The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-06-19
THE LOCOMOTIVE FIREMAN.


lie Holds. Position the Responsibility Of
which Is unappreoiatod.
II Is doubtful II there is q man on the
train who IL less appreciated than the Ere
man The public shakes hands with the
conductor who hns charge Of the train,
thanks the brakeman for many little
courtesies, bows to the baggage master who
looks for It's luggage In transit, trusts its
valunhles with the express messenger and
talks long md loud Of the "brave engi.
ueer but the iireman-he who bends TO
his work and feeds the fire that makes the
stcam-is never mentioned. Sometimes
a purse is made up for the engineer. Va
one ever heard Of the fireman gettii u
purse. but the records show that he hrs
performed "a many deeds Of valor as the
engineer. Again, II the train leaves ne
track or goes into another train, the re
man has fewer chances to escape than any
other man on the train, except perhUI-
the mail clerk, shut up like n rat in Il
cage. When the fireman is at work, AID
that Is nearly all the time when the wheels
are turning, he stands stopped over shov-
cling in the fuel or raking the coal in the
hrebuN. His view ahead is obstructed
and he cannot see the danger that may he
dashing upon him. The rattle and roar OF
the machinery may drown the engineers
warning Gala crash--the tender pins
him to the boiler head, and he dies a hor
rible death Standing in the narrow gang.
way, peerng 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 between
them to he ground to pieces. The records
oh thaf Hrpf,an thun augi uanra
are killed in railroad wrecks About the
only time the fireman has little leisure
is when the train is running down grade.
Then "shc is shut of, 50 steam is saved, and
the knight Of the shovel climbs up TO a
cushioned seat and takes n breathing spell.
! But even then one eye is ahead, his hand
| on the hcllcord and the other eye fastened
Z ON the steam gauge, whose little black
/ hands. huctuating back and forth, gauge
{ his labor ms well rs the steam. There is a
| science in "fcediug' an engine that is not
| understood by one not in the business.
| There is why to throw in the coal aud Ia
/ empty the shovel and close the furnace
! door at the same time. 1t requires nice
| calculation that tells how many scoop.
/ louds' 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
n hundred other little things that 20 tc
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 ant
certainly earned the small money he re
ceived for his services, but he had II sine
cure compared with the man in blue over
alls and jumper who "stokes up one o.
the huge "moguls' or "hogs" of the pres
gnt day. These engines haul freight ant
| eat up coal as If it were CREASED paper
The fireman is at work continuously, anC
about the only time he has to rest is wher
his train "takes "A siding to let more
aristocratic passenger train pass. --AshtoI
| Reporter.