White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1919-05-18
IPRWATE WILLIAM FISHER WRITES ABOUT
1RAlROAD LIFE AND EQUIPMENT IN FRANCE

Gated right in the center of the boiler
head. Very few of the engines have
air equipment, the only trains using
air being the first-class passenger. NO
air is used on the freight trains. Their
freight cars are peculiar affairs, rang
ing in size from eight TO sixteen feet
long and about seven feet wide, with
rigid frames and n pair of wheels
at each end of the car. The capacity
is about ten tons TO the II. There is
also a little weather house on the n
of the car-about the size OF an out
house-with a door and very small
window in il. There are no cabooses
on the trains. They use no automatic
couplers, their system being a hook
and link with a spring bumper on
each side of the end sill. Between
the links there is a turn-screw to adj
just the slack between the draw
hooks, making it a dangerous job for
the switchman and brakeman. One
mar lost a forefinger just the other
day. There are no headlights on the
engines. but use instead a couple OF
farmer lanterns or the front end OF
the bumper beam and YOU can see
only about so feet ahead. There are
no bells and the only warning signal
is a little whistle. about the size Of
the air whistle on the McGill ping
pong. The right of way is all fenced
in and II was a ~penitentiary olense
for anyone to be caught trespassing,
but since the war they have not been
so strict. but should a train run oyer
anyone it would not stop. About
three weeks ago two fellows of our
company were killed by the Paris
and another was killed about
a week ago at the same crossing. out
of Company X.
have got the best job on the
works-roundhouse foreman. II is
only a dollar and a dime a day. but
is not much hard work. ] was
company mechanic the first of
the month that pays 5000.
This is a pretty country but it rains
nearly every day and everything is
iiee and green and cherry and other
trees all in bloom. The French
Use the OK and yoke TO do their farm
work; some farmers use little burros
md once In a while you will see an
I'D horse that looks like he had taken
,art in the battle of Mons or Chateau
and was on his last legs.
shoes are In extensive use.
There are no stoves. but fireplaces
With hooks on which to hang the pots
md kettles for cooking the meals.
The people do not to eat sc
much but give the wines a good run.
The wines are very nice when we'll
Iged but the Yanks have gotten the
Id stock pretty well cleaned up. The
french are strong for John Rabbits.
and snails. They are about as
iluuolIlOuS dS the AiltTlCdu luuldu
md any time there is any work TO be
lone. the old lady has to get in and
10 her share.
There is an ancient Town Eear here
hat mas u graveyard with a peculiar
In one corner of this grave
ard is a huge stone wall and in this
vail there are hundreds of skeletons
If humans. some of whom died years
,go and others not more than three
months ago. The custom Is to bury
he dead and leave the bodies in the
raves AS long as tho relatives can pay
he rem for the ground. When the
payments stop the bodies are dug up
md throvn into the bone yard. This
graveyard is right IN the town and in
l location to be viewed by anyone
,acafpU II "a co.nn question. /