The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-11-21
A SCARED WATCHMAN.

lie down at night and sleep in peace it i:
necessary that many of their fellow mer
shall keep watch and ward. There is the
ever imminent danger of fire to be guarded
against, as well as depredations by thieves
and burglars, explosions of gas, damage
by water and electricity and hundred
other perils incident to modern life. This
necessity makes the night Waterman, one
of whom l have been since l was 20 years
old.
As nearly as I can learn, there are at
present in the United States not far from
10000 of these nightly watchers, not in
Guiding night policemen, and | often think
what an army they would make if mar
shaded in forty regiments and placed on
parade upon Boston common or in Central
park, with their dark lanterns, 'paralyz-
ers" and revolvers.
Not all night watchmen carry weapons.
Many of them do not own a pistol, and
there are some who do not even carry Ian
terms. In certain factories lanterns are
prohibited, on the ground that fire will be
/ more readily discovered by person who
goes about in the dark. 1t is my opinion
that every intelligent watchman should be
provided with a small dark lantern. The
/ possession of such a lantern would have
saved me one of the worst rights I ever
had. will tell the story presently.
Another device, or badge of the craft,
which many night watchmen carry is a
watch" 1t is not a watch for keeping
time, but contrivance for keeping watch
/ of the Waterman: for although most
watchmen are trusty and honest, there are
/ shirks who would sleep and fail to make
means of exposing their neglect.
/ The ''watch" is an apparatus contained
/ in a circular metal case, weighing from
one to three or four pounds, which the
Waterman carries, either in his hand or
suspended across his shoulder by strap.
1t can be opened for the insertion of a
paper dial, by means Of a key which is
always in the possession of some trusted
agent of the firm or company, who, having
put in fresh dial, gives it into the hands
of the Waterman when he appears for duty
each evening at 6 O'Clock.
But this is not the only key; it is watch
of many keys, and the other keys are dis
tributed to different rooms or points
throughout the building, yard or territory
which it is the watchman's business to pa
troll. There may be twenty such keys, each
chained securely at It's station.
The Waterman visits these stations in
order, one after another, and in passing in
serts the key az a keyhole in the watch and
turns it around. The revolution pricks a
record upon the dial, and so adjusts the
mechanism that the only key which will
fit the hole next time is the one which
ought in proper order TO succeed. These
records stand opposite the time of night at
which they are made, and any neglect on
the part of the Waterman to visit a KEY
station at the required time which is usu-
ally once In thirty minutes, or once an
hour, is certain to be exposed when his
watch is opened and inspected next morn
ing.
There are other eXpedients for insuring
faithfulness on the part of watchmen. In
some factories and foundries, instead of a
portable watch and key stations, electric
buttons are distributed about the premises.
The Waterman rs he makes his rounds
presses these, and in so doing pUnctures a
record in a dial inside patrol clock in the
private office of the firm.
AS look back over my life as a night
Waterman the only satisfaction ! have
with regard to it is in the thought that
it has been a useful service. and that if l
had not rendered 1t some one else would
have been Obliged to do So 1t is not an
enjoyable vocation. Ifeel as if had never
seen half enough daylight and sunshine
Ny eyes seem no longer adapted to day
light they blink like those of an owl in
the daytime. ! now sleep fairly well in
the daytime, but did not at first, and many
watchmen complain that they never sleep
soundly
As a rule a watchman's life is quite IN
eventful. One night is like another, and
month follows month with nothing to
break the monotony Of darkness and
silence. But now and then some startling
incident occurs
During my first year as a night watch
man, when | was little more than boy,
so TO speak, was watching in a large cot
ton factory in one of the manufacturing
cities of Massachusetts, After the hun
dreds of operatives had departed, at
o'clock, the different rooms of the mill
were locked up. The custom now is to
leave them open.
l carried large ring of keys that fitted
all the rooms, and ny schedule Of duties
required that should make the round of
the entire factory once every hour.
In the spinning room and in each of the
weave rooms there was q watch clock"
connected with the works Of which was a
movable dial that assembled slowly inside
closed case below the face Of the clock. and
into this the watchman was required TO
drive peg every time he made his rounds.
The peg was inserted at little round hole
in the case, and Immediately assembled out
of sight.
The pegs correspondent 70 the hour. and
were carefully inspected by the superin-
tendent every morning. ! watchman who
twice failed 70 drive his peg at the proper /
hour was dismissed. This would he deemed |
a rather clumsy device a the present time, |
but ii then answered its purpose very well. |
Ny orders were to unlock the rooms and |
walk in the dark down the long aisles be |
tween the rows Of looms, peering about |
for the least glimmer Of fire, listening for |
any unusual noise. and shifting the air for 1
s5y unusual odor, as OF smoke OF gas
ter long TGlc II save ut very poker |
ish" sensations TO enter the dark rooms /
and so about alone amid the now silent 1
machinery, whose dim outlines gave me /
an odd feeling. Occasionally would hear /
a slight ping in the iron or steel work of /
the looms, or the stiffness would be broktn 4
By hollow gurcle in the pipes
carried stick with which 10 feel nv 4
way. and all the little TapS that / made. 4
q well as my footballs sounded 50 loud 4
that I would actually md myself going on 4
tptOes. 4 dark laUJe-n- which I could 4
now and then oPen 10 send a ray q light /
ahead. would have been q great comfort /
70 me.
I would not have admitted 70 myself