The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-07-11
[For The State Journal
STEAM ENGINEERS.
BY D. s. gouRTIss, WASHINGTON, d. Q.

sleepless, unremitting vigilance of the
faithful, skillful engineer who drives tht
iron horse which whirls them along a
such frightful speed? as5 tsli,i - !.
There is no other operative among al
the activities of busy life upon whom rests
such great and important responsibilities as
on the engineer who drives the locomotive
Of the railroad train, or the engine which
,propels the steamboat. * y.
He holds in his hand the safety, the very
life, of the thousands who travel by those
flying vehicles and the millions of proper.
ty, too. are at stake under his care. Not
only is all, life and treasure, at the mercy
of his fidelity, but of his skill, sobriety,
and self-possession. sa9
There he stands--day and night, in storm
and shine, in heat and cold-at the lever
and throttle; he must look not alone at
the machine, but he must watch the track,
and keep a careful, conscientious lookout,
to right and left; he must watch the condi-
ton of the water and speed he must con-
stantly note the time and speed, to the very
rod and minute, not only of his own train,
but for all trains in the schedule running
with him.
We sit easily and pleasantly in the car
seat, chatting, reading or snoozing; perhaps
delightfully."- and pensivelv viewing the
country as we pass, feeling perfect conf
dence in the skill and vigilance of the driver
of the iron horse which pulls us along at
tremendous rate-thirty, forty, even fifty
miles the hour.
And yet minutes negligence, or sim
gle mistake OF wrong action on his part
might hurl us, all helpless, into eternity
Never do ride on the swift train or boat
without rejecting upon, and admiring the
capacity, the responsibility, the fidelity Of
the brave and true engineer, who holds my
safety of life and property in his immedi-
ate keeping. Upon no other employee in
all busy life, rests such vast and sacred
responsibilities as upon steam-engine dri-
vers and, with rare exceptions, they are
faithful to the charge, and perform with
conscientious fidelity success and safety
are the rule, and accident or failure the
exception. aas
When we contemplate this noble, haz-
ardous vocation, in all its possibilities and
magnitude, we are forced to the conviction
that steam engineers should be men Of
greatest selfpossession, Of firm nerves, Of
clearest sight. of steady thought, of most
lively conscience, and Of the utmost train
ing and skill in their profession.
Nearest To this vast and intense respon-
slbility, which attaches to the position of
engineer, is that of the pilot or man at the
wheel or helm on ship-board at sea, with
hundreds of precious lives and millions of
treasure at stake on the fidelity of his
performance yet there are numerous
and swift dangers attending the former
not incident to the latter
In view Of this terrible responsibility,
and the long arduous labor, with the con-
slant and imminent danger attending it,
how meagre is the pay--how insignificant
is the usual compensation allowed to steam
engineers compared to what is required of
them. tits perfectly true to say that they
are the poorest, most inadequately paid of
any class of grandly useful servants
among all the activities of men. Why,
presidents, cashiers and other officers of
banks and monied companies are paid
large salaries 900, $4,000, $40, 900 or
more thousands--simply on account, of
being responsible for money and yet these
train.drivers are responsible for greater
pecuniary risks even, besides their care for
sacred human lives and yet they are paid
only ten or twelve hundred dollars a year,
and labor hard ten to fifteen hours per day
at that. Why, there is many clerk and
teacher with no pecuniary responsibility
no danger--easy work of six to eight hours
day--who are paid much better salaries.
Why, had / the power all these steam
engineers should be paid from ten to twenty
dollars day--if competent and faithful,
and none others should be employed.
have not the first word of fault to find
with our present faithful and sober .engi.
neers the wonder is that they are as vigi-
liant and successful as they are; but
would have the true, sober, and intelligent
engineer, paid at least four or five times
as much as they are now paid a salary
that would invite the highest talent and in
stelligence, and incite to the most perfect
vigilance and proficiency. And in making
all railroad laws, or granting charters,
one inevitable and stringent provis-
sion in all Of them, should be that
Of securing large and liberal salaries OF
engineers, and a corresponding require
ment that they shonld be possessed of en-
inent capacity, both in mental quality and
mechanical skill ;, SO that while presidents
and superintendent of companies swallow
up salaries of tens of thousands, the oper-
atives, with such fearful responsibilities.
should have corresponding pay. s5
Similar facts and principles are true,
and will apply, to a certain extent,
to all other train hands, as conductors,
brakemen, and firemen, with section
hands, whose duty it is to be care
fnl and vigilant to keep the track al
ways in perfect safety. And the same
will apply, in great measure, to the
/. gtpqruhoat enpinnere and firanan