He is in the direct line of promotion, and
some day will be a despatcher himself. I never regretted my leniency.
In addition to the main line, I had a branch of thirty-eight miles,
running from Bentonville up to Sandia. The despatching for this branch
was done from my office, and when we wanted anyone there Bentonville
would cut us through. This was seldom necessary, however, because there
were only two trains daily, a combination freight and passenger each
way. The last station this side of Sandia was Alexis. The state
penitentiary was located there, and the telegraphing was done by a
convict "trusty"--a man who, having been appointed cashier of a big
freight office in the western part of the state, couldn't stand
prosperity, and, in consequence, had been sent up for six years. His
conduct had been so good that, after he had served four years inside of
the walls, he was made a "trusty." His ability as an operator was
extraordinary. He had a smooth easy way of sending that made his sending
as plain as a circus bill.
The two branch trains on the branch were known as 61 and 62, and one day
62, running north in the morning, had jumped the track laying herself
out about ten hours.
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