The New York herald., 1877-03-20
7BE NAN AT THE THROTTLE.
A Confidential Talk with a Loco
motive Engineer.
No Law Against Incompetent or Drunken
Engine Drivers
Why Railroad Accidents
Occur.
PHILADELPHIA, March II. 1s77.

Have you ever thought as you entered ralroau car
how absolutely and completely your life was In the
hands OF one man? Has occurred to you as you
recned in soft-cushioned seat apparent security,
with hundreds Of others the train, how every one OF
you might be sent to instant death by tho slightest
blunder neglect the part of weak human be-
ing? And did you over find yourself wondering II the
the throttle understood his duties and was able
to do them promptly and properly, approaching the
responsibilities resting upon his fable hu-
man nature and knowing what awful consequences
might result IRON a single mistake on his part
Your correspondent confesses that since tho recent
railroad engineers strikes these dangers have oc-
Cured to him. and tho readers OF the HERALD would
understand could they heard the other
day brlcf conversation the cab of locomotive, In
which an unusually intelligent and Trustworthy mcm-
bcr OF tho guild OF engineers recountcd little OF tho
true inwardness OF his calling.
WHERE IGNORANCE is BLISS.
slt is WELL - said he, smiling thoughtfully 'that
the travelling public don't know how the majority Of
railroads managed and what risks the passcn-
gors often run. Why, to savo little money
they often ia to employ more than halt
the number OF engineers absolutely needed for
safety. Many timo have come In from long trip
tired and sleepy as 10 be scarcely abc TO stand and
been ordered Immediately out again without an hours
rest. nave been worked twenty-iour hours at q
stretch when have boon SO worn out that no power
earth could keep me awake, and standing with my
hand ON the lever, have gone sound asleep II you
had ircd of cannon at my ears could not have
helped II. | nave many time brought my engine
into some town al thirty miles an hour while asleep,
until the fireman or somebody would wake me up
.Dangerousy Well, rather so; for II there is any
post the world whore man should be excessively
wide awake, y'glant incessan.iy watching ahead OF
good eyes, TOO, with his hand always
the lever, prepared to check the flying speed
with which he is dashing along, 1t Is when he IS
the cab Of locomotive engine. don't know any
work that requires man to know what he Is about
and TO what he Is about so much as running the
engine Of an express train. Tho engineer not only
must watch his engine and keep her up TO her work,
bu! he must watch the steam can gauge watch the sims
ings and watch his surroundings To sum up in one
word, engineer must bc alerness personded. Dan.
gerousS You might as well ask II It would be danger
GUS man to fall asleep sitting on keg OF powder
with lighted slow match attached to II.
BuLL-pozNG THE ENGINEERS
ut is q common thing for an engineer, after hav-
ing In from long trip TO be ordered out again
Immediately, although he knows and the company
rest and that TO fall asleep at his post Is TO endanger
the lives OF hundreds of persons Yet he dare not re-
circumstances accident occurs Isn't the company
Immediately relieved from all responsibility IN the
that the engineer failed TO see slgnalY Who is to
know that the the engine driver failed TO
the signal tho switch was because he fell asleep from
overwork, and that he compelled to run while
physically unable to do so IN safety?
STARTLING STATEMENT
''Ths IL the cause Of good many railroad acci-
dents, but can tell you OF still more frequent one.
1t Is tho employment by certain railroad managers OF
halt taught botches as engineers men who are not
OF sober habits and get the Of
Engineers our trade society. and who will. therefore,
work very cheaply."
~ viii tell you. In every State in the Union so far
as | know, there Is a law compelling the engineers
ton, at which they must show themselves qualified
aud receive license before they permitted to
work. You would be liable to scverc punishment II
you employed unlicensed engineer run tho boiler
of your printing Office This law Is OF course an emf
nenty proper one and in New York city, Tor instance,
there is bureau Of the Police Department whose cx-
cusve duties are to see TO It's enforcement. similar
United Sta,es statute ccmpes the engineers of
or steamboat engines to pass still strcter ex-
animation. But no such law is the
statute books OF any State In the Union
as regards locomotive engineers whose duties are even
more delicate and dangerous than their brethren who
run factory or other stationary engines. Whenever
any bin requiring tho railroad companies employ
only competent men has been likcy 10 pass Legsla-
the railroad lobbyists have defeated it. You Will
nd statute in this country to prevent the railroads
life the veriest boch dronkard that be found.
II the newspapers want to do good work, let them
will obge the companies TO employ at least this simple
requisite to safety"
sDo not the best managed roads now find It pays best
to employ good, competent men w
''Some OF the companies arc beginning to 0nd 1t out
but the majority Of them take all the they
pick up who will work cheaper than skilled uginecr.
For instance the Boston and Maine Railroad Company
during the late strike empoye men who were either
ignorant OF their trade or mnch given to drink to
belong TO the trade society," and actually allowed these
men take out their first trains night. Now, over
a hundred trains day pass that rond and
scient0us man. however skilfu would take his engine
at night unless he thoroughly acquainted
with every foot OF tho track
rHE IDiosYNcRACY LOCOMOTIVE.
'ls not travelling at night always more dangerous
than by daylight?,
''Not always Under somc circumstances suppose
1t might be- But would rather take my engine over
tho road at night have night express Tor years
and prefer it to anything else An engine always
works better at night, for reason. They say It
Ia 20 With all machinery. ! know II Is always with
a locomotive An engineer who is familiar with his
road knows Just as well where he Is at night when
he l can tell by the Of the wheels on
the track about where am on the SEQ a
danger signal further off at night than in daylight
tell you, cir, there Is always danger busi-
ness, and there ought to be law torbdding the
panics employing any man to engine who
has not passed examn nation and received license
Tho newspapers mako 'em, and they ought to do
It."
THE HARBOR MASTERS.