The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1883-07-05
RAILROAD ENGINEERS.
HOW 1T FEELS TO KILL a MAN ON
TIE ROAD.
What Enginccrs Themselves Hnve to Say
on tho subject.

What Ensineors Themselves Havo to Say
on tho subject.
The other night when the Western ex-
| press arrived at the Broad street station
from New York, says Philadelphia
paper, Engineer Vandegrift discovered
blood trickling down the spokes of
the cow-catchcr. He knew that
some deadly work had been done.
but was at loss to tell when and where
it had occurred He told Harry Foster,
the conductor of the train, what he had
discovered, and Immediately word was
telcgraphed all along the line to make a
search for anyone who might have been
struck by the train. Shortly after mid
night the dead body Of man was found
near Bridesburg station with the head
J crushed III. In the meantime the con-
ductor and the engineer had gone to their
homes. Conductor Harry Foster told
llow-conductor the next day that he
had passed sleepless night, and the en-
gineer reported similar experience.
An old engineer said to reporter the
other day: "The public, taking them
collectively, think that an engineer is q
hard-hcartcd wretch, and that he thinks
| no more of running over human being
than he does of killing a COW or hog.
I've heard people say that we became
hardened to it, and don't mind it a bit
hut that's mistake and a very grave
one. / remember killing man some
five years ago, and [ know thatI couldn't
sleep for month except by fits and
starts. I used to have the most horrible
| nightmares that ever worried mortal
| man.
zone night" continued the old engi-
| 1,D. Il, ct11 L.,
81 had horrible dream. That was an
awful night. My wife woke me up. I
had my hand on the foot-rail of
the bed, just rs if ! had hold of the
throttle, and the beads of perspiration
were standing out all over my face. My
wife told me how ] had yelled, For
! Gods sake, jump! and how it had
wakened her; and then she sprang out of
bed, shaking with fear, and when she
shook me and I saw where I was, I told
her of my dream. It's mean thing to
accuse us of not mindng killing people,"
said the engineer, as he took his oil-can
and started to oil his engine.
Another engineer ont in the West
Philadelphia yard told the reporter he
| knew Of few instances where engineers
had gone crazy from killing people with
their engines. 81 know poor fellow, !"
Jersey Central. He killed woman up
by Clifton one night, and that night I
heard him tell the train-master, Billy
Smith, at Elizabeth, all about it. He
, seemed to grow insane right there, and
, had a queer look in his eve. A week
after that he was put in a straight jacket,
and he's i'll an insane asylum to-day,
nothing short OF It maniac, and that
happened nearl y fifteen years ago"
1t is very evident that the whole
/ course Of an engineers career is not as
, smooth as the track he runs over. They
l are supposed to exercise presence of
mind, never mind what starcs them in
, the face
} The engineers on the Pennsylvania
| Railroad get $3.50 a day, or S115 a
month. For instance, Il round trip from
the Broad street station to Jersey City
r and back, 1872 miles. is considered days
t work. Every third day they have off.
/; When you see an engineer who is run
, ming passenger line YOU can make up
t your mind that he has worked n long
time on an engine before he reaches that
} | important post
: First, there are four or five years to be
served as Il fireman, and then several
, |, years on freight train. The engineers
[ on the Pennsylvania road are carefully
: selected by the road foreman of engines,
/ and no man known to drink liquor would
, be allowed to run an engine an hour
/ Not only is thcir life while on duty care
t fully scrutnizrd, but their movements
, while off duty are generally known by
! the officers.
"a man must have the qualifications
of clear head and steady hand" said
, an official to the reporter. Fog is an
engineers worst enemy. They dare not
run so fast as in clear weather, and have
to slow up frequently to see if the sig
nails are all right Rain makes the track
moro slippery than snow, and nccessi,
tatcS slowing up sooner on approaching
a station, which means lost time. Snow
always gives an engineer the blues and
next to fog is dreaded worse than any
thing else. Many engineers are par
, hcularly cheerful when they have
= bright moon, and claim they can make
better running time than without it
c while many feel happy and cOntentcC
with the company of a clear sky full o.
stars.
"SOmc engineers handle train more
- gracefully than others. Some stop q
train gradually by applying the air and
then allowing it to exhaust. repeating
T the manipulation two or three times
t which stops the train by degrees anc
prevents the ierkmgof the cars and shak
ing the passengers up; while othel
. engineers, who have not the knack, stor
the train frequently with one application
$ of the air brake. Charles Dickens tolt
a friend on alighting from train during
n visit to this country, that his frs
thought on stepping upon the platform
was, Thank God and the engineer.
s AN arkansaw boy, writing from colleg
o in reply to his fathers letter, said rs
e you think I am wasting my time i
" writing little stories for local papers, an
i cite Johnson's saying that the man VIII
r. writes except for money is a fool.
o shall act upon DR.. Johnson's suggcstio
8 and write for money. Send Inc fit