Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1915-10-14


On the road once more with Lebanon
fading away in the distance. the fat pas
seDger drumming idly on the window
pane the cross passenger sound asleep.
and the tail. thin passenger reading
General 6 ants Tour around the
world" and wondering why Green's
August Flower" should be printed
above the doors Of "a Buddhist Temple
at Benares To me comes the brake
man. and seating himself on the arm Of
the seat. says: II went to church yes
terday.''I
'.Yes?" said. with that interested
infection that asks for more. s..And
what church did you attend?"
Which do you guessf" he asked.
Some union mission church" l
hazarded.
No, she said, don't like to run on
these branch roads very much, II dom
often 20 to church. and when do,
want to run on the main line, where
your run is regular and you go on sched-
ule time and don't have to wait on con-
nections. I don't like to run ON a
branch. Good enough, but don't like
it,"
Episcopal | guessed.
| Limited express," he said, ''all pal
ace cars and So extra for seat, fast
time and only stop at big stations.
Nice line, but too exhaustive for q
brakeman. All train men in uniform.
conductors punch and lantern silver
plated. and no train boys allowed.
Then the passengers are allowed to
talk back at the conductor, and it
makes them too free and easy. No. |
couldn't stand the palace cars. Rich
road, though. Don't often hear of a
receiver being appointed for that line.
Some mighty nice people travel on it,
too.
..Universalist?" ] suggested.
''Broad gauge, said the brakeman,
"does too much complimentary BUSH
ness. Everybody travels on a pass.
Conductor doesn't get a fare once in
fifty miles. Stops at flag stations, and
won t. run into anxsthing but union
depot. No smoking car on the train.
Train orders are rather vague though,
and the train mem don't get along well
with the passengers. No. / don't go
to the Univefsafist,' bat know some
good meh who run on that road.
T "Pfesbyterian?", I, ! asked.
Narrow guage. eh?'' said the brake.
man. pretty track, straight as rule;
tunnel ri, htthrough mountain rather
then GO .arou I'd it; spirit-levei grade;
passengers have to show their tickets
before they get on the train Mighty
strict road, but the cars are little
narrow; have to sit one in seat, and
no room in tbe aisle to dance. Then
there is no stop over tickets allowed,
got to go straight. through to the
station you re ticketed7for. or you can't
| get on at all When the car is full nc
ex ra coaches; cars buiIRat the shop to
hold just SO many: and nobody else
allowed-on. But you don't often hear
of al accident on that road. It's rur
right up to'the rules"
Maybe you joined the Free Think
ers?" said.
'.Scrub road. said the brakeman
.sdirt road bed and no ballast; no ii {
card and no train dispatcher. All
trains run wild, and every engineer
makes his own time. just as he peases.
Smoke if you want to; kind of go-as-
you. please road. Too many side tracks,
and every switch open all the time,
with the, switchman sound asleep and
the target lamp dead out. Get on as
you please and get off when you want
/ to. Don't. have; to show your tickets,
and the conductor isn't expected to do
any thing but amuse the passengers
No, sir. | was offered a pass. but !
! don't like to travel on a road that has
no terminus. Do you know, sir asked
ka division superintendent where that
road run to-. and he said he hoped to
| die if he knew. asked himif the gen
eral superintendent could tell me, and
he said he didn't believe they had q
| general superintendent, and if they
Fhad he didn't know anything more
about the road than the passengers. l
asked him who he reported to, and
said nobody l asked 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. and he said he'd like
to see any body give him orders; he'd
run the train to SUIT himself, or he'd
run it into a ditch. Now you see, sir,
Pm railroad man. and don't care to
run on a road that has no time, makes
no connections, runs nowhere. and has
no superintendent. 1t may be all
right, but. Pve railroaded too long to
understand it.
Maybe you went to the Congregat-
ional Church?