The morning call., 1893-02-26
THE LOCOMOTIVE FIREMAN,
One of the Hardest Worked and Least
Appreciated of Employees.

indianapolis News.
1t is doubtful If there is a man on the
train who is less appreciated than the fire.
man. The public shakes hands with the
conductor who has charge of the train,
thanks the brakeman for many little courte-
sizes. bows TO the baggage master who looks
after its luggage en- tfansit-perhaps. If it
is masculine public. swears at him-trusts
its vauables with the express messenger.
and talks long and loud of the brave engi-
neer." But the fireman-he who bends to
his work and feeds the fire that makes the
steam-ls never mentioned. Sometimes
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 as the engineer.
Again. il the train leaves the track, or goes
into another train, the fireman has fewer
chances to escape than any man on the
train, except. perhaps, the mail clerk, shut
up like q rat In cage.
When the fireman is at work. and that is
nearly all the time when the wheels are
turning, he stands stopped over, shoveling
in the fuel or rakng the Goals in the frebox;
his view ahead is obstructed, and he cannot
see the danger that may be dashing upon
him. The rattle and roar of the machinery
may drown the engineer S warning Gala
crash-the tender pins him to the bolierhead
and be dies q horrible death. Standing in
the narrow gaDgway peering ahead.
sudden lurch around curve may throw
him off. Instances have been known when
the coupling between the engine aud the
tank parted. and the fireman dropped be-
tween them to be ground TO pieces. The
records show that more firemen than eDgi
neers are killed in railroad wrecks.
About the only time the fireman has
little leisure is when the train is running
down grade. Then ''she Is shut off" steam
Ia axod fha u frh n of o,ln Iolf he
up to the cushioned seat and takes breath
ing SPELL But even then one eye is ahead,
MS hand on the belicord and the other eye
Fastened on the steam gauge. whose little
black hands. f1uctuating back and forth,
gauge his labor as well as the steam. There
Is a science in feeding an engine that is
not understood by one not in the business
There is way to throw In the coal and to
empty the shovel and close the furnace
door at the same time. 1t requires nice
calculation that tells how many scoop
loads" are needed to send the hands on the
gauge to the proper figure; delft handling to
keep the deck of the cab clean, and hun
dred OTHER little things that go to make a
skillful fireman-one that saves money for
the company by outstanding the coal.
In the old days the fireman on wood
burners" had hard time of it and GER
talny earned the small money he received
for his services, but he had sinecure COM
pared 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 be has to rest is when his train takes
a siding" 10 let a more aristocratic train
pass. On the ''ten-wheelers' that pull the
Big Four fast trains. or the engines that
pull the express-trains of the Vandalla.
Pennsylvania. Cincinnati. Hamilton and
Dayton and the New Monon, the fireman
has hard time of it. The machinery needs
large amount of steam. and it takes a
great deal of coal to make it, and the
scoop" is ringing all the time.