The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-12

are numerous extra trains made up. ex-
tra hands are taken on. and every combi-
nation Is worked 10 the utmost.
NO GreenhOrns Allowed.
we have to take on extra hands in all
ueparlIhents when there is a big drive on,
Dut never any greenhorns go into the
tower, said the superintendent There
are always old experienced hands that
nave been laid off for a rest, who are will
ms 10 come 10 US in emergency, and.
esain' the best men in the regular shifts
are willing to do double duty
ana Is there never an ACCIDENT" he
was asked. Are there not close shaves
ana barely averJed blunders. as in other
businesses when so much hinges on the
accuracy of Employer"
But he shook his head. 1--WE can't ar
FORA 10 nave accidents he said There
Is 100 much at stake. Our men are either
perfect or they won't do. and every few
months they are rigidly examined 70 he
sure that there is no falling off from the
standard. Their physique, memory, sense
ol Instance and proportion, and knowl-
edse OF color all are tested One morning
some years ago one of the yard engines
climbed up on the top of a suburban train
mere IN the yard, but, very fortunately,
NOBODY was hurt. Since then there has
been no trouble
Number of Trains n Day.
There are 473 regularly assigned trains
to be cared for each day. The vardmas-
Ter mas been here over twenty years. He
Is equal TO any emergency. and has three
aple helpers in the fOremen of the three.
shltts OF men who work in the tower.
he yardmaster's plans are never inter
Iereo with He is told the number of trains
10 De accommodated and given an idea of
the special work that is apt TO turn M
1hen ne goes ahead and plans it all out
just IKE field marshal planning cam
palgn When he has more moves to make
ne doubles up his forces and puts more
watches in the tower"
Ihese switch operators are selected from
me hundreds of trainmen, baggage men,
ere, employed about the station No an
pncant raw from the street or habituated
TO some other business is ever taken on
as sWltchman. Familiarity with the ward
ana with railroad and engineering matters
IS good foundation for the tower train
ing, ana the ambitious employees look for
WARD to berth in the tower force Just
as the statesmen in a shop look forward
70 Delng buyers for their departments
Inc tower men are well paid and their
position has the added charm of Derma-
hency. Although the many employees .ac-
customed to the workings of the yard ap-
ply Tor the post of Switchman and NAV
even begin an apprenticeship at the task.
put rev of them are selected or become
experts. The requirements are not easy to
nI' ana where an applicant might pos
sess some of the attributes essential TO
success, the failure in any other partic-
ular would render him unavailable The
sWltchman must be strong and able to
endure fatigue, for some of the levers are
very heaVy and are used continuously
with his strength he must have ninble-
ness and retentive memory, and, even
with these qualities, If he has not presence
OF mind, he cannot be trusted for the po-
sition.
The Slack Hours.
The four hours from 1885 a. m. to 4:35
a. m. are the slack time in the switch
tower. Then the work lessons to a mini
mum. The long distance runners are
away on the road, and the yard locomo-
uves and those that pull the local and SUI
hurban trains have an opportunity to rest
before the 5 O'Clock morning rush sets H.
Slack as the work is on this late night
shift, however it is no time for beginners
at the tower to take lessons; for, with Wig
lance in all other departments relaxed, the
picket watches must keep close guard.
Sunday afternoon is the most favorable
time for the beginner to practice Then
only half the usual number of trains are
listed, and he can try his hand at SHOW
ing the less worked levers and comparing
their movements and results with the COM
blnat1onS learned theoretically from the
yellow text book. 1t takes years of pro-
stationary practice to make a man of use
in the tower, and he must have much
more experience before the yardmaster
will consider him as an all-round response
Bile helper, fit to trust in unusual stua-
tons. The foreman of the tower gang has
generally been at the business from seven
to ten years, and has become used to mas
tering difficulties. The Oldest of them re-
members well when all the switch work
of the station terminal, then new,was done
on the ground on a level with the tracks,
just as it is done at country stations. As
the business grew, and there were more
and more trains to be accommodated, the
space occupied by the switchmen was
needed for roadbed, and the tower was
built and a certain number of levers now
in use were established. With increased
traffic, more lockings and interlockings
were instituted, and more switchmen were
necessary. and at the present time there
are fully thirty experienced switchmen at
the yardmaster's disposal. Twenty-four
are employed continuously; the others kept
as a relief and emergency gang, and yet
others practicing with a view to getting
a place as soon as a vacancy occurs.
"RIGHT MAKES MIGHT"