Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-05-14
SECTION HANDS.
The Men Who Mend and Keep Safe the
Iron Highways.

Iron highways.
Since the death of General Manager
S. S. Merrill, of the Chicago, Milwau-
kee and St. Paul railroad, and the pub
lication of his history, very humble
class of railroad employees has been
made the subject of much inquiry.
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 ranu of
railway graders, and in 1853 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 a 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 or even 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. His is a remarkable case,
but still it is only one out of many SINH
lar instances.
The section hand belongs to the low
est stratum of railroad employees, and
yet he is, to q great extent, a 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 a divi-
sion down to the humble spike-driver.
For information concerning these work
men Assistant Engineer Alex. L. Gest,
of the Pennsylvania railroad was inter-
viewed yesterday afternoon:
eve have on this division about
eight hundred men who have imme-
diate 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 diVi-
sion there are five supervisors, each of
whom have under their charge from
twelve to fourteen subdivisions, and
each subdivision is in the care of
foreman, who mas gang of track
dc ha,,
to twelve.
ga foreman, when picking gang,
takes the best and most experienced
men. If see ten men carrying a five
UNDERGROUND rail 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
their awkwardness, learn how to be
spry, and quit falling over each others
hammers, shovels and other tools
Fastening on the connecting bars
between the rails is very particular
work and requires care. The eXpan-
sion and contraction of rails must be
considered, and they are laid accord
ingly for winter and summer tempera-
lures. Frogs and switches require
painstaking ana must be properly adj
iusted. Then besides track-hands we
have watchmen. There are sixty men
doing this sort of duty at night between
here and Altoona, and quite number
by day, as at Horseshoe and other spe-
cial 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 the nearest telegraph 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, and white, all right.
THE tunnels are all similarly watch
ed, a man going ahead of every train.
A good section hand has a chance of
being promoted to gang boss or a
foreman at 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 fore
man will be advanced. Many of the
best railroad men of this country have
started where they are. "-PItSbHTg
Despatch.
o