The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1890-10-31
THE ENGINEERS STORY,
Why Martins Fireman" Recon-
mended His Engineer


dent running as fireman on an engines?
Well, | know Of one who did. and, isl
you've got time to listen to it,, I'll, tell
you the story now while + smoke
this cigar you were Interchangeable give
me.
1t was along in the summer Of 'S5 that.
I was firing on single track, one-horse
road, that runs up from Junction City
through the woods to Georgetown, a.
matter of hundred and ten miles. The
road was mostly owned by asman named
Thedford-William r. Thedford4-who
was president and superintendent all in
one. had been firing on the road for
two years back; all the time with one
engineer, Bob'Hunter by name, and. al
Amer man never lived. L suppose it.
would be only natural for me to speak
well OF Bob, anyway, for was. clean.
head over ears in love with his pretty
daughter Molly; and was only waiting
for bit of raise in0my pay to make her
Mrs. Jim Martin. Thought didn't see
any chance for that raise where | was,
] didn't like to leave and go on another
road, for that would take me away from,
Molly.
One day Boil. says to me:
Jim, amt you and Molly'never goin'
to get married."
Just as soon as Icanget my raise"
says l; "but don't see how I'm going to
gcb it here"
"Why don't you go and ask BillyP"
says he.
You see Billy was what we always
called Mr. Thedford- his back,
of course, for / warrant you we were
mighty polite to his face.
''He won't do any thing for me- , says
/, 'for you know either one of the
cleaners up to Georgetown would be
glad enough to jump into my place, and
he amt a-going togive me araise just
to please me-"
well, says Bob, sit won't do any
hurt to tryit
So next day Lwashed up and went to
the company's office and asked for Mr..
Thedford. After few minutes he sent
word for me that he would see me, and
in I went. There he sat-a large,
heavily-built man, with large side
whiskers and pair of gold-rimmed eye
glasses on his nose.
''What is it, my man? I'm very busy,
says he.
So / up and told him what wanted.
"How much are you getting now?"
said he.
''Forty-fve month, y says l.
Then he pursed up his lips, and hem.
med and hawed little, and says:
81 don'Ssee how we can give you any
thing more, my good fellow. Yours is
not q very responsible position; merely
one that requires little bodily
strength. And we can find plenty OF
men who would be only too glad to take
your place at that salary"
With that he turned to letter hewas
writing, and knew had no more bust
aess there.
Itell you felt pretty sore to be told
it didn't take much to know how to fire
an engine, and l came mighty near
throwing my job mp and trying to get in
on another road. But Molly persuaded
me to hold on little longer.
Now before / come to the particular
point in this yarn want to tell you a
little about the road. | have said II
was single track road running from
Junction City to Georgetown The lat
ter place was little town Of five or six
hundred inhabitants; but inosummer &
great many Chicago people came III
there, and SO ! suppose the road paid
Anyhow, Thedford, who had summer
place thore, was rich enough to run the
road for himself alone, if he wanted to
Bob lived at Georgetown and boarded
with him. Our trips began at eight il
the morning, and we generally ran the
hundred and ten miles in five hours
Then at three in the afternoon we came
back, getting home at eight. AS sooI
as we reached the round-house a
Georgetown our days work was over
for the cleaners took the engine then
cleaned and polished her and laid fire al
ready TO start next morning.
Well, as said. l hung on to my job
hoping bndJ Submitting "Vuiu VulH "a
that would give me lift, till one day il
August. The whole summer had BEEF
uncommon hot, but that day went ahea'
Of anything ever saw. OF course
while we we're running we had q breeze
but the minute we stopped it seemed a
II We wcrc in a furnace; and naturally
working as we were near hot fire
didn't improve things any. On tn
home trip Bob was taken sick and ha
all he could do to hold out till we got
the home station: when he got home
soon as possible. After the train wa
empticd ran tho engine to the round
house expecting to go straight home an
wash up.