Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1891-02-27
Continued from page ~

eributed, and little high at the ends
and sides -
Tho speed OF tho engine depends upon
the ability of the fireman to steam
her." and thus the fireman is the inn
portant factor in running a>train. Some
engines ''stoam" moro readily than 9TH
ers, but all of them require skill in fir
ing and great deal Of work. An ordi.
nary switch engino will burn about
three tons of coal in twenty-four hours,
while road engines will burn from six to
fifteen tons The. heavier tho load or
tho creator the speed, the more steam
and coal IS required.
Eut tho iroman's hardest lot is when
his run is heavy and his engine ''gets to
leaking" Engines poorly packed" or
loose in their joiuts will leak steam
with astonishing .rapidity and it re-
quires constant effort to keep them up
to tho working notch. The working
notch or 'when she pops" is, on an avA
eragc, about 1876 pounds of steam. Some
engines are set at 40 pounds pressure
before the escape valve will raise and
the extra steam escape. On an engine
where the gauge reaches 1875 pounds
the fireman aims to keep pressure Of
between 120 and 1876 pounds. Some
times, of course, tho steam will run
down to 10 or 100, when the work is
heavy, but good fireman will never lot
her down below that. --.-.- g.. r...
In some Eastern States the number
ofpounds Of steam which an engine may
carry is regulated by law, but in the
Western States little attention has boon
paid to the matter. In conseu lIcncc,
some engineers who are possessed of
more ambition than Judgment will rate
their engines as high as $50 pounds in
order to make running record, and it
is n dangerous custom which is liable at
any time to result in a disaster Not
long ago the writer's attention was
called to an engine on Missouri road
which did not pop" or blow off steam
of his reputation as runner" and was
foolishly risking his own life and the
lives intrusted to his care for the sake
of little notorioty. In such cases tho
fircman's lot is O slavish one, and the
labor required to keep up his engine is
simply tremendous.
In addition to firing. the fireman Ia
required to keep his machine, inside tho
cab, clean, and bright works" must DO
kept spotlcss Such trifiing duties as
ringing the bell, keeping sharp look
out ahead, and watching for signals arc
thrown in just to keep him in practice
during the few minutes he may chance
to spend on his scat box.
After he has served in this capacity
from three to seven years, and ho is
successful in passing the examination
in which reading and writing are the
easiest branchcs-the fireman is placed
on tho extra list, and after six months
trial he becomes an engineer. Often,
however, tho fireman lacks certain re-
quiroments or has bad luck at the start,
and has an accluonJ or smasnup, and he
is condemned to another long term of
shovcling coal which may DO made per-
petual occupation.
Firemen, as O rule, are a steady class
OF men; thoy must be, as it is, from
them that engihemen arc mado. Tho
hremon have brotherhood which is
second only to the engineers in i'm.
portance, and the order is doing deal
OF good in preparing it's members to be-
como capable and reliable engineers. -
Kansas City Star. '.''.' ,'.''.'