Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 247, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 October 1915 — Great Kentucky Central. [ARTICLE]

Great Kentucky Central.

A railroad president spoke at a dinner in Boston on railway safety. “Why, the day may come,” he declared, “when all roads will he as safe as the Great Kentucky Central. “A passenger on that railroad said to the conductor: ‘“Do you use the block system on this line?’ “ ‘No; we ain’t got no use for the block system, stranger.’ “ ‘Oh, I suppose, then, you use electric or pneumatic signaling?’ “'No; no use for them, nuther.’ “ ‘Then you have train dispatchers and run your trains by telegraph?’ “ ‘Nope.’ “ *But when you stop between stations, you at least go back a hundred yards and flag the rear?’ ‘“Nope, stranger; nope.’ “ ‘Then,’ said the passenger, angrily, ‘all I’ve got to say is that this road is run in a criminally reckless manner.’ “The conductor frowned, took out a plug of tobacco and snapped off a chew viciously. “ ‘Stranger,’ he said, ‘if you don’t like this line, say so, and I’ll stop the train and you can git ofT and walk. I’m the president of the line and the sole owner. This is the Great Kentucky Central, and, stranger, don’t you forget it. She’s seven miles and a half long. She runs from Paint Rock to Nola Chucky. This is the only train that travels on the Great Kentucky Central, and what you hear snortin’ ahead is our only engine. We ain’t never had a collision. We ain’t never had an accident. What’s more, we never will. Now, are you satisfied, stranger, or will I pull the string and let you git out and walk?’ ”