Does anyone have a copy of an old poem entitled (I think) "Off Again, On Again, Finnigan"? Its the tale of a railroad worker who sent long and detailed messages to HQ, and was constantly urged to shorten his reports--hence the final report, contained in the title. I haven't seen a copy of this for 35 years or more, and can't seem to find anyone who has one.

Kevinmccabe@avenew.com

I think the poem to which you refer is actually entitled "Finnigin to Flannigan," written by Strickland W. Gillilan in 1897 and reprinted in
"A Treasury of Railroad Folklore" by Benjamin Botkin and Alvin Harlow.

"Finnigin to Flannigan"

Superintindint wuz Flannigan;
Boss av the siction wuz Finnigan.
Whiniver th' cyars got off th' thrack
An' muddled things t' th' divvle an' back,
Finnigan writ it t' Flannigan,
Afther th' wrick wuz all on agin;
That is, this Finnigin
Repoorted t' Flannigan

Whin Finnigin furrst writ t' Flannigan,
He writed tin pa-ages, did Finnigin;
An' he towld just how th' wrick occurred-
Yis, minny a tajus, blundherin wurrd
Did Finnigin write t' Flannigan
After the cyars had gone on agin-
That's th' way Finnigin
Repoorted t' Flannigan.

Now Flannigan knowed more than Finnigin-
He'd more idjucation, had Flannigan.
An' ut wore 'm clane an' complately out
T' tell what Finnigin writ about
In 's writin' t' Musther Flannigan:-
Don't do sich a sin agin;
Make 'em brief, Finnigin!"

Whin Finnigin got that frum Flannigan
He blushed rosy-rid, did Finnigin.
An' he said: "I'll gamble a whole month's pay
That ut'll be minny an' minny a day
Befur sup'rintindint-that's Flannigan-
Gits a whack at that very same sin agin,
Frum Finnigin to Flannigan
Repoorts won't be so long agin."

Wan day on th' siction av Finnigin,
On th' road sup'rintindint be Flannigan,
A ra-ail give way on a bit av a currve
An'some cyarrs wint off as they made th' shwarrve.
"They's nobody hurrted," says Finnigin,
"But repoorts must be made t' Flannigan,"
An' he winked at McGorrigan
As married a Finnigin.

He wuz shantyin' thin, wuz Finnigan,
As minny a railroader's been agin,
An' 'is shmokky ol' lamp wuz burrnin' bright
In Finnigin's shanty all that night-
Bilin' down 's repoort, wuz Finnigin.
An' he writed this here: "Musther Flannigan:-
Off agin, on agin,
Gone agin.-Finnigin."

envlink@voyageronline.net

> I think the poem to which you refer is
> actually entitled "Finnigin to
> Flannigan," written by Strickland W.
> Gillilan in 1897 and reprinted in
> "A Treasury of Railroad Folklore"
> by Benjamin Botkin and Alvin Harlow.

> "Finnigin to Flannigan"

> Superintindint wuz Flannigan;
> Boss av the siction wuz Finnigan.
> Whiniver th' cyars got off th' thrack
> An' muddled things t' th' divvle an' back,
> Finnigan writ it t' Flannigan,
> Afther th' wrick wuz all on agin;
> That is, this Finnigin
> Repoorted t' Flannigan

> Whin Finnigin furrst writ t' Flannigan,
> He writed tin pa-ages, did Finnigin;
> An' he towld just how th' wrick occurred-
> Yis, minny a tajus, blundherin wurrd
> Did Finnigin write t' Flannigan
> After the cyars had gone on agin-
> That's th' way Finnigin
> Repoorted t' Flannigan.

> Now Flannigan knowed more than Finnigin-
> He'd more idjucation, had Flannigan.
> An' ut wore 'm clane an' complately out
> T' tell what Finnigin writ about
> In 's writin' t' Musther Flannigan:-
> Don't do sich a sin agin;
> Make 'em brief, Finnigin!"

> Whin Finnigin got that frum Flannigan
> He blushed rosy-rid, did Finnigin.
> An' he said: "I'll gamble a whole
> month's pay
> That ut'll be minny an' minny a day
> Befur sup'rintindint-that's Flannigan-
> Gits a whack at that very same sin agin,
> Frum Finnigin to Flannigan
> Repoorts won't be so long agin."

> Wan day on th' siction av Finnigin,
> On th' road sup'rintindint be Flannigan,
> A ra-ail give way on a bit av a currve
> An'some cyarrs wint off as they made th'
> shwarrve.
> "They's nobody hurrted," says
> Finnigin,
> "But repoorts must be made t'
> Flannigan,"
> An' he winked at McGorrigan
> As married a Finnigin.

> He wuz shantyin' thin, wuz Finnigan,
> As minny a railroader's been agin,
> An' 'is shmokky ol' lamp wuz burrnin' bright
> In Finnigin's shanty all that night-
> Bilin' down 's repoort, wuz Finnigin.
> An' he writed this here: "Musther
> Flannigan:-
> Off agin, on agin,
> Gone agin.-Finnigin."

WONDERFUL! Thank you so much! My dad read this to me when I was a kid, shortly before he died, and I've been looking for it for years. It's amazing what the people on this board know!


Kevinmccabe@avenew.com

Along similiar lines is the short story "Washout".

Washout

Tim Callahan got a job on the section working for a railroad. The superintendent told him to go along the line looking for washouts.
"And don't be as long-winded in your next reports as you have been in the past," said the superintendent,"just report the condition of the roadbed as you find it, and don't use a lot of needless words that are not to the point. Write like a business letter, not like a love letter."
Tim proceeded on his tour of inspection and when he reached the river, he wrote his report to the superintendent:
"Sir: Where the railroad was, the river is."



envlink@voyageronline.net