Evening star., 1893-10-28

toIo that would make the prospective pro-
nsonai ton SICK at heart. One comes out on
OF lame and wealth, while a thousand are
ouiieu IN the Quicksands of disappoint-
nnd ,ea' ana consigned to oblivion. In a trade.
Str.. Sur consider railroading a trade. 1t is
aauuies Is greatly reduced, and should
great talent and genius be deyeloped its
ssnS cannot be obscured, but will blaze
,orth as brilliantly from a workman's
blouse as from a justices robe or a schals
ar's raiment VI S>A9'
All the big roads Of the country have
practical schools for beginners in the shape
OF extensive locomotive ana car shons ana
TOUR years course therein, coupled to a
coliege education. will equip them with a
tecnnlcai knowledge that evry railroad in the
county, ai,ay Is willing to pay very literally for
Appncauon for admission to these ohops
should be addressed to the master mechanic.
Hundreds Of applications are received
monthiy by that official from all parts Of
cur the applicants are notified to report. A
great many. OF course. are disappointed
but II pull or influence can be developed
the chances Of an early appointment are
mighty handy thing to have around. as
there are certain stages in a young man .
career when he will need all the backing he
can command to help smooth out the small
indiscretion.
Permit me to say right here, that no
matter what a young man may have learn
ed at college he should work his vay
through the main shops Of q railroad to se-
cure practical Information. The compensa-
ton for the first year at the Pennsylvania
pain shops. and I believe the same rates
prevail everywhere. IL at the rate Of SIS a
month. This Will about pay the board bin.
The second year so Is paid. and the third
ana fourth year SIS. 1t can be seen from
this That the companies expect q young man
10 receive some outside assistance in the
shape Of money for clothes and the many
little necessaries.
A Young Mans Apprenticeship.
Regular papers or agreements are sign
ed binding the young man to the companv
for four years and allowing him 20 retain a
certain portion Of his wages, which acts as
magnet to hold him to his work. II tn.
young man quits the company's employ
this money 10 forfeited. but II he sticks out
the four years the money comes to him in
bunch and generally amounts 10 about
500. This bounty. coupled with the clear
ance papers. upon being handed to the
graduated railroad man generally lifts him
from on the earth and for several GAYS
thereafter he Is treading the air. Binding
oneself for four years sounds harsh and un-
Amertcan-uke. but the harshuess ends with
the words and the signing. The company
is also bound. Bound to pay the Eaiary; to
furnish work; to see that sou have every
comotive and road building. and 20 give per-
manent employment II such Is the desire
at the conclusion OF the four years ap-
premiership
"The successful applicant Is first placed
In the construction department. The regu-
lar hands around these works have nick
named this shop the slaughter pea,' on ac-
count Of the many ambitions killed end
bright prospects blighted therein. The work
Is hard. dirty, and apparently meaning
less, no doubt selected to try the metal Of
the raw recruit II a now man can pull
through the six months IN this shop. plain
sailing will be his thereafter. I can recall
one ambitious young man after another
who dropped out and left Tor their distant
homes In disgust after one days assignment
In that shop. and easily recall bright and
plucky young fellows who struggled along
with tears in their eyes and big blisters on
their hands. too proud to give up and ac-
knowledge defeat.
From this shop the boiler and lathe de-
partments follow In the order named, and
at either Of these trades good wages are
paid. should the learner decide to confne
himself to either. After mastering the con-
struction Of the locomotive the car shops
follow, and, although this additional knowl-
edge Is not absolutely necessary. II IL q
good thing to store away for possible future
use. Then comes the dirty work. that is
acting as fireman to see your learning put
months. and the draughting room follows.
where figures and angles are mastered.
The course Of study il then rounded I'D with
civil engineering. The two latter studies
have mastered them 1t is only a question of
very short time when the army OF scien-
tif1c railroade-s will notice that you have
entered their ranks I have known young
cial position, to pass a four years course of
study in the shops / have in mind act as
hremen on heavy locomotives and at night
lead the german with the daughters Of
terfr fNNoo X7-fA IL. -Nxl-
OF the city, with as much grace and ease as
II they had never seen the outside Of q
drawing room and had nothing else to oc-
cupy their time.
The Company Are watching Hin.
''The company that the young man has
been studying under have been watching
him from the time he signed his first pay
roll If he has developed a striking aptness
for any OF the different branches he has
passed through. an opportunity will be af-
fcrded him to still further develop this ten
dency. or. IL the general railroad construc-
ton is his bright particular aim, he is soon
whisked away by the great corporation.
ana, II they are blind to his genius. some
other company will soon be a bidder for his
services. The names Of many Of the coun-
try's ablest railroad generals have Rraced
the pay-rolls Of these shops and have sign
ed receipts for SIS for one months work,
almost that sum per hour.
There is In Tailroading. as in every other
branch OF business, certain favorftism
shown, but unless the favored one has
talent to back him he will find himself sta
tionary in a very short time In this class
can be ranked the sons and relatives of
high officials of the different railroads. but
1t has been demonstrated that very few fail
ures occur among these young men, no
doubt from the fact that the true blood of A
railroader Is coursing through their veins
III II were necessary I could recall the
careers of a half hundred bright men who
are now high up on the road to prosperity
who passed through the practical educations
spoken of.
"One young man In particular I recall
as having seen firing an engine, and as
dirty as any stoker could be- That was onIv
ten years ago. and he has lost no time
Some time since ] read an elaborate article
In prominent city paper describing the
intricate workings OF an immense Inter
licking switch system In that CITY. The
system had but recently been Completed
and was found to work perfectly, a problem
that many very excellent railroad builders
considered quite q feat. The young man
here referred to had the entire charge OF
the work to the utmost details That fob
made his reputation. and today he is SUPER
intendent Of one OF the branch roads and
In direct line to q much higher position.
Il remember q peculiar case in which the
government gained a little Information In
the way Of salaries paid by the large rail-
road corporations. 1t appears that a young
man, after graduating from West Point
Military Academy. decided to take up the