The Oskaloosa herald., 1917-10-18
FIRST TROOPS
At WEST Front
RAILWAY ENGINEERS STEADY
g4 uNpsR Fine. tt,flf
\ ~ II = h
AMERIEAnS SLinM EEEIClEMCY
AMERICANS SHOW EFFICIENCY
Adopt English Terms But Carry Yam
kee Tricks to the Trenches.
/, Smashing English Operating
~. =, Presidents. .s..
ByK. Waltcr.)

before enlisting, had worked on every
railroad in the Middle West. He was
enthusiastic about the promptness
with which the Engineers we're. put to
work at the front alld the Importance
Of the job assigned to them.
AS soon as we get over there" he
said, I'VE were put with the British
forces and our regiment scattered all
over the area In which wesw were, placed.
y We arc tue only American troops In
that part Of the country and We haye
not seen any others since we reached
France. i was given a hundred, men
and put in charge of the operation and
maintenance of eighteen miles OF mar.
row guage railway which runs from
the standard, gaage rail head to the,
batteries. We soon got to the
shells which fly about frequently, and
have come to regard them as "a pesti.
ferrous but quite. necessary nuisance.
The engines and track are all Ameri-
can. made,a but the cars are British
make. Il. 81. ,tA a.
Learning English Ways.
How do you get on with the Brit.
ishs, n tx I: %.y.e ..sf.s
Il have had tough time learning
to call a car a truck conductor a
guard gasoline, petrol" and SO on,
but ] am entirely surrounded by En-
glish so i have, had to surrender"
What do YOU make = OF them as
fighters 2" & : .'E.ga, i
THE English are an earnest people,
and determination is their middle
name butt Oh Lord, how they procras-
Innate! They treat, us with every
mark Of RESPECT, but they hasten to
assure us that we must not be In too
'devilish a hurry as the war viii prob.
ably be carrying on tomorrow. There
is no denying. however, that they are;
good war makers and are persistent
in their ways TO the last degree. Their
soldiers are well disciplined and very
courageous and their officers very
brave and cheerful men We get along
finely, but a true Ysns will always be
distinguished among them for his kick
and ginger, God knows they have
reason to" lack it after three years of
what see here daily T., ,r..& .a-. 3.
Ia Traffic At the Front. -. b..
we haul ammunition food, engin,I
eerlng supplies and troops to, the front,
On, our. main lines We use the Baldwin
steam locomotives. The stuff for the
batteries Is put off in the: yards in the
day time and our night crews haul il!
to the front by. means of big petrol
electric tractors. These are very. good
Pittsburgh machines and, our gas en-
gine. men are delighted with them
Whenever the American railway
men come instouch With the Canadians
on the same job, there IS particularly
keen ana friendly I rivalry 81
There is a; Canadian in charge of
the next division to me and he and II
wage a fearful" warfare to- Guido one
another in; ton.iniles. This IS where 4
find American business methods pay.
have sergeant who in private life
was a publicity agent: he goes out
scouting for business and when he
lands a rew job, which is good for
three cars daily a week. | give him a
day off in the nearest townSto cele.
brate. He does" 9 h&;s.Ee
One incident told by this man, who
knows all the tricks of operation on
every road between Minnesota and
Texas. he was particularly proud OF
and 1t deserves To be put down as
he told it.. b., I.
Amazed AT. Yankee Tricks. "A
."On. one section Of my division there
is a steep grade in the track and an
engine can only haul five loaded cars
over the grade. Now this grade is on
thetmain line and much Of our traffic
passes over 1.-THE, company, which
operated here previous to- ourselves,
was wont to send out from the term
linus fiye-car trains as a,regular thing
on, the main line. Well, we Is built a
siding4andsa hut at the foot OF the
grade aud stationed two engine crews
one 10, relieve, the, other. and one en-
gine there and sent out ten-car trains
over the main line. Epon arriving at
the of the grade the engine sta
toned there. pulled out OF a siding We
had, constructed and pushed the train
over the hill. yhereupon tho engine
uncoupled, and went back to It's sta
ton. This enabled us..to release four
engines I Immediately went looking
for more cars, and more business, ]
got the business. all right, but when
I,applied for more ,cars.I stirredoup an
awful 'strafe, A very Important man
himself paid me- a visit and demanded
to know howl could have four 'looos'
to spare. and .&heh !, told him lie said
that .I.was running moro traffic over
theslipe than .tpysr1otiye inow6r, corp;
plerncnt was figqfed 10 haul, I.told
him 10, sise me more cars and I wouid
put a hole Id the records Of the British
Army and he finally, with deprecat.
Dry, smile. agreed to try tho, exneri-
ment Since that time 1 have run an