I think people generally look upon railroad men as a distinct species
of the _genus homo_. They seem to regard them as a class who have the
most utter disregard for human life, as perfectly careless of trusts
imposed upon them, and as being capable of distinctly understanding
rules the most obscure, and circumstances the most complicated. They
seem to think a railroad man is bound to make time any way, in the face
of every difficulty, and to hold him absolutely criminal if he meets
with any accident, or fails to see his way safe out of any trouble into
which their urging may force him. My impression is that they are wrong,
that railroad men have but human courage, but human foresight, and
should be spared the most of the indiscriminate censure heaped upon
them when an accident happens.
If one were to judge from the words of the press and the finding of
coroners' juries, he would infer that a pure accident, one unavoidable
by human foresight, was a thing unknown; but if he will only think, for
a moment, of all the circumstances, consider the enormous velocity at
which trains move, the tremendous strain thus thrown upon every portion
of the road-bed and the machinery, I think the wonder will be why there
are not more accidents. Think, for a moment, of one or two hundred
tons' weight impelled through the air at a velocity of from one hundred
to two hundred and forty feet per second, and tell me if you do not
consider that the chances for damage are pretty numerous.
I remember once being detained at a way-station with the Up Express,
waiting for the Down Express to pass me. We were both, owing to snow
and ice on the rails, sadly behind time, and I had concluded just
to wait where I was, until we heard from the other train, though a
liberal construction of the rules gave me the right to proceed "with
due caution;" but I was afraid that, if any thing _did_ happen, there
would be two opinions as to what "due caution" meant, so I held still.
The passengers were all uneasy, as they always are, and stormed and
fretted up and down, now coming to me and demanding, in just about
such tones as we would imagine a newly caught she-bear to use, whether
we intended "to keep them there all night?" whether I supposed "the
traveling public would tamely submit to such outrages?" if I thought
they "had no rights in the premises?" etc. These and similar questions
were put to me, some peevishly, some in a lordly manner, evidently
with the intention of bullying me into a start. I generally maintained
the dirty but independent dignity of my position of "runner of that
kettle;" but these latter Sir Oracles, I told that I was too well used
to dealing with fire, water, steam and rock to be scared by a little
"wind." After a while there came a telegraphic dispatch, unsigned,
undated, but saying, "Come ahead;" this raised a terrible "hillabaloo."
The passengers crowded into the cars and looked for an immediate start.
The conductor came to me and said that he thought we had better start.
I told him "No;" that I infinitely preferred to run on good solid rails
rather than telegraph wires, at all times, and more especially when
the wires brought such lame orders as these "Very well," says he, "I
don't know but you are right, but I shall leave you to _console_ these
passengers--I'm off to hide," and away he went. Pretty soon out they
came by twos, threes, dozens and scores; and I declare they needed
consolation, for a madder set I never saw. Pshaw! talk about "hornets"
and "bob-tailed bulls in fly-time;" they ain't a circumstance to a
passenger on a railroad train which is an hour behind time. Well,
they blustered and stormed, shook their fists at me, and about twenty
took down my name with the murderous intent of "reporting" me at
head-quarters, and "seeing about this thing" generally. At last some
individual, bursting with wrath, called for an indignation meeting.
The call was answered with alacrity. I attended as a disinterested
spectator, of course; a President and Secretary were appointed, several
speeches were made, overflowing with eloquence, and all aimed at me,
but carrying a few shots for every body on the train, even to the
boy that sold papers. This much had been done, and the committee on
"resolutions which should be utterly annihilating," had just retired,
when a whistle was heard up the track, and down came an extra engine,
running as fast as she could, carrying no light, but bringing news that
the "down train" was off the track eleven miles above, and bringing a
requisition for all the doctors in town to care for the wounded, who
were numerous. The "resolution committee" adjourned _sine die_. I was
never reported, for they all saw that, had I done as they wished me
to, I would have met this extra engine and rendered a few more doctors
necessary for my own train. The blunder of the telegraph was never
explained, but blunder it was, and the more firm was I never to obey a
telegraphic dispatch without it was clear and distinct, "signed, sealed
and delivered."