Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-04-07
The LOCOMOTIVE FIREMAN.
3De of the Hardest Worked and Least Ap
preciated of Employees.

3ne of the Hardest Worked and Least APP
preciated of Employees.
/ 1t is. doubtful if there is "a man on the
train who is less appreciated than the
| fireman. The public shakes hands with
the conductor who has charge of the
J train, thanks the brakeman for many lit
tie courtesies, bows to the baggage mas
ter who looks after Its luggage in transit
perhaps, if it is a masculine public,
swears' at him-trusts its valuables with
the express messenger and talks long and
loud of the brave engineer" but the
fireman-he who bends to his work and
feeds the fire that makes the steam-is
never mentioned. Sometimes y purse is
made up for the engineer. No one ever
heard of the fireman getting purse, but
the records show that he has performed
as many deeds Of valor rs the engineer.
Again, if the train leaves the track or
goes into another tram, the fireman has
fewer chances to escape than any man
on the train, except perhaps the mail
clerk, shut up like 2 rat in cage,
When the fireman is 1T work. ard that
is nearly all the time when the wheels
are turning, he stands stopped over,
shoveling in the fuel or raking the Goals
IN the firebox His view ascad is OBJ
structed, and he cannot a.. tho danger
that may be dashing upon him. The rat
tie and roar Of the machinery may drown
the engineers warning Gala crash-the
tender pins him TO the boiler head, and he
dies a horrible death. Standing in the
narrow gangway peGring ahead, a sudden
lurch around curve may throw him off.
Instances have been known when the
coupling between the engine and the
tank parted and the fireman dropped be
tween them TO be ground topieces. The
records show that moro firemen than en-
gineers are killed in railroad wrecks.
About the only time the firemen has a
little leisure is when the train is running
down grade. Then she is shut off >"
steam il saved, and the knight of the
shovel climbs up to cushion seat and
takes breathing spell. But even then
one eye is ahead. his hand on the bell
crd and the other eye fastened on the
steam gauge, whose little black hands,
huctuating back and forth. 9udge his
labor rs well as the steam. There is "A
science in feeding IN engine that is not
understood by one not in the business.
There is "A way 20 throw in the coal and
to empty the shovel and close the fur
mace door at the same time IL requires
nice calculation that tells how many
'scooploads" are needed TO send the
hands on the gausc 90 the proper figure;
deft handling 10 keep the deck of the
cab clean, and q hundred other little
things that go 10 make skillful fire
man-one that aVns money for the com
pany by outstanding the coal.
In the old days the fireman on wood
burners had "a hard time Of it and GER
tainly earned the small money he re-
ceived for his services, hut ne had a sine.
cure compared with the man in blue
overalls and jumper who stokes up"
one Of the huge "moguls" or hogs" Of
the present day. These engines haul
freights and eat up coal as if it were
creased paper The fireman is at work
continuously, and about the only time
he has to rest is when his train takes a
siding" to let u more aIistoCratic passen-
ger train pass. -lndianapolis News.