Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-10

| py some people 10 DO their doing in. In a
| nearby city the other day the greatest excite
ment was caused for few minutes by the
antics OF a tinsmith. He had fallen asleep on
the roof Of very tall building at the very
caves. He was rodding away at u lively rate
and a large crowd soon collected on the street
below. Two policemen stole up and carefully
awakened him. and he became furiously mad
because they had disturbed his rest. He felt
secure up there because he was used to it.
! local policeman talking about this matter
recently said that in making mis- rounds he had
| seen men sitting asleep on painters scaffold
| swinging near the top of n four-story house, and
when he spoke to them about it later they said
1t was nothing unusual; that they often took q
post-prandial nap that way.
SLEEPING UNDER DANGEROUS CIRCUMSTANCES.
There must be some sixth or seventh sense in
man that protects him during sleep; that en-
| ables him to wake up at q certain hour, &C.
We feel more and more convinced of this when
we see. as we do every day down around the
Central market or 7th street wharves, Transfers
sitting asleep on their wagons, nodding and
| snoring, but seldom. if ever, falling off
Especially on warm days can you see dozens Of
teamsters ADOBE on their moving wagons and
| 1t Is the general belief among those who have
watched and circulated among these people
that only those who are under the influence of
liquor fall off. The more the wagon shakes or
the louder the noise created by the wheels on
the hard Belgian blocks the tighter they close
their eyes and doze
In all these circumstances the individual who
falls asleep will alone suffer should an accident
occur. class with whom this article deals and
whose lapse of consciousness is one of the great
est physical phenomena when the circumstances
are considered, have the lives of others in their
keeping and an acciden. to them means mani
fold suffering and sorrow. This class is the
railroad engineers.
Have you ever noticed while out in the coun-
try and IN the vicinity of railroad with what
awe-lnsplring swiftness passenger train dashes
by! Would you pick out the little o:lcoth-cov-
cred seat in the cab of the locomotive as a spot
where a human being would be likely to take a
nap! 1t Is safe to say you would not, vet it is a
known fact that a ma jority of the terrible rail-
road calamities are brought about through this
physical weakness.
A fireman told the writer some years back
that one of the fastest runs ever made on one
OF the eastern divisions was ACCOMPLISHED by an
engineer who slept soundly fully one-haIf of
the way. The engineer had been called upon
TO take out q special train before he had had
time to secure sleep ut the conclusion of his
last run. His reputation was of the best, both
as to being careful and speedy. and for these
two reasons he had been selected for the task.
Pride made him accept the responsibility and
belief in the superiority Of his will power
When he mounted his engine he was told to
make as good u run rs possible, and that all was
clear in front. This last injunction was a bad
one. Hardly mile out on the run-lt was
pitch dark-the engineer began to nod, and for
the remainder Of the run the fireman knew from
the gait OF the train whether his companion was
awake or asleep. When the train slackened up
he was awake; when it ran the fastest he was |
asleep. Not n hitch occurred to mar the har- |
mony OF that engineers graceful nod, nod, nod, |
rs the engine struck curve or grade, and ar
the end of the run the officials came forward |
from their car and congratulated him upon the |
run he had made.
A RAILROAD PHYSICIAN TALKS.
The subject Of engineers sleeping while on |
duty was preached to q railroad physician re-
Gently by an EVENING STAR reporter. 1t may
be said at this point that a physician employed
by u railroad knows more OF the true inward
ness Of railroad life than any one outside the
rank and file of trainmen. He is among the
irst upon scene OF wreck and ruin of railroad
and life. and from his technical medi-
cal knowledge can quickly form an opinion as
TO the original cause thereof. When this skill
fails him a confession from dying employe
very frequently fills in dimly conceived belief
Or idea He talked right to the point and said:
Il have been a close student of this question
Of sleeping on duty by engineers. and know
whereof l speak. Three-fourths of the rail- DAD
wrecks of the country arc caused by engineers
sleeping at their post. To one that does not
understand the situation it seems almost in
credible that man can sleep while Ill such a
perilous position. The soothing jolt Of the
engine, the warmth of the boiler upon the
body, and the cutting the wind upon the
ACE. and especially the eyes. quickly luil an
man into Inconsistencies
1T is not pleasant picture for a traveller to
build up in his minds eve, as he Is whisked
over the road at q terrific rate Of speed. of an
engineer taking a comfortable snooze while a
ant il Happ1nn ia lam
,usly as a signal that n train is blocking the
rack ahead. The firemen have all they can at
end to now to keep up steam in the huge boil
RS and cannot be expected to keep watch on
he throttle well.
When you read Of an engine coming into
ity with dead body or part of vehicle on the
owcatcher. you can safely put it down that the
ngincer of that locomotive has been sleeping.
other excuses will be advanced. but the true
me is sleep. An engineer becomes SO hardened
o his continual danger that he sees no risk
instead of peering out through the gloom with
ap well down over the eyes, so that he can see
veil into the distance, he will keep his head
within the cab, blow his whistle ami ring the
,ell and-and-take the chances. have ridden
II the cab of an engine very frequently at night
md by the glare Of the headlight was able to
ee quite distance ahead The darkness seems
ike a wall directly in front OF the engine. but
t is only an optical delusion. as the distance is
quite considerable.
SLEEPING IN THE CAB.
"Certain parts of the road are more danger
JUS than others, and also safer. The engineers
NOW this to keen nicely and govern them
elves accordingly. For instance, only the most
or reckless will take chances
inside the limits Of n city. freight yard or
rack crossing. But. on the other hand. there
re stretches of road, say for ten miles in !
md |