The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-04-29
LIFE UNDER WATER.
An Old Engineer Relates Some of His lex

An Old Engineer Relates Some of His Eek
pcrlences.
Life under water monotonous, ell
Well. L guess not At least / don't
find il so. I've been there fourteen
years, off and on, and have always
managed to find enough to occupy my
time and attention" The speaker was
an engineer on one of the great ocean
steamers, and as he made that remark
to a New York reporter, while standing
on the pier before his vessel, be read
justed his loose blouse with an awkward
jerk and gave his head q confident
twitch.
a fellow needn't let time bag on him
anywhere if he only has his eyes open, Z"
lie added. "Now, to some it would
seem almost unbearable to watch the
continuous throb of the machinery of q
large steamer and hear nothing but the
everlasting click, click, of the piston
rods and levers, but to me they sound
like music. I've become partly dulled
and insensible to them, but even now
i often sit still and watch and listen
to their never-varying beats with that
sort of satisfaction which musician
ically yet skillfully over the keys of his
instrument. His satisfaction arises
from the fact that he has his instrument
emit ely under his control, and mine
comes from a similar cause. With a
touch of my finger L could propel
thousands of tons at almost any speed
through the water, or send hundred
lives into eternity. Indeed, feel that
/ am the sole responsible party on
board for the lives of the passengers,
as ii remains with me to keep my ma
chinery in such perfect condition as to
Withstand any ordinary sea or rough
storm.
"And again, / take pride in keeping
everything around me shining like
FURNISHED gold. III spot of grease or
.dilt gets on the rods or handles of any
part of the machinery it cannot escape
my notice long. l go over every part
of the engine twice day, and rub the
brass and steel rods with as much
pleasure as though owned the steamer
myself. / sometimes amuse myself in
keeping record of the number of miles
we run an hour and comparing it with
the records of previous trips. l have
on book III the engine-room q curious
table of dates and figures, which shows
TO me the exact time for every mile
made by different steamers l have en-
gineered across the ocean for the last
fourteen years. If anything more than
usual occurs l jot it down opposite the
date, and so make q sort of dairy of it.
1t speaks volumes to me, and recalls
many interesting memories. For in
stance, L was looking through it the
other day, and / found opposite Nov.
10, 1875, a reference to visit from
Cinnamon. The incident was recalled
TO my mind in q moment, and laughed
heartily over it myself. This is what
it meant: One day while lying in port
we were visited by several Cinnamon
who were anxious to inspect the ship.
They were an ignorant set, and had
never seen any machinery worked by
steam. The captain was a good-natured
fellow, and allowed them to come be-
low, although they experienced some
doubts as to the advisability of so do
ing. They Were very timid, and it
took some time for me TO convince them
that the machinery was harmless. FL
nally / got two of them TO come close
to the heavy driving-rod, which you
know on a large vessel is an enormous
piece of iron. Suddenly, without warn
ing, it gave start forward, and, ac-
companied by loud puff of steam,
leaped fully ten feet above our
heads. Angry at my assistant for let
ting on steam without my knowledge,
/ turned to speak to him when my at
tention was attracted toward the stair
way. The last two Cinnamon of the
party were making frantic endeavors
to Jump up half dozen steps at
time. The rest had disappeared, and
before l could get on deck the whole
crowd had got into their boat and
started for the shore. No amount of
persuation could ever get them to re-
turn to that ship, which they claimed
was alive. 1t was a mean trick, but it
has afforded me many a good laugh
since"