The daily Alaskan., 1914-12-05
By EVERETT P. CLARKE

vanced to higher position
 The main trouble Jim's predecessors had experienced was collecting fares. The, people of the country made all sorts of excuses for not paying their way, and if the conductor tried to put them off the train they would make fight One conductor had been killed, another severely wounded, and others had been too frightened to insist on getting the fare. All this was explain ed to the applicant
 Jim thought the matter over and made up his mind that he would fight his way to n mastery of the situation He would not undertake the job with out seeing 1t through. The fights the conductors bad experienced were with individuals, and so long as he was not called upon to fight several men at once Jim saw no reason why he should not stand as good a chance as the oth. CT fellow, though he was not a large man nor especially muscular. He was quite ingenious and relied on his think ing powers to provide>ways of collect ing fares.
 Jim had been running his train se7. eral days without trouble when a wild looking man got on at wilder ness station, and when Jim asked him for bis fare the passenger, feeling through his pockets finally took out a dirty paper on which he had himself written a pass. Jim handed 1t back to him with the laconic remark, NO good" The man began to berate the conductor with his tongue for insult ing him, at the same time putting his hand to his hip for his revolver. Jim nut his hand into his outside coat peck ct and. pulling out q rubber bulb, re- peated his request for the fare. The man was getting his revolver in posi- tion for a draw when Jim placed the bulb before the rascars face and, pressing it. filled his eyes with red pep per.
 Thetv, was howl, the passenger put ting his hands to his eyes. Jim, talk ing advantage of his blindness, made a grab for his revolver and secured it, Then, pulling the bell rope. he took the man by the collar and hustled him to the door, giving him a kick as he dropped him off the train.
 The next man who refused to pay his fare was a countryman. who relied on his muscle to protect him from being put off the train by the conductor. The fellow was certainly veT strong and prided himself on being able to take care of any man without the use of arms. Wben Jim asked him for his fare he searched for his ticket or pre- tended to do so. then said that he had lost it Jim, who understood the mans game, passed on collecting. When the train reached the next station he got out, went to the baggage car, took new punch out of bag, and when the train started on went through the cars again. Coming to the man who had lost his ticket, he told him that he must pay his fare or get off the train ghereupon the passenger told him thai if he was strong enough to eject him he was welcome to do so.
 Quick as q flash Jim gripped the mans nose with his punch, which held by means of couple of sharp projec' lions. The uipped man fought like a tiger, but every time he struck blow Jim pressed the nipper, and in very few minutes bis prisoner ceased tc struggle. Jim pulled the bell rope, but before the train came to a full stoE threw his prisoner into a ditch beside the road.
 Stories of the conductors novel meth ods of putting off travellers who rerus ed to pay their fare were spread broad cast by passengers who witnessed them and lost nothing by repetition The countrymen along the line were used to fighting with their fists or then revolvers and were entirely put out oi their reckoning by such unprecedented methods of warfare. It required bu these two instances to stop the refusa I
 to pay fares, for after the second ejec ton no one else cared to take the rist of running up against some new plar of the conductor of accomplishing hi' purpose.
 Meanwhile the railroad was civiliz ing the people who lived beside it. 4 respect for law and order was creep ing in, and public sentiment was turn ing against the carrying of weapons In other words. the people were be coming a peaceful farming community Jim Donnelly's success in collecting fares was noted in the general otlce' of the railroad company, and one da! he received the appointment of diVi sion superintendent
 The country through which the lint passes is now thickly settled, and MT Donnelly is vice president of the road. l ---~-