had to- find more room for his
voice." the Chicago Sunday Tribune
devoted more than a page of space to
a "write.up" and pictures of the young
Norfolk man who is now attracting
attention as caller I'm the new North
western railroad station at Chicago
and concerning whom The News last
Saturday published story.
The Tribune made one mistake. 1t
said that Clyde used to be a conductor
out here whereas he was a brakeman.
He made his debut in the Bonesteel
rush days.
This is what the Tribune said of
him;
Clyde h. Hayes is the railroad Ca
russo.
Every day from $3.50 p. m. to II he
proclaims the departure of more
trains than any other station caller
237 from the Boxer Chinese indemnity
fund.
His concert platform is of all steel
construction and it is located way up
near the splendid ceiling of the new
Northwestern railroad station.
Thirty thousand people each day
lend appreCiatiVe ears as he slylarks
the suburban schedule on the Milwau.
kee and Galena divisions, plus enough
overland trains to keep Chicago and
the Pacific coast bound in close fell
lowship. Presidents of the United
States, boy orators, world famous
evangelists, diyinities of grand opera,
baseball umpires-none of these ever
had the constant opportunities of
Train Announcer Hayes to enlighten
and electrify n listening multitude.
The first week of full traffic sched-
ule in the new monumental railroad
terminal at Madison and Clinton
streets is over. Fully $4,000 persons
have tramped the corridors and i'm
perial opera house starcases each day
of the week. Confusion there has
been in plenty, but that fresh laun-
dered army composed of the residents
of the great North Shore and of the
western suburbs has Caught on" with
an alacrity which does it credit.
Lecture Course by Basso.
But then have they not been taking
lecture course ON the run entitled
There's Yellow Car for Every One
and Seats Enough for All" The EN-.
inent lecturer, of course, is young Mr.
Hayes, the heavy fog basso of the
Northwestern station.
So many trains steam out of the
new smoke proof shed from 4 p. N. to
$50 that it's wonder an orphan loco
motive doesn't get lost in transit every
hour. Ordinarily a railroad station
announcer refuses to bother about
suburban schedules. Every fifteen
minutes or so he wanders idly into
the main waiting room and with his
mouth aSlant shouts the long anC
short pauseS of a continental flyer Of
an accommodation train which at leas
outdistances the electric interurbans
Unless he trips over a folded infan
perambulator he attracts no untowarC
attention among the crowds on the
benches. But Mr.. Hayes has the en-
tire and fulsome suburban list of the
Northwestern railroad to recite. This
railroad sends forth more suburban
trains to the square minute between
o'clock and than perhaps any othe
steam route in the world.
He misses neither the "Sidewhiske
Limited" which launches for Evans
ton at 4:59, nor the Lawn Sprinklers
Special" which thunders toward Irv
ing Park either at SOL or SOY. Ant
the fearsome thing to soliloQuiZe upol
is the fact that he must repeat ever
suburban route twice, once on tn
waiting room side of his choir loft
and again toward the track level sec
ton. In passing from one side of tn
vocal fire escape to the other he mus
constantly open and close a glass door
And here in early English is tn
story of his rise to position and fame
Hayes Former Conductor.
Passing swiftly over the poor DO
and burning ambition section of hi
life, we find him in full charge of
night accommodation train in NebraE
ka. Yes, until three months ago NJ,
Hayes was railroad conductor. An
one to hear him now giving the vi
lage of Winnetka a rumbling and ca
ernous dignity which no native dream
ed it could possess would think he ha
been announcing trains ever sine
graduation from a Paris Conservator,
But it's fact that until almost Apr
of this year he was treading til
threadbare aisle of a Nebraska accom-
mediation, occasionally unlocking
brightly nickled lantern from his lie
elbow and dropping off into the nigl
to wigwag the engineer.
1t is indeed a transition from sing
track travel under Nebraska stars
the most conspicuous and audible p
sition in the city of Chicago. And
is just another instance of the pos
ton seeking and snatching the man.
One day the division superintendel
of the Northwestern line at Omaf
summoned young Conductor Hay,
into his grim presence.
Are you aware, Mr.. Hayes, that "
have been turned in a number
times lately?" said the superintende
to the conductor after the latter h;
nervously placed his cap on the ed
of the glass topped table.
Hayes trembled and his heart san
To be turned in" in railroad patio
means to be the object of complain
by passengers.
What have l done, sir?" he mi
INJURED anXiously.
Passengers Complain Of Noise.
you have disturbed the sleep of
large number of passengers on II
line" said the superintendent, 81
tiers have come to me from trayeli