The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-03-19
MEN AT THE THROTTLE.
ALL WHO STICK IN TIME OF DAM
GER ARE NOT HEROES.


Not to Jump-Sone Interesting IIlustxa-
lions OF Ills Theory-The Fate OF ''Doc''
Simmons.
fittings have changed considerably since
! you used to ride with me- said a prominent
railroad official to reporter the other day,
and the reporter was compelled to admit that
| they had, for in the days recalled the now
! general superintendent OF great railroad
was an engineer and the scribe junior clerk
in the freight department Of the company
employing both.
Eyes, y continued tho old gentleman, ''e7ery-
thing is changed except the average news
paper writer's idea of the crushing weight Of
responsibility under which the locomotive
engineer is supposed to constantly stsgger.
| The assumption that he stands rigid on the
/ footboard, with one hand firmly grasping the
! throttle and the other clutching the reverse
lever, his eyes riveted on tho track ahead Of
him, and his soul racked with anxiety for the
safety Of the precious human freight COM
mitted to his charge
THE FIRST LAW OF NATCRE.
''Sef preservation is the first law of ma
ture, and no man confronting almost certain
death sinks all thoughts of his own safety be-
meath q wave of anxiety for the preservation
of others. Some engineers, though they are
not IN the majority, contend that a mans
chances Of escaping injury or death in col
lision, though small in any circumstances,
are better in remaining in the cab than in
jumping. Others adhere to the belief that
the chances of escape are infinitely better in
jumping. But there are many conditions TO
be taken into consideration. Suppose that
at the time the jumping engineer got ready
TO leave his engine he should find that his
leap would land him in a ravile fifty feet or
more In depth, or upon pile OF railroad
iron, or dash him against stone wall, do
you think he would jump? Not he He
would take his chances of crawling out OF
the wreck alive rather than jump into eter-
nifty.
The first thing an engineer thinks of
when his engine leaves the track is to shut
off his steam. He then reaches for the air
brake and at the same time tries to reverse
her Suppose he is on high enbanllment,
and that by the time he has applied the brake
his engine begins 70 roll down the bank He
can't jump for he is rolling with her, and in
nine cases out Of ten he viii grasp the reverse
lever or throttle TO hold on. Probably the
b
engineer TO death. When the wreck is cleared
Away the poor fellow is found with his hand
on the throttle, and out goes the report that
ne refused to jump and persisted victim to
his efforts to save his passengers, though all
Of the available efforts to stop the train had
been exhausted with his shutting Off, apply
ing the brake and reversing. No matter,
the fact that his hand was on the throttle is
a.
this report is made the statement that the
6reuan jumped and saved his life. Of course
he did He had plenty Of time, and if the
engineer had had as much time don't be fool
ish enough 10 think that he wouldn't have
gone with The fireman"
Il seems strange to see you in the role of
iconoclast, Mr.. A, after having yourself
served as an engineer for twenty-five years."
remarked tie reporter.
why, my dear fellow, am not trying to
destroy any idols; l am simply endeavoring
to impress upon your mind the fact that the
locomotive engineer is only human.
TWO ENGINEERS
Gas engineers seldom lose their heads. I
will give you the only instance of one doing
so that can recall. 1t illustrates the theory,
too, that it is safer to remain in the cab than
to jump. Joe L. had never had an accident
more serious than broken spring hanger
since he began railroading. His phenomenal
luck in this respect gained for him-thrOugh
the local papers, of courSe-the reputation
Of being the most careful and trustworthy
engineer on the road. One day as he was
bowling along at about thirty-five miles an
hour, with ten well loaded passenger cars be-
hind him, he sid off his seat to stretch his
legs. He had scarcely gained his feet when
the parallel rod on his side broke, and the
three foot piece attached to the crank pin of
the back driver crashed through the seat he
had just vacated, showering Joe with splin-
tiers, broken glass, etc. At the next revolu-
ton the flying end of the rod struck the end
Of tie, lifted the eng:n- about six inches,
ard set hey down with bang. Did the en-
gineer, whose fidelity and carefulness-ac-
cordinS to the local papers-had enabled him
TO run ten or fifteen years without mishap
and endeared him to The frequent riders on
the road, 'bravely stick to his post and sac
rifco himself TO the safety of his ten car
loads of passengersl Indeed he didn't He
incontinently sacrificed himself TO the fright
which oveTcame him. He didn't even wait
to shut or, but took flying leap as the rod
came through the cab a second time, and,
landing on his head, broke his neck. The
fireman stopped the train, took down the
disabled side Of the engine, and brought
her in.
"OE the other hand, I suppose the case Of
Ell Simmons, better known as Doc Sim
mons, who was killed at New Hamburger
draw about twenty years ago, is the best ex-
ample of the theory that jumping is safer
than hanging on that railroad history re-
CORDS Simmons was hauling the express
that left New York about ESQ p. IN. As he
nearcd New Hamburger bridge he saw COM
inS toward him on the down track freight
train. As the latter struck the bridge sew
eral Of its cars loaded with oil left the track
and crowded over toward the up TRACK, so
that it was impossible for Simmons 70 pass
them. That was before air brakes came into
&c, &c least Oh tlle Hudson River road, and
brakirg was done by hand. The passenger
cars were fitted, however. with what was
known rs the Dreamer patent brake. which
was used in emergencies. The apparatus
consisted Of & powerful spring attached TO
tae brake wheel at one end of the car. The
spring was wound up aud held by pawl and
ratchet, A sharp pull Of the bell cord raised
the pGvl and released the spring. which set
the brakes Simmons undoubtedly believed
he could stop his train before reaching the
bridge, and, IN addition 20 his recourse 70 the
ordinary methods Of stopping, told his fire.
man 70 pull! the patents The fireman teSti-
fed ~ the coroners inquest that he obeyed
the order. bat whether he did or not is still
al open question. There is no doubt, hov-
ever, that he jumped Immediately after
getting the order, he himself having admitted
that. and he is alive today, while Simmons,
who hadn't the time 20 jump after the neces-
slty Tor doing 80 became pisin. went with his
engine through the ice 70 the bottom OF Wsp-
Y,Y7-e,-as t--aeE Miner Simmons ~