The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-03-18
The English Engine Driver.

II is one of the most singular facts con-
nected with modern literature that the
deep and striking poetry of the rail and the
locomotive has never yet inspired any
man of genius to sing it tforth to the world.
Probably it is consequence OF the class
ical training of modern youth. Our poets
get mad over the achievements of Greeks
and Romans, over the Isthmian and other
games, and seem absolutely blind to the
fact that the things which put them into
ecstacies are quite childish compared with
the everyday marvels of the age we live in.
No doubt " distance lends enchantment to
the view - still the Greek charioteer who,
standing on very rickety two-wheeler,
whips his horses along in the Olympian
races is at best a pr0saic figure when
placed in contrast 70 an engine driver on
auv of our great lines of railway. The
fire horse of our modern steam charioteer
is infinitely more majestic than the noblest
stallion seen in old Greece, and the speed
at which he flies through the air is, COM
pared with the Isthmian games, as the
eagles flight is to the crawling of the
snail. In simple truth there is scarcely
anv thing done by human beings that ap.
proaches in daring, in true and absolute
heroism, to the hurting of an express
train through space at the rate of a mile a
minute and more, a speed far superior to
the velocity of the hurricane.
The master of the locomotive, though
perhaps not willing himself TO be hero
of romance, is, for all that, very real, II
Quiet and unassuming, hero. There Is
something most manly, firm, and OF the
true heroic about all engine drivers, more
especially those who have seen many
years of service, and are trusted with fast
and express passenger trains travelling
| long distances. Engine drivers of the
latter class are seldom under forty years
of age: and being picked men, fully con,
scious of the immense responsibility o
their position, and accustomed TO lool
with clear eye and unfllnchlng nerve
upon danger and death, daily Drawing tn'
elements in the simple execution OF tnel
duty, they are, as rule, 'singularly cain
and self-possessed.
The pay of the highest class driver,
senior in all respects, is from SLID
S1.S7 per day; SIS is the maximum ol
most of our smaller railways, notabl,
those south of the Thames; but the maxi
mum is considerably surpassed in the pa,
I given to the most trusted engine driver
on the great lines running nOrthward an
westward from London, and the trains
which are unsurpassed for speed and eE
cellenee. The Great Western Compan
give the high pay of S2.75 per day, beside
a bonus of $50 per annum to few vetel
ans in the service, drivers of eXpresse:
The S2.75, among others, is the" comper
sation'' of the dauntless, iron-sinewe
charioteers who drive the Flying Dutct
man." fastest train in the world, frol
!. / Ondnn IN Bristol
On most of our great lines OF raliwa.
the hours of duty of the engine drive
like the hours of work of the guard, var
. from day to day. The driver general
follows time bill under the regulation
of which every week day gives him dl
ferent train, with additional changes
, Sundays. the whole so arranged that |
has alternately day and night duties. an
has besides about one-half of the Sunca.
in the year for days of rest. Experlenc
, the guiding principle in all railway ma
f agement.- has shown that this system
the best that can be made, and Il IS certa
that. as it works well, so it gives thoroug
: satisfaction TO the drivers, more especial
| | TO those best able to form a Judgment, {!
veterans of the service.
! Considering the extremely tafignlI
nature of his duties, his exposure TO u