Telegram-herald., 1890-08-01

&c t1lS would never Co
Aa ordlazry sars'' IS toGr or rTc
seccpsful sen thrown and sFeaiy dis
tsi5aseG- and little high a. sac ends
and sides
The speed of the eagiae depends upon
tie ability u tie fireman - steam
her, znd thus the srenan IS the ina
pors2nt factor IN running trzia- Some
engines steam" more readily than oth-
ers. but al of them require skill in rr-
ing and great deal ot work An ordi-
nary switch engine will burn about
three tons OF coal ia tventy-fsur hours.
while road engines will burn from six TO
fifteen tons The heavier the load OF
the greater the speed. the more steam
and coal IS required.
But the hFeEan's hardest lot Is when
his run Is keavy and his engine gets 70
leaking Eagines poorly packed" or
loose Ia their joiats will leak steam
with astonishing rapidity and IL re-
qutres a constant Effort 20 keep them up
% the working notch. The working
notch or when she pops'' Is. on an ay-
eFsge. about lS5 pounds OF steam. Some
engines are set al 40 pounds pressure
before the escape valve will raise and
the extra steam escape. On an engine
where the gauge reaches 1so pounds
the fireman aims 10 keep . pressure OF
between 10 and l35 pounds Some
times. OF course. the steam viii run
down 10 10 or 100. when the work Is
heavy. but . good fireman will never let
her down below that
In some Eastern States the number
OF pounds OF steam whtch an engine may
carry is regulated by law, bat in the
Western States little attention has been
paid 20 the matter. Ia consequenc
some engineers who are possessed of
more ambition than judgment will rate
their engines as high as $50 pounds IN
order 10 make a running record, and it
Is a dangerous custom which Is liable at
any time 10 result in a disaster Not
long ago the writer's attention was
called 10 an engine on Missouri road
which did not ''pop," or blow OF steam
at 10 pounds. The engineer was proud
of his reputation as runner" and was
foolishly risking his own life and the
lives intrusted 60 his care for the sake
OF little notoriety In such cases the
firemaa's lot Is a slavish one, and the
labor required 70 keep up his engine Is
simply tremendous
In addition 10 firing, the fireman is
required 70 keen his machine, tnside the
cab. clean, and bright works" must be
kept spotless- Such triiing duties as
ringing the bell, keeping sharp look
out ahead, and watching for signals are
thrown IN Just TO keep him in practice
during the few inmates he may chance
TO spend on his seat box.
After he has served in this capacity
from three to seven years, and he is
successful IN passing the examination
in which reading and writing are the
easiest branches-the fireman is placed
on the extra list, and after six mont tbs
trial he becomes an engineer. Often,
however, the fireman lacks certain re-
quirements or hos bad luck at the start,
and has an accident or sr1ashup, and he
is condemned to another long term OF
shoveling coal which may be made per-
petual occupation
Firemen, as a rule, are steady class
OF men; they must be, as 1t is from
them that ergincmen are made. The
fremen have q brotherhood which is
second only TO the engineers in im-
pOrtance, and tho order is doing deal
of good in preparing its members TO be-
come capable and relia BILE engineers. -
Kansas Citv Star.