Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-03-02

For the first time I'm 10 years, Mar
tin Graham is at HON and not liking
IL.
For the first time in a half century he
IS at his Billings home to stay, no sched-
ule TO meet on the morrow, no duties &c
worry his. He stepped from the North
ern Pacific passenger recently. a retired
conductor.
Mr.. Graham is vigorous and hale for
all the 10 years that made his retirement
mandatory and did not hesitate to ex-
press his desire to go on a-running' I'M
til he was no longer able.
The conductor was placed on the re-
tired list February l. He celebrated his
SEVENTEEN birthday January 4 and as is
h railroads custom, was allowed To
f1nish the month.
Mr.. Graham was an employe OF the
Northern Pacific railway for 81 years.
Previous to his employment by that rail-
road he had been brakeman and con-
.ductor for the Union Pacific and Bur-
lington for II years in addition TO sew
eral years in the shops which he doesn't
count"
In a half century numerous and varied
experiences are the inevitable lot OF a
railroad man. but anyone who would
learn of the exciting interluoes in Mr.
,Graham's career ust go to Mrs, Graham
lie will admit If pressed that here were
"a few wrecks" but she alone will tell
OF the time her husband was dragged
nearly a block clinging to the footboard
on the front of q switch engine.
1t happened in 1885 when Mr.. Graham
was ~'braking'' for the Burlington. He
was riding the front of the engine when
it hit a protruding plant at a crossing
The jolt tossed him from his perch. In
stantly his hand reached out n grasped
She f%ootboard. Onlookers turned then
heads way for it seemed inevitable he
would be ground beneath the wheels
And h would have had his hold beer
loosened.
"Yes." as Mrs. Graham broke in when
her husband made light of his expert
ences: you've had as exciting q time
as anybody" And Mr.. Graha aus have
been more than equal to any emergency
for high officials of the Northern Pacific
have written him, praising his record
One declared it had always been reas.
surfing to have Mr.. Graham IN the jot
with him at a wreck.
The retired conductors passengers al
ways found Mart courteous and hi
found his passengers good, bad and in.
diferent-but mostly good" A conduc.
tor is equipped with police power ano
Mr.. Graham sometimes found 1t neces'
eary to put a man of a train and in tht
days before prohibition he seized anc
smashed thousands of bottles from bois'
ferrous passengers drinking On the train
But he never lost his faith in the gen.
eral run of humanity. THE good" hi
says. 'predominate."
Prohibition. Mr.. Graham believes, ha.
I%ightened considerably the burden of rail
way conductors. 1T is" he says, or
of the finest things for railway men tha'
ever happened. 1t kept whisky of thu
trains"
Mr.. Graham came to Billings as
brakeman in November, 1890. and wen
'a-running" (became a conductor) II
1894. He handled the transcontinenta
trains in the division until a few year
ago when he took over a run on the 10
cal between Glendive and Billings. H
has been in harness for nearly so years
has met all manner of emergencies ant
has carried" high ~personages. His ad
vice to young conductors should be wortl
accepting. 1t is:
Remember, you are more likely to b
reported than praised. Observe all tn
rules and keep out of trouble"
Mr.. Graham has lived a useful AM
courteous life. he is the father Of tw
sons of whom he is proud, DR.. j. +
Graham of Billings and Raymond Ora
ham of Sunburst. but he is not ready t.
step out and let the world go by. Rest
lessly, he says: I'm not sick. I don
see why"