The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-01-31
THE FIREMAN'S STORY.

Coal-dust, cinders, oil and smoke
usually make firemen on duty rather
erimy-looking personages. Perhaps
few among the thousands of passengers
who ride in the railroad cars behind us
would care for our acquaintance. But
we are useful-as useful, perhaps, as
any other class of men; and certainly
we have our full share of the hard, dis
agreeable things in life, including fire.
quent peril and much exposure to
weather.
Working up from fireman to engine
driver--or engineer" as we are usual
" called in this country-is often a slow
process. There are men on our line
the Hudson River Railroad-who have
been firing eleven years, with no pro-
motion yet; though they are no doubt
fully competent to run an engine. For
promotion depends almost wholly upon
vacancies occurring, or some special in
fuence at headquarters.
man ought to become thoroughly
familiar with a locomotive in eleven
years. | thought that | knew every
screw in mine after firing two years.
Yet it takes good deal of time to learn
to fire well, so as to get the most steam
out of the least fuel, and have the high
est pressure at the grades where it is
most needed. Todo this man should
know the road, every rod of it, as well
as the engine.
Then comes the oiling. An engine
requires great deal of oil, as well as
coal and water. The fireman has to
keep in mind all those scores of bear
ings where oil has to be applied Be-
tween oiling, shoveling in coal, shaking
and stirring up his fire-to keep It
steady and hot-and looking to his stock
Of coal and water, he is kept busy, and
must needs watch sharply. But man
gets these duties well fixed in his head
in time.
tits while firing that the practical
knowledge of running an engine is
gained. A fireman is the groom, so to
speak, Of the ''iron horse" He must,
morning or evening, have the engine
polished, ''fired up, and ready for his
superior, the engineer, to step into the
cab and start off. Usually the engineer
does not make his appearance till the
moment of connecting with the train.
Between the engineer and fireman there
generally exists an easy-going and
manly sort of friendship, though have
known cases where the two men de-
tested each other.
When began to fire under "Doc"
simmons, scarcely knew enough to
eulld good fire in a cook stove, and
could not have found quarter of the
oa caps. | must have been trial to
aim the first week or two. But he
never gave me sharp word, though
ne often had to tell me things over and
over again.
4 !, DOC '-as the railway men all called
anl--was superior engineer. He
j neW every pound of metal in loco
aoaFe; just where it lay, and how
auca It was good for. He was one of
alose men who seTn to feel just what
su a'ste Is IN a locomotive the moment he
axes hold of the levers and starts up.
ne was good-hearted fellow and al
.n ssys had a pleasant word, or a joke,
~ along the line; and it is generally
y ease that such men do not fail the
sonpany' or the public, at critical
i went home and cried like baby
Is cay Doc was killed. If it had
TsI my own father, | could not have
ny A.. lall 4l as badly. [ actually wished
sas | aad gone to the bottom of the
~ aer with him. 1t was the night of the
Wa MI February, and fearfully cold.
lad NO III" then, and took out
y Isclhc Express, as it was called,
Am AN. New York City, up the line to
salE 1t was bitter night, and the
ass. ~ vas frosty and slippery. The ex-
.ss NJ, was always heavy train. That
IS, ~ We had three baggage and express
- and eight passenger coaches; and
il MIN ssfe late out of New York to begin
Ssaeout fifteen minutes, | think.
bea bn cod weather is always demoral-
hs . q railroad 1t is much harder
Aoassa 49, ume; all metal works bad: and
hsEal tlle IRE appears to burn brighter,
hs;a hsS iaore coal to make steam. The
tn ~ see hs to hang to the line. Then,
Re ras 'as cutting wind is enough to ofreeze
affow IN a mans bones.
nTnsg aght have been mostly fancy on
Il oia oiaIal, ~ out thought Doe had an
cot in,o ,S9A = IN his face that night, as he
Ia, 10y me cab. He was more serious
Ia. Usual Tor we both knew that we
ooe % % q q run before us, and a cold
caps ,nS n9,1 !, Of US were muffled up in fur
Der 1--we IN the coal, Nick. and shake
osuown smart. We par+ go, ,.,,,,eo
ninp'as h.ri hs1r-night, says Doc Fifteen
Ihosa S. nealnd and eleven cars on!
swhols ~ pi1gacoaches are as heavy as
tau5leI, .'lock, too. Tn glad this is a
We nan @ssk line and all clear ahead"
euuea out and from the way