The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-07-02
Locomotive Engineers.

So much has been said Of tho daunt-
ess courage and selt.sacri6ciug heroism
# locomotive engineers, as displayed
during the few seconds intervening be"
tween the discovery of immediate inn
danger and the actual occur.
renee, that it has become the subject Of
much annoyance to our profession.
During my experience Of over ten years
as engineer of both slow and fast trains,
on various prominent lines, there has
never been, 10 my knowledge, one acci'
dent where the presence Of an engineer
on his engine, after certain acts have
been performed (unless rs precaution
of personal safety, was not the height
of fOOlhardiness, and this In justice to
al concerned ia the general result. uoi
On . passenger train, after the air. |
brakes are applied, the engine reversed,
and the sand-lever open, the presence
of q whole cabful of cool. headed, ex-
perienced engineers would not alter the
result one single bit. Now as to the
''eagle.eyed hero" who has so many
lives at his mercy in times when mortal
danger stares his train in the face. What
is the man there for, il not to use every
possible exertion to avert impending
calamity? Is it not the Intention Of his
superiors that he shall take the train
safely to its destination, and in passing
over his run to use every known precan-
ton for safety? We ore familiar with
and use daily methods for safety un-
known to the public and not definitely
provided for in the regulations Of the
company. An engineer who would
abandon his engine at tho first sight OF
danger, without having first. used the
means at his command to lessen the re.
suit, would (save in very exceptional
cases) be hooted out of the coun.
TRY. From the very earliest stages
in tho apprenticeship of an engineer,
it u daily brought to his notice
that the correct and proper thing 70, d.
in all cases where q sudden stop Is, re
quired, is to reverse and open the thtot
tie, using sand to keep the wheels from
slipping, and In bis usual work on loca
freight trains be has it continually il
. use before him, while doing switching
eto. Thus long before he becomes
passenger engineer It IL second natlr'
to him to adopt this method when coca
{ sion demands. In addition to this mean
all passenger engines arc provided Wit
air.breaks, and their. application b
J comes from frequent usage quite - me
: chanical under ~ circumstances - !
the previous mentioned means provided
: It takes much less time than those III
J initiated can imagine to accomplish q
| that IL possible for On engineer to do {
stop his train; . very few seconds 50
fee, and nearly always he has amp
| time to jump and save himself frol
: quite probable injury. We who d
q daily liable to be subjected to tho r
J. quirements know the uselessness Of rul
q ming unnecessary risks, and how few q
p the thanks We receiys from our emplo
% ers when (and they are the ones We o
g most concerned in keeping on the rig
y. side of), perchance: one Of our numbe
o. by an error 81 judgment, suffers pc
70 sonal injury. II the truth wete know
g II Is not quite freely accepted - . fa'
Go after the usual means to stop, ha
ng been made, many q good man has 60
70 to his death by reason Of being seiz
Y with 3 sort Of paralysis, and being II
ne dered helpless for the time being BY I
% thought Of the terrible calamity tot
sr low. It u customary to tell the firem
y to, jump, and ~ be can in nowise o.
ef In these emergencies, he usually esca]
ey unhurt. - A,'''' s'''s' '"'
g Occasionally on crooked roadv .
ny ksions occur % suddenly that both a
~. on the engine ars killed without The ~
~ few seconds warning, and then il is 6
lep tomary to laud those killed 8 s.
Ply men who went totheir death rather Il
,o desert their posts Of duty, while III \
~. ity tho poor fellows had only time
on feel the sudden choking sensation
81. ways present when sudden mortal q
~ ger stares At 20. ,,.,,,, -
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