The sea coast echo., 1897-06-12
CABLE WATCHERS.
Unique Occupation Under the Sur
face Of New York Streets.
Dangerous and Irksome Labors In
Close, Dark Quarters,


who daily make living under the
surface of the streets OF New York,
Upon these men rests an enormous
amount Of responsibility. To their
care and judgment are intrusted the
lives of tho several hundred thousand
passengers who daily use the cable
cara. If they are not careful and con.
slant in their work the strands of the
cable become broken and the cars ere
iammed together
Along the line OF the cable roads
there is at an interval of every twenty :
five or thirty feet what is called a
mnnhole. This is covered with big
square iron plate. The plate can be
removed at will. An iron ladder loads
from the surface to the bottom OF the
pit, beneath the track.
Itis tho duty OF the men who watch
the cable almost constantly to bs un-
derground from 7 a. m. until 6p. m.
The railroad is divided into sections
just as are the sections OF big steam
railroad company and two men are
assigned to each section. When the
men start out in the morning they are
armed with strong nippers, riyeting
hammers, plyers and such other tools
as are necessary to mako immediate
repairs.
The little pit is hardly large enough
to comfortably hold the two me-
lchanies VIII are compelled to occupy
! ~ PhysiCt3 tins aaa1g during the III
it from tiny are inspeSslrg Tue ii
hour - of the grips and tho cable
t-to cable railroad man thinks of calling
the big wire affair which pulls tho
cars along anything but rope.
Each morning the men who are en-
ployed for this underground service
start ont, first, to inspect the cable to
see that there are no indications OF
break in 1t. From their places OF OBJ
seryation they can watch the rope as
1T passes over the pulleys and detect
the slightest tendency OF strand to
break. 1t is tho breaking of these
strands which causes most OF the seri-
ous accidents on the two lines. The
loose wires wind around the grip and
carry the car along at full speed, un-
til the strand is broken or the cable is
stopped.
The men on section duty go from
place to place throughout the day,
ready at all times to make such re-
pairs as they can, and also to signal
the power-house should they discover
break that is dangerous. Whom
they find that strand is giving away,
but is not Immediately dangerous, they
signal the power-house to that effect.
Then the men whose duty it is to
watch the cable as it passes over the
big drums look for the weakened por.
ton OF the "rops" as it comes along.
The cable is stopped and the strand is
cut out and new wiro is spliced into
piace,just as sailors aboard ship splice
q broken sheet or halyard. The fine
wires are interwoven and when the
cable is again started it is as strong
as ever.
There is much danger attendant
upon the work below ground. The
openings OF the manholes are close to
the track and unless the men are care.
full when they como up the ladder to
the surface, they are likely to be killed
by n passing car. Ono of the EN-.
ployes OF the metropolitan Company
bad his head severed from his body n
year ago by car which could not be
stopped. He was just coming from
lnder ground, and his head was struck |
Is he reached the surface.
AT the power houses OF both ltles
men are constantly on hand under
ground to inspect the cable and the
yrip OF the various cars as they run
II and out OF the car stable. These
men are compelled to remain under
sround constantly for six and eight
lours at stretch. At dead Mans
Jnrve," Fourteenth street and Broad
gay, two men also have long tours OF
luty under ground. They are there
0 throw the cable off or on in case
i accident. Then, too, at Thirty
light street and Broadway men work
II day under the roadway, as. others
re compelled to do in front OF the
Iower house in Broadway at Houston
treet.--New York World.
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