The herald., 1897-08-22
|WOMAN'S GRIT
Mrs. Shannon's Pluck and
Enterprise
AS A RAILROAD BOSS
TAKES THE POSITION OF EEC-
TIoN FOREMAN
Made Vacant by Her Husbands
Death-She Worked as an ordin-
ary Section Hand

SdiilcS uOlnlhS VI Importance " lAO
general public, but when taken in con-
nection with the fact that this particu-
lar six miles of road is under the direct
supervision OF a woman, there is really
something remarkable in the statement
A woman section foreman is a novelty.
There are plenty of men out of employ
ment, who, 1t would seem, must be bet
ter qualified to captain gang Of rough
railroad laborers than any woman, no
matter how thorough her knowledge OF
the work may be. Nevertheless, one
railroad has given the new woman trial
and has not found her wanting in any
particular.
Mrs. Sarah Shannon, young Irish
widow, iS the foreman of section 5. and
has filled that position for nearly year
with great credit to herself and to the
entire satisfaction of all concerned. Her
husband and predecessor on the section
was John Shannon, whose death occurred
about one year ago. John was good
section boss and stood we'll with the COM
pany, but possessed only vague idea Of
what should be done with his earnings
in order to better the family's condi-
ton.
Every pay day he would go to town on
pleasure bent, and every trip took
goodly part of his months wages in
foolish expenditures, so that when MrA
Shannon awoke one morning to find
her husband dead she also awakened
to the sad realization that John had left
her to the mercy of the world with two
small children to support, and barely
enough money coming from the railroad
to defray his funeral expenses.
The day after the funeral Mrs. Shan
non went to the roadmaSter and laid the
situation before him. She told the off,
cial that something must be done imme-
diately to save herself and children from
the humiliation of becoming public
charges and with tears streaming down
her cheeks implored him to assist her.
Certainly, my poor woman" replied
the kind-hearted roadmaster. "Tll do
anything in my power to help the widow
of John Shannon, and I'll begin by taking
up collec-'
Never, sir; never!" interrupted the
desperate young woman" never will
accept collection or any kind of charity
until the last crumb has been eaten"
But, my good woman, then how can
help you?" argued the roadmaster.
You can help me by giving me job
on the section. am as strong as any
man you have at work now and have
worked on farm long enough to endure
the hardest kind of hard labor"
II mean what I say" continued Mrs.
Shannon, and her resolute countenance
told him that she certainly did.
"Well, I'll see what can be DONE" said
the roadmaster. I'VE never hire women
for that kind of work, you know, and I
doubt whether the superintendent would
approve, but perhaps we might find
something else for you to do
But I'm no scholar" frankly an
swered the widow, land 1 couldn't do
any other kind of railroad work, but
common labor I've watched my hus-
band work day after day, and 1 know
something about the section business.
I want that job, and I'll keep after you
till 1 get it."
In few days the roadmaster informed
Mrs. Shannon that she might go to work
as a section hand, and the following
morning found her perched upon a hand
car with a half dozen hardy men, pre-
pared to WELD the shovel and other
implements of toll from morning until
night, in all kinds of weather, for the
sake of her pride and her children.
It's the way" explained the road
master to those questioning him about
the woman's strange employment; she'll
tire of it in day or two, and that's the
only way 1 could think of to rid her Of
that whimsical notion"
But the roadmas ter was mistaken. She
did find the work extremely tiresome the
first few days, but the new section boss
favored her in many ways, and at the
end of week she had not the slightest
notion of relinquishing her job on the
xxha ha ina for. ~ l1od,
one day to see how she was getting
along she talked of her work with
show of enthusiasm that surprised and
vanquished him. I'll keep right on
she said, land I'll make the best worker
you have on the line"
Shortly after that a new arrangement
was made whereby Mrs. Shannon be-
came the foreman of section No. 5, and
was installed as mistress of the section
house. where all the men board. She
has held the position for nearly year,
has saved up quite snug sum of money
and the roadmaster affirms that she Is
the best section boss in the world.
Dressed in a pair of bloomer overalls,
with the bottoms laced around the tops
of cowhide boots, and her head adorned
with broad -brimmed slouch hat, the
woman section boss may be seen any
day except Sunday, in all kinds of
weather, standing beside the track in
the midst of gang of laborers directing,
in a loud commanding voice, the work
of surfacing, lining up and rail-replac-
ing. Every morning at o'clock Mrs.
Shannon kisses her two babes and leaves
them to the care of the trustworthy sec
tion mans wife, while she goes forth to
the days work on the railroad. The men
are waiting for her at the switch with
the handcar loaded with tools and din
ner pals.
"All ready, boys, let her co. she says
and they are off down the line to a day of
toll. After ten hours work, when the
boss" looks at her watch and shouts.
"All aboard for supper" there Is q
scramble of hungry toilers, a Gathering
of shovels and bars as they are thrown
upon the car, rafting of empty din
ner pals, and away they go homewari.
They are happy lot when the hour
hand points to 6, but the happiest OF
them all is the beloved boss" who hdo
set an example for the new women ok
the world to follow.