Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-11-17
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
LOCOMOTIVE MEN HAVE TO PASS
SEARCHING SIGHT TESTS.

Made Necessary by the Great Develop
meut In Railway Operation.
One of the many qualities that require
to be possessed by candidates for foot
plate honors is good sight. In fact it is
the principal one on British railways.
No sight aids of any description are al
lowed to be worn, and before being
promoted the men must be able to pass
satisfactorily a test which, with differ.
ent companies, varies in severity. Some
companies test periodically, while
only do so when the mer are pro" tie
to firing and driving, or wGon some ac-
dent occurs through a signal having been
mistaken or passed at danger.
In justice, therefore, to the travelling
public, as well as foI their own interests,
it is the duty of railway companies to
see that the men they place in such re-
sponsible positions are thoroughly com
petent, as the speed at which trains are
now run requires acuteness of vision.
In the early days of railway enterprise,
the train was often preceded by man on
foot sometimes on Observation-Disclosures
duty it was to see the line clear, but
with the rapid developments made in To-
connective engineering it was soon found
necessary to dispense with this herald,
and in due course fixed signals were
placed along the route.
Thus the responsibility of seeing the
position of signals and attending to them
was placed upon the men in charge of
the train-viz, driver, fireman and
guard-for the latter in the event of an
accident must be able to state whether
the signal was clear or not, and his sight
(also that Of shutters and signalmen) is
subjected to the same test as that of the
locomotive men.
Various methods of testing have been
resorted to, but the one which for con-
siderable period was used by railway
companies, and which the men still most
approve of, was testing by means of flags
and lamps. The candidate was taken to
anice straight stretch, and another party
with the flags (red, green and white) by
day and lamp by night was sent forward
about 600 yards and exposed the signals,
which the candidate was required to
name to the foreman or inspector pres
ent.
of the candidate naming the colors, and
in such cases what is known as the wool
test" has to be gone through. This con-
sists of bundle of various colored woods
from which the candidate must pick out
pieces he thinks correspond to skeins
which are given him to match. In some
companies the skeins are simply hung
on bar and the candidate asked to
point out the danger colors, etc, with
out naming them, but as there are vari-
Gus kinds of color blindness, it is much
better to use other colors as well as
those in daily use on the line. I'm
doubtedly this is the correct method for
testing color blindness if properly con-
Quoted
But the method which at the present
time seems most popular is what is
known as the card test" This is a
piece of cardboard about 50 inches by 81
inches. In each of the four corners are
the colors, red, green, blue and yellow,
all very bright, while the space left be-
tween, about two inches. is divided into
squares one-fifth of an inch, which at a
distance of 10 feet corresponds to bulls
L
candidate stands - feet from the card
and names the colors as they are pointed
out, also counts the number Of black
ened squares, which are varied in num-
Der by covering up some with piece of
paper.
Each eye is examined separately, both
as to color sense and form, care being
taken that the unused eye is simply COW
cred and not pressed upon, as this causes
irritation of both members. Having
named the colors and counted the spots
correctly, the candidate may congratu,
late himself that he has passed.
Generally speaking, the sight should
be tested once every three or four years
as during that period accident or disease
may have impaired the vision, while
| habitual smokers should be tested much
! oftener, as it has been ascertained that
tobacco smoke has deleterious effect
i on the sight.
; AS yet railway companies have moi
adopted a hard and fast test. Each has
, its own method, but as so many precious
lives are intrusted to engine drivers anC
; their mates, an exhaustive test should bt
made. Strictly speaking three tests
should be gone through: /. Wool test
to detect color blindness. 2. Object test
squares or small letters, for form.
Tested in darkened room with lamp fol
, color ignorance, as it is important thai
. the candidate should be able to nam,
j., the colors. The lamp, having been light
I, ed, is placed on table, while the candi
date stands about 20 feet off. A piece
, of cardboard with hole about half al
= inch in diameter is placed over the fac'
of the lamp, and various colored glasse
passed in front, which the candidate
should name, remarking whether lighter
= OF darker than the previous one of thu
same colored group.-London Tit-Bits.
Ears and Character.
You never saw poet or painter witt
large, coarse ears that stand out from
the head like extended wings. That ldnC