Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1885-03-21
section HANDS.
The Men Who Mend and Keen safe the
Iron Highways

The Men Who Mend and Keep safe the
1ron HighHays'
Pittssurgh Dispatch.
Since the death of General Manager S.
S. Merrill, of the Chicago, AIlwsukee
and st. Paul railroad, and the publication
OF his history, 8 very humble class Of
railroad employees has been made the
subject fmuch inquiry. They are those
who attend to the general track repairs
Of railroad line. To show their posi-
bilitles 1t Is cited that Mr. Merrill. in
fifteen years time, rose from the position
OF section hand to general manager of
one OF the most prosperous roads In this
country. One day he asked for work at
q railroad Office, and, when questioned
as to what he could do, replied:
81 can use shovel and pick"
he was given work with a gang of
graders, and In 1858 was made foreman
Of the gang. By sheer hard work he
earned promotion after promotion, In
turn becoming conductor, paymaster,
assistant superintendent, chief superin-
tendent Of a division, assistant general
manager, and then general manager.
This position was rendered him In 1865.
He was not a man of liberal or even q
common school education, but one of
practical ideas, sound common sense,
and judgment. He knew every round
an excellent manager of men. No one
was ever more admired and respected by
those under him. His is a remarkable
case, but still it is only one out of many
similar instances.
The Sc, ton hand belongs to the lowest
stratum Of railroad employees, and yet
he Is, to a great extent, q skilled labOrer.
Although his work is Of a routine nature
still he must have the intelligence to
h g.
and be able to overcome difficulties.
This department of q railroad is one Of
the most important, for the condition of
the road depends upon the work done by
the men in 1t, from the assistant engineer
Of a division down to the humble spike
driver. For information concerning
these wOrkmen Assistant Engineer
Alex. 7. Gest, of the Pennsylvania rail-
road was interviewed yesterday after
noon:
1--WE have on this division about eight
hundred men who have immediate
supervision over the tracks" said he.
"There are four divisions on the road,
but L could not say how many such
men are employed. In this division
there are five supervisors, each of whom
have under their charge from twelve to
fourteen subdivitiOns, and each subdivi-
sion is in the care of a foreman, who has
q gang OF OTdCk-uauQB5 varying IN
number from seven to twelve.
"a foreman, when picking a gang,
takes the best and most experienced
men. If I see ten men carrying q five
UNDERGROUND rail get at the opinion
hat it is about time six of them were
discharged. have known four strong
men to walk right off with a rail thirty
feet long. That is the work the green
hands are put at until they get over
their aWkWardness, learn how to be spry
and quit falling over each others ham
mers, shOvels, and others tools.
''Fastning on the connecting bars
between the rails is very particular
work and requires care. The expansion
and contraction of rails must be COnsid-
cred, and then they are laid accordingly
for winter and summer temperatures.
Frogs and switches require painstaking
and must be properly adjusted. Then
besides track-hands we have watchmen. /
There are sixty men doing this sort of
duty at night between here and Altoona, !
and quite a number by day, as at Horse |
shoe and other special places. The !
Waterman goes along the track after
every passenger train and examines |
every bar, bolt, rail, and switch. If
there is anything wrong he reports it to !
the nearest telegraph Office to the |
foreman Of the subdivision, who always /
lives along the track, and, if he has not /
time to notify anyone, he displays a red /
light or flag. Red always means danger, |
aud white, all right.