The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-09-11
THE LOCOMOTIVE FIREMAN.
He Holds IL Position the Responsibility OF
which Is Unappreciated.

winch Is tnappreciated.
| II Is doubtful If there il 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
! courtesies, bows to the haggage master who
looks for its luggage in transit, trusts its
valuables 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-is never mentioned Sometimes
purse is made up for the engineer. No
one ever heard of the fireman getting u
purse, hut the records show that he has
performed ~ many deeds Of vaiur ~ the
engineer. Again, If the train leaves the
track or gucs iuto another train. the fre-
man has fewer chances to escape than any
other nan on the train, except perhaps
the mail clerk, shut up like rat in "A
cage. When the fireman Is mt work. and
that j. neari : all the time when the wheels
are turning. he stands stopped over. shov-
cling in the fuel or rakiug the coal in the
fireboX. His view ahead IL obstructed,
and he cannot see the danger that may be
dushiDg upon bin. The rattle and roar Of
the machinery may drown the engineers
warning call--a crush-thc ttudCr pins
him to the boiler head, and he dies n hor
rible death. Standing iu the narrow gang
way, pecring ahead, "A sudden lurch around
II curve may throw him OF.
Instances have been known when the
coupling between the engine ard the tank
parted, and the fireman drul lped bctwoen
them to e ground TO pieces The reeorGs
show that more iremen than engineers
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 of, " steam Is saved, and
the knight of the shovel climbs up to
cushioned seat and takes n breathing spell.
But even then one eye is ahead, his hand
on the bellcord and the other eye fastened
on the steam gauge, whose little black
hands, fluctuating 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, deft han
ding to keep the deck of the cab clean and
hundred other little things that 20 to
make 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
certainly earned the small money he re.
ceiyed for his services, hut he had sine.
cure compared with the man in blue over.
alls and jumper who "stokes up one Of
the huge "moguls' or "hogs" of the pres
ent day. These engines haul freight and
eat up coal as If IL were CREASED paper
The fireman is at work continuously, and
about the only time he has to rest is when
his train "takes siding" to let more
nristocratic passenger train pass.-Ashton
Reporter.