Iditarod pioneer., 1915-05-01

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 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 anything but amuse the passengers. Mo- sir. l was of fered a pass, but I don't like the line. I don't like to travel on road that has no terminus Do you know, sir, l asked division superintendent where that road run to, and he said he hoped to die if he knew. I asked him if the general superintendent could tell me and he said he didn't believe they had general superintendent, and If they had, he didn't know anything more about the road than the passengers. asked him whom he reported to, and he said Nobody l asked a conductor whom ne got his orders from, and he said Ee didn't take orders fro many living man or dead ghost. And when I asked the engi- neer whom he got his orders from, he said he'd like to see anybody give him orders; he'd run the train to suit himself, or he'd run it into the ditch. Now, you see, sir, I'm railroad man, and 1 don't care to run on a road that has no time, makes no connections, runs nowhere and has no super intendent. It may be all right, but I've railroaded too long 10 understand it.
 Maybe you went to the Congregational church."
 "Popular road" said the brakeman "an old road. too-one of the very oldest in this country. Good road-bed and comfortable
 ars. We'll managed road, too; directors don't interfere with division superintendents and train orders. Roads mighty popular, but it's pretty independent, too. Yes; didn't one of the division superintendentS down East discontinue one of the oldest sta tions on this line two or three years ago! But it's mighty pleasant road to travel on Always has such pleasant class of passengers"
 Did you try the Methodist" said.
 Now, you're shouting" he said, with some enthusiasm. Nice road, eh? Fast time and plenty of passengers. Engines ,arry a power of steam, and don't you for get it; steam gauge shows hundred and enough all the time Lively road; when the conductor shouts All aboard, you can hear him at the next station. Every train light shines like headlight. Stop-over checks are given on all through tickets; passengers can drop OH the tTdlu as oltell as they like, do the station two or three days, and hop on the next revival train that comes laundering along. Good, whole souled companionable conductors; ain't road in the country where the passengers feel more at home. No passes; every pas senger pays full traffic rates for his ticket. Wesleyanhouse air brakes on all trains, too; pretty safe road, but l didn't ride over 1t yesterday
 Perhaps you tried the Baptst?" I guessed once more.
 "Ah, hal" said the brakeman; "she's a daisy, isn't she? River road, beautiful curves, sweep around anything to keep close to the river, but it's all steel rail and rock ballast, single track all the way, and not a side-track from the roundhouse to the terminus. Takes a heap of water to run it through; double tanks at every sta ton, and there isn't an engine in the shops that can pull 8 pound or run a mile with less than two gauges, But it runs through lovely country-those river roads always do; river on one side and hills on the other and it's steady climb up the grade all the way till the run ends where the fountain