ce my own
men thereafter.

CHAPTER XIX

JACKING UP A NEGLIGENT OPERATOR--A CONVICT OPERATOR--DICK, THE PLUCKY
CALL BOY

One of the most unpleasant duties I had to perform was that of "jacking
up" operators, and punishing them for their short-comings. Generally, if
the case was not a very bad one, and the man had a good reputation, I
would try and smooth it over with only a reprimand; but there are times
"when patience ceases to be a virtue," and punishment must be inflicted.
The train sheet is always the first indication that some operator is to
be "hauled up on the carpet." One morning I found the following entry on
the sheet:--

"No. 16 delayed forty-five minutes at Bentonville, account not being
able to raise the operator at Sicklen in that time. Called for
explanation and operator said 'he was over at hotel getting some
lunch.'"

That excuse "over at hotel getting some lunch," is as familiar to a
railroad operator as the creed is to a good churchman. A young man
named Charles Ferral was the night man at Sicklen, and his ability as
an operator was only exceeded by his inability to tell the truth when he
was in a tight place. I was too old an operator to be fooled by any such
a yarn as this; and besides, the conductor of No. 17 reported to me that
he had found Ferral stretched out on the table asleep, when he stopped
there for water. But he was a first-rate man and I didn't want to lose
him, so I wrote him a sharp letter and told him that a repetition of his
offense would cause him to receive his time instantly. He was as
penitent as the prodigal son, and promised never to so offend again; and
he kept his word--for just about ten days.

One morning he asked my permission to come up to "DS" on No. 2 and go
back on No. 3 in the afternoon. I gave it, but warned him to not lose
too much sleep. There are some men in the business that the sound of
their office call on a telegraph instrument will cause to awaken at once
no matter how soundly they may be sleeping, but Ferral was not one of
these. The night following his return to his station, I was kept at the
office until late, and about eleven o'clock No. 22 appeared at
Bakersville, and wanted to run to Ashton for No. 17. They were both
running a little late, and as 17 had a heavy train of coal and system
empties, I told Burke to let them go. But the only station at which we
could then get an order to 17 was Sicklen, Ferral's station. Burke began
to call, b