The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1915-02-19
How Jim Donnelly
Made a Success.
Py EVERETT P. CLARKE

ton. The system was long one. pen
etrating into what were then the back
woods of North America The com
pany needed men OH the frontier, but
unfortunately those positions were 50
unattractiye that the employees there
could not be made to hold their places.
Jim was told that he might have a
passenger Grain in this region, but was
advised that the people travelling there
were hard to manage, and it was fear
ed that he would give up the job after
learning the conditions.
Jim had commenced railroading as
brakeman The salary Of conductor
was much better than that Of agent at
an inferior station. and he decided TO
accept the position. Another induce
ment was that If he succeeded in run
ming his train through the lawless dis
trict with regularity he would be adj
vanced to Il higher positioh
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 a
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 a mastery Of the situation.
He would not undertake the job with
out seeing it through The fights the
conductors had 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 9th.
er fellow. though he was not 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 sew
eral days without trouble when a
wild looking man got on at wilder
ness station. and when Jim asked him
for his fare the passenger, feeling
through his pockets. finally took out
dirty paper on which he had himself
written a pass. Jim handed 1t back
to him with the laconic remark, mo
good" The man began to berate the
nnnIt,otnr with hfS for tnC11f.
ing him. at the same time putting his
hand to his hip for his revolver. Jim
put his hand into his outside coat peck
ct and. pulling out rubber bulb, re-
peated his request for the fare. The
man was getting his revolver in posi-
ton for draw when Jim placed the
bulb before the rascal's face and,
pressing 1t, filed his eyes with red pep
per.
There was a howl. the passenger put
ting his hands to his eyes. Jim, TAX
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 kick as he
dropped him off the train.
The next man who refused to pay
his fare was countryman, who relied
on his muscle to protect him from being
put off the train by the conductor. The
fellow was certainly very strong and
prided himself on being able to take
care of any man without the use Of
arms. When 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,
whereupcn the passenger told him that
If he was strong enough to eject him
he was welcome to do So
Quick as flash Jim gripped the
mans nose with his punch, which held
by means of couple Of sharp projec-
tons. The nipped man fought like a
tiger. but every time he struck a blow
Jim pressed the nipper. and in very
few minutes his prisoner ceased to
struggle. Jim pulled the bell rope, but
before the train came to a full stop
threw his prisoner into ditch beside |
the road.
Stories of the conductors novel meth |
DDS Of putting Off travellers who refus- |
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 their
revolvers and were entirely put out of |
their reckoning by such unprecedented
methods of warfare. 1t required but |
these two instances to stop the refusal
to pay fares, for after the second eiec. |
ton no one else cared to take the risk
OF running up against some new plan |
Of the conductor of accomplishing his
purpose.
Meanwhile the railroad was ciyiliz-
Ing the people who lived beside il.
respect for law and order was creep
Ing In. and public sentiment was turn
Ing against the carrying of weapons.
In hA2 Al.