Nevada County picayune., 1886-03-17
The Locomotive Engineer.

of a railroad but have at some time been smitten with wild de- sire to run an engine. They have looked with envy at the fireman, whose duties seem to he the ring ing of the bell and filing the tank. But if they envicd this man, they looked with awe and stood around in silence when the engineer step ped down to oil. This was to them tho height of all ambition, and point to which the elect alone could hope to climb.
 Tn some, perchance, the. desire to tread these howery paths oi ease took root, and aided by an influence of which they could avail themselves they climed upon the iron-horse to ring the bell and let the water into the tank. They IfoanA there that there were other things to do, and tue hard and tire some work to which they were subjected caused the heart to faint many time, and the injustice of the load that was piled upon their backs was often very grinding. Just as in their boyhood days, they looked upon tfs fireman's place as a sinecure of ease and luxury, 50 now with the shoveling of the coal, the shaking of the prates. and the cleaning of the brass and upper works allotted to them, they looked upon their over seer and master, with his heavy gloves, and all the apparatus Of the engine nithin easy reach as filling d post that may well be called a sineaure.
 But, when once he's put upon the right hand side, he finds too many calls upon a quick and active brain to give his time 10 shovel ing coal or rubbing brass. He sees that he must know the road, the grades, the crossings, cuts and signals as a child would know its mothers face. Each switch and every foot Of fsiding must be like the paths about his home, and these must be so fixed and graven in hls mind that the darkest and stormiest night can not hide them from his view SO far that they do not tell him where he is. Then, too, he must know how last he runs the rumble of the wheels, the flashing of the ground must tell the spced-and add to this, the care Of the mighty engine that lie drives; knowledge of it's working parts so { thorough tha. a single rattle that is not of the regular workings must be detected as eat will catch the nibble of monse amid the
 creaking of house timhers upon a
 stormy night. How can fuel best
 be burned to use as little and run
 as far as possiblel How little oil
 will take him to his journeys ond,
 vet keep his bearings cool? How
 fast can be scurry over the road
 and haul his train in safety. What
 trains will meet him on the way!
 What are those that have gone ahead; how far behind is another
 laundering in his track? What will
 he do in a case breakage may occur7 How will this and that
 emergency be met, and will he
 hold his life and limb in open hand
 to lay it down ifneed should come
 10 save the many hundreds thai
 he has in his care.
 With such a load as this upor
 his mind land this is what an cngi
 neer should keep in mindl, there IS but little wonder that they dC not care to polish brass; aud whsr
 their features are at rest, they wear a grave and anxious look-fcl ' this will be noticed everywhere
 men whose duties call them to tn,
 care of locomotives on the road
 that they have the aspect of mer
 who have been burdened with re sponsibility Railway Appliance