Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-05-08
SECTION HANDS.
The Men Who Mend and Keep Safe the
Iron Highways.

The Men Who Mend and Keep Safe the
Iron Highways.
Since the death of General Manager
S. S. Merrill, of the Chicago, Milwaukee
and st. Paul Railroad, and the publica-
ton of his history, very humble class
of railroad employees has been made the
subject of much inquiry. They are
those who attend to the general track
repairs of a railroad line. To show
their possibilities it 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 Il railroad Office, and,
when questioned as to what he could do.
replied
II can use shovel and pick"
He was given work with gang Of
way graders, and in 1858 was made
man of the gang. By sheer hard
work he earned promotion after promo.
ton, in turn becoming conductor pay.
master, assistant superintendent, chief
superintendent of a division, assistant
general manager, and then general
manager. This position was rendered
him in 1860. He was not a man of lib.
eral or evcl common school education,
but one of practical ideas, sound com.
mon sense, and Judgment. He knew
every round of the ladder, and for that
reason was an excellent manager of
men. No one was ever more admired
and respected by those under him. His
is remarkable case, hut still it is only
one out of many similar instances,
The section hand belongs TO the
lowest stratum of railroad employees,
and yet he is, 10 great extent, a
skilled laborer. Although his work is
of Il routine nature, still he must have
the intelligence to meet any emergency
in his path OF duty, and be able to
overcome difficulties. This department
of railroad is one of the most i'm
pOrtant, for the condition of the road
depends upon the work done by the
men in it, from the assistant engineer
of division down to the humble spike.
driver. For Information concerning
these workmen Assistant Engineer Alex.
1. Gest, OF the Pennsylvania Railroad,
vas interviewed yesterday afternoon.
1--WE have on this division about eight
hundred men who have immediate
supervision over the tracks," said he,
"ThGre are four divisions ON the road,
but 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 subdivisions, and each sub
division is in the care Of a foreman, who
has gang of track hands, varying in
number from seven to twelve.
"A foreman, when picking a gang,
takes the hest and most experienced
men. If | see ten men carrying n five
hundred-pound raj get at the opinion
that it is about time six of them were
discharged. | have known four strong
men to walk right off with rail thirty
feet long That is the work the green
hands are put at until they get over
thcit awkwardnass. learn how to be
spry, and quit falling over each others
hammers shoyels, aud other tools.
"Fatening on the connecting bars
between the rails is very particular work
and requires care. The expansion and
contraction OF rails must be considered,
and 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 Horseshoe
and other special places. The watch
man goes along the track after every
passenger train and examines every bar,
bolt, rail and switch. If there is any
thing 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 red light or flag.
Red always means danger and white,
all right.
THE tunnels are all similarly
watched, man going ahead of every
train. A good section hand has a
chance of being promoted to gang
boss or foreman at a salary Of from
$50 to $50 month. AS these foremen
generally live in the country, this is
good pay. They have few expenses,
and great many OF them own their
own house and four or five acres OF
ground to raise vegetables. Then, an
intelligent foreman will be advanced.
Many of the best railroad men of this
country have started where they are. "
Pittsburgh Dispatch.