Milford chronicle., 1914-07-24
A BRAKEMAN'S
OPINION OF CHURCHES

passenger drumming idly on the WlhaoW
pane. the cross passenger sound asleep
/ and the tall, thin passenger reaqing
'Gen. Grants Tour Around the World
and wondering why Green's August
4 Flower" should be printed above the
doors of "A Buddhist Temple at Benares.
! To me comes the brakeman, and, seat
/ inc himself on the arm Of the seat,
says
II went to church yesterday"
Yes, Il said, with that interested IN
Election that asks for more. And
what church did you attend Z"
(which do you guess ~ he asked.
"Some union mission church, haz-
arded.
"Naw." he said Il don't like to run
on these branch roads very much,
don't often 90 to church, and when do
| want to run on the main line, where
YOUR run is regular and you go on
Schedule time. and don have to wait on
connections. / don't like to run on
branch. Good enough, but | don't like
it,.
Episcopal, l guessed.
Limited express" he said, AL pal
ace cars and two dollars extra for
seat fast time, and only stops at the
big stations. Nice line, but too ex-
haustive for a brakeman. All train
men in uniform, conductor punch and
lanter silverplated and no train boys
allowed. Then the passengers are al
lowed to talk back to the conductor,
and il makes them too free and easy.
No. / couldn't stand the palace cars.
Rich road, through. Don't often hear
of receiver being appointed for that
line. Some mighty nice people travel
on it, too ;"
''Univeralist suggested.
Broad guage, said the brakeman.
Does too much complimentary busl-
, ness. Everybody travels on a pass.
Conductor doesn't get a fare once in
fifty miles. Stops at all flag stations,
and won't run into anything bat a
union depot. No smoking car on the
train. Train orders are vague. though,
and the trainmen don't get along well
with the passengers. No. / don I go to
the Univeralist, though | know some
awfully good men who run on that
road -
Presbyterian ?" l asked.
Marrow guage, Ell ? said the brake
man pretty track, straight as a rule
tunnel right through a mountain rather
than 20 around it spirit-level grade
passengers have to show their tickets
before they get on the train. Mighty
strict road, but the cars are a little
narrow have to sit one in seat, and
no room in the aisle to dance. Then
there's no stop over tickets allowed
got to 90 straight through for the station
YOUR ticket for, or you cant get on at
all When the cars full no extra coaches;
cars built at the shops to hold just so
many, and nobody else allowed on. But
YOU don't often hear of an accident on
that road. It's run right up to the
rules.
Maybe you joined the Free-think-
ers ?" / said.
"Scrub-road, " said the brakeman /;
dirt road-bed and no ballast ; no time
card and no train-dispatcher. All trains
run wild, and every engineer makes his
own time, Just as he pleases. Smoke if
YOU want to kind of go as you please
road. Too many side tracks, and every
switch wide open all the time, with the
switchman sound asleep, and the tar
pet lamp dead out. Get on as you please
and get off when you want to. Don't
| have to show your tickets, and the con-
ductor isn't expected to do anything
| but amuse the passengers. No, SIR,
was offered pass, but l don IKE the
line. ] don't like to travel on a road
that has no terminus. Do you know,
sir, / asked a division superintendent
where that road run to, and he said he
hooed to die if he knew. | asked him
| if the general superintendent could tell
me, and he said he didn't believe they
had a general superintendent, and #
they had, he didn't known any more
about the road than the passengers. /
asked him who he reported to, and he
! said nobody. | asked a conductor who
he got his orders from, and he said he
didn't take orders from any living man
or dead ghost. And when | asked the
engineer who he got his orders from,
he said he'd like to see anybody give
him his orders he'd run that train to
2 suit himself, or he'd run it into the ditch.
Now. YOU see, sir, I'm a railroad man,
p and don't care to run on a road that
= has no time, makes no connections, runs
nowhere and has no superintendent.
e 1t may be all right, but I've railroad
e too long to understand it.
( did you try the Methodist p | said.
Now you re shouting" he said with
S some enthusiasm. Nice road, Ell ? Fast
= time and plenty of passengers. Engine.
r carry a power of steam, and don't yoI
e forget it; steam gauge shows a hundred
e and enough all the time. Lively road
I when the conductor shouts all aboard,
s you can hear him to the next station
u Every train-lamp shines like headlight
n Stop Over-checks given on all through
s tickets passenger can drop off the trail
e as often as he likes-do the station tw,
or three days, and hop on the next reviva
It train that comes laundering along. Good
:. whole-souled companionable conductors
:, amt a road in the country where the pas
s ! sengers feel more at home. No passes
i every passenger pays full traffic rate
e for his ticket. Wesleyan-hOuse air
e brakes on all trains, too; pretty SAT
IS road, but did mt ride over it yesterday.
IS MAY be you went to the Congrega
tional church, l said
4 Popular road, " said the brakeman
" Fan old road, too one of the very old
Sr est in this country. Good road-bed an
le comfortable cars. Well managed road
ct too directors don't interfere with div
lie sion superintendent and train orders
Roads mighty popular, but its prett
n independent, too See, didn' one of tn