The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-05-07
SECTION HANDS.
The Men Who Mend and Keep Safe tn
Iron HIGHWAYS.

! Since the death of General Manager
S. S. Merrill. of the Chicago, Milwau-
kce and st. Paul railroad, and the pub
lication of his history, a very humble
class of railroad employees has been
made the subject of much inquiry
J They are those who attend to the gene
raj 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 railroad
office, and. when questioned as to what
he could do, replied:
81 can use a shovel and pick"
He was given work with a gang of
railway graders, and in 1858 was made
foreman of the gang. BY sheer hard
work he earned promotion after pro-
motion, in turn becoming conductor,
paymaster, assistant superintendent.
chief superintendent of division, as
sistant general manager. and then gem
eral manager. This position was tend
cred him in 1865. He was not a man
of liberal OF even a common school
education, but one of practical IDEAS,
sound common 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. is is remarkable case,
but still it Isl. y one out of many SINH
lar instances.
The section hand belongs to the low
est stratum of railroad employees, and
yet he is, to a'great extent, skilled
laborer. Although his work is of
routine nature, still he must have the
intelligence to meet any emergency in
his path of duty, and be able to over
come difficulties. This department of
a railroad is one of the most important,
for the condition of the road depends
upon the work done by the men in it,
from the assistant engineer of divi-
sion down to ths humble spike-driyer
For information concerning these work
men Assistant Engineer Alex I. Gest, |
OF the Pennsylvania railroad was inter
viewed yesterday afternoon:
I'VE have on this division about |
sight hundred men who have imme-
dlate superf ision over the tracks" said |
he. There are four divisions on the
road, but l could not say how man.
such men are employed. In this diri-
siOn there are iiyc supervisors, each of
whom have under their charge from
twelve to f0urtesl subdivisions, and
each subdivision is iq the care Of a
foreman, who has a gang of track
bands. varying in number from seven
10 twelve.
"A foreman, when picking a gang,
takes the best and most experienced
men. Ii see ten men carrying q five
rail get ut the opinion
that it is about time six of them were
have known four strong
men to walk right off with rail thirty
'eet long. That is the work the green
hands are put at until they get over
heir awkWardness, learn how to be
'pry, and quit falling over each otheris
shovels and other tools,
Fastening on the connecting bars
between the rails is very particular
work and requires care. The expan-
lion and contraction of rails must be
and they are laid accord.
ngly for winter and summer tempera-
ures. Frogs and switches REQUIRE
and must be properly .ad-
usted. Then besides track-hands. we
AYE watchmen. There are sixty men
laiHg this sort Of duty at night hetwoen
ere and Altoona, and quite number
y day, as at Horseshoe and other spe=
ial places, The watehmap goes along
he track after every passenger train
nd examines every bar. bolt. rail, and
witch. If there is anything wrong he
eports it the nearest telegraph to the
brennan of the subdivision, who always
YES along the track, and, if he has not
me to notify anyone. he displays a ;
ed light or flag: Red always means i
anger, and white, all right,
The tunnels are all similarly watch
d. man going ahead of every train.
good section hand has a chance of .
eing promoted to a gang boss or a
brennan at a salary of from $50 to 500
month. As these foremen generally 9
We in the country, this is good pay. (
hey have few expenses, and great
lany of them own their own house and I
our or five acres of ground to raise a
egetables, Then, an intelligent fore S
ian will be adVanoed. Many of the
est railroad men of this country have
arted where they are. "-Pats6urg I
'espatch. e