Urgent: Cash On Delivery
A Tale of the Railroads and the Men Who Work Them
By
E. Michael George
Foreward
Too many pieces of historical fiction focus only on the Soldier, the Diplomat, the Prince or King, the Spies that lurk doing the bidding of their shadowy masters. Now here is a tale of the men who tie strings, use mucilage, stamp with patented ink-stamps, and brave the dusty streets and boardwalks for their hamburger sandwich and mug of beer at lunch. History is made in the Boarding-House as well as on the Battle-Field and the great events of our Nation are writ in mining injury reports as well as upon the ledgers of the counting house as indelibly as upon the statuary and monuments of the greats.
E. Michael George,
Burbank, California
2010
Chapter One, April 23rd
Arthur Crandall, assistant depot master of the Council Bluffs, Iowa Union Pacific station, finished nailing the rate change notice on the board outside the station. The circular, stated that the ten-cent fare to Omaha would be raised to twenty-five cents effective May 1st. A round trip would cost a discounted forty-five cents. Family tickets for a ninety-day span were available for $6.25 and 15.60 good for 156 rides. He dusted his hands off despite having not soiled them, a habit from his boyhood on the farm where honest dirt was a constant companion. A check of his watch upon its patent gold chain showed 4:15 am. Winds were slow and the air dewy and spring fresh. The 4:45 for Omaha was loading mail and a few passengers milled about the station. Arthur straightened himself and viewed his work. Surely tongues would wag here and in Nebraska about the fare rise. But, the Railroad would not stoop to compete with the commutation streetcar railways, that was a fact just as the sun rose over to the East and the cuspidors needed to be emptied daily, twice on paydays. A few locals, to whom Arthur nodded and graced with a sage nod, had begun to coalesce into an impromptu viewing party around the notice. Satisfied with his handiwork and that it was garnering attention form its intended audience, he retired into the station office to check if any parcels needed sorting.
To be continued…
