Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-09-04
NEWPORT NEWS. VA. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4 ]
LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS.
lns' r"c,ivs Statistics Gathered by St.
l'nul Writer.

IHul Writer.
j. II. Goodyear. ci the Chicago Great
Westerns mechanic III department, st.
Paul. has colnpiied come statistics nf-
iecting locomotive engineers. which
will he read With v"eat interest by all
railroad men and many others. They
are cmbodied In an article entitled
The Locomotive Engineer written
by Mr.. Goodyear and published in u
late issue vi the Railway Age. The ar
liele follows:
| III a recent article, hy the writer on
the subject of the operating depart
| ment of American railways reference
was made to the condition under which
locomotive engineers work and the
question raised regarding the ad%isa-
blity of discharging without good and
sufficient cause men with several years
service and u fairly good record re-
placing them by men discharged from
other roads for similar Or more serious
cause. While personally convinced Of
the truth OF my statement, it occurred
to me that readers OF the article in
uG2stion might reasonably think the
statement ovcrdrawn, consequently
few facts regarding locomotive en-
gineers, as told by themselves. would
bear out by statement and at the same
time be of general interest.
With this object in view have taken
the personal records or applications OF
two hundred men seeking employment
US locomotive engineers and therefrom
collected the data necessary to present
the following information: or the two
hundred 81 per cent gave their nation
atty as American. 4 per cent. English.
4 per cent. Irish, 3 per cent. Scotch, /
per cert. German, per cent. Nor
Wc.".an
Tie average age worked out thirty
six years five months. average height !
feet 9 inches. average weight 113
pounds. Eighty per cent. stated they
were married: average number of chi-
dren 3; average railway service II
years 6 months: average number OF
. railways for which the 200 men had
worked .; average length of time en-
ployad by first railway s years and 4
months.
Feriy-seven per cent. had worked fol
one railway only. with an average ser
vice of 10 years months.
Twcnty-siX per cent. worked for two
railways, with an average service of
years 10 months for the first and :
years months for the second railway
Fifteen per cent. worked for three
railways. with an average service OF
years 2 months for the first, 8 years j
months for the second and years
months for the third railway.
tyht per cent. worked for four rail
ways. with an average of years TO
the first. 3 years for the second, 81
, years for the third and years tn
fou In railway.
Four per cent. worked for five rail
ways, with an average Of 4 years 10
, the first, 2 years 8 months the secont
I years 3 months the third, years
| months the fourth and years
; moEtis the fifth.
These figures demonstrate the FOL
r lowing:
? Firstly the percentage of Amer
, cans. that the men tranping the cour
q try are not foreigners.
O. Second-The average age. that the
: are not men who have outlived the
usefulness as locomotive engineers.
I Third-The average height an
r weight. that they are physically fit.
Fourth-Percentage Of those ma
a ried, that they are not tramp engineer
II from choice
n Fifth-The general average shown
;. length of service with the first railwa
; also the great percentageof men haviI
# VOL ked for but one road with such
!, good average service as ten years al
q eight months. that there is somethiI
"a radically wrong with the present sy
i. tenn OF handling enginemen.
- The, Don. and the Law