Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-06
MEN WHO WORK WHEN OTHERS SLEEP.

By f.. Bruce Chesterman, Jr)
Did YOU ever stop 20 think how many
Of your fellow-men toll through the long
hours of the night when others sleepF
II falls 10 the lot Of many men to re-
verse the usual order Of things, ana
turn night into day. When the sun IL
high IN the heavens. and the commerce
Of the day has commenced; when the
great retail thoroughfares are thronseo
and the business streets are alive with
men: in short. when the noises OF
great city are heard on all sides. as each
one makes his daily race with time, then
II is that those who work when others
sleep are slumbering In carkened rooms
seeking rest for body and mind ere the
toll of night begins.
How many OF those VINO sleep during
the hours which nature intended for rest
wonder at the life which he must lead
who goes forth 70 his work at the setting
of the sum- Yet some one must DO TINS
work. and every man cannot nave MS
choice of ayocations, for which the world
should be thankful. The man whose
mode OF life is different from that Oh
his neighbor IS following a calling upon
which he is dependent for his very hVeh-
hood IL is not because he is espe-
ciallv pleased with his lot in life That
others are preparing to enjoy the soclai
pleasures of an evening. When others
have been working he has been lying IN
bed in a room as far removed from the
noises Of the street as possible. he mas
for lust so many hours been dead
to the world. Even had he chosen 10
deny himself the sleep that Is SO neces-
sary. and sought recreation, he wouiu
| have found little pleasure In the at1einpS'
for then he is an idler In working "orIu'
| NO: he must work when others plny'
and sleep when others work. In other
words, when he has Few hours III
which to play. there Is no one 10 pay
with.
Let us follow for a few moments some
! of me men who toll at night, ana get
| inst a glimpse Of them during their work
| ing hours. .hc
! There IS the locomotive snSineer Who
/ climbs into his cab, places his mana oi
the lever. and sends his iron horse ou'
into the darkness of the night. MS pat.
ia only frightened by the red glare Oh
/ tho headlight. as It falls across tle
track and shows him the rails over Whici
he is plunging at forty or htty mics az
hour. There Is not moment Wheh "''
eve can leave that track without ehuau
| eerfng not only his own lie, out 'h'
lives of every human being in the coach
% behind him. Even as II is, should ina
long streak Of light in front OF him snow
an obstruction in his path, ne would "
unon II before the air-brakes and the re
versed wheels OF his giant engine coui'
stop him in his headlong course
In his care are the lives OF those VINO
sleeplng in their berths. or stre'che'
across the seats. have no thought OF o"n
ger. and yet one careless act OF TINS ma
on the engine would hurl them TO eler
nifty. They have never seen him. ye
whoever he may be, they have entrus'e
themselves to him on journey which
made safe only by his watchiul eye az.
ready hand. He has never seen IhsH
yet IL in an awful moment OF innpenu,n
danger he must decide "hether u 10 -
lige n, theirs that must be sacrificed u
neyer aincbes. and his hand IS firm upo
the lever as with determination III III
90 ne PUSHES on 10 certain death.
,rha iron steed dashes on through VI
dark night like a wild thing Of life. Du
the engineer must control its Night an
20 40 so requires the utmost VigAahc'
Hls every nerve Is az tension, TOT
must he ready 10 act In second IL
cannot even allow his thoughts TO wan
der from the business before hifn' 10
when ones mind is on other thihss III
ewes. often see not, even though they
open. III. Tho
He Is one OF those who must work Whe
others sleep. and at labor 100, VINO
taxes his nervous force 70 the utmost.
Another man who belongs 10 tins elias
Is the faithful guardian or the peac
When every house IS in darkness ana u
streets are all but deserted, ne pauo
his heat. ever on the alert TO protect W
and property. no matter what fne we
Their may be, he is on duty. Alone on q
heat. I'm the far hours Of the night D
are often the only footsteps that ava
an echo as no walks the streets OF MS I'll
trict. He g. q Waterman OF the nlsh
and the citizen sleeps. secure ID u
knowledge mat his property is guaro'
, and mis- life protected by this blue-coat'
officer OF the law Not only is his nous
hold safe. but down In the commefci
= centre Of the city, where Is located
warehouse, his Office, or his store the
: also Is one OF these men 10 suaru u
! door Of his place or business against u
, burglar VINO would gain an entrance
And there Is yet another menace 10 II
. ana nropsrty for which this minlon Of q
q law must be on tho lookout. His no
I tris are as quick TO discover a smoulde
c Ing blaze by the smell OF the smoke
his eyes are keen 10 detect the crouchil
form OF the man who. In dark alley.
stealthily working al the iron grating
a window. When his nosirIls first sn
= the odor OF something burning" he 4
: lows the scent until he locates the bla.
and then sends in the alarm that brin
the apparatus OF the FIRE DEPARTING
! quickly 10 the scene whore. thanks
the prompt action OF the police Office
: tho flames are often extinguIshed befo
any great damage is done.
] The policeman must be man OF I
|. daustsd courage, for ne deals with chi
acters who count as nothing human !
when their liberty IS at stake. sing
J handed. in tho dead OF night Maen
J passer-by comes bis way to aid In
D cause OF Justice. the officer encounters
gang Of desperate men. who, startled M
their work. face the intruder, and va