The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-12-28
FAT MAN must. CO
He will Not be Promoted by the B. {
0. Company.
The Limit fixed at 1SO POUNDS
For Engineers...Life For Big
Men on Railroads q Hollow
MOckery.

Life has become a hollow mockery
to the fat firemen in the service of the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad company.
At a recent conference of officials of
that corporation 1t was decided that
hereafter no man who weighs more than
$50 pounds shall be eligible to promotion
as an engineer on the Royal Blue lines.
AS some mysterious law of nature has
provided that almost all firemen shall
be fat, the situation is peculiarly dis
tressing, especially as elevation to the
plug" is the one mortal ambition of
every fireman in the service.
The fat firemen has been crowded out
by improved motor facilities. The
Baltimore & Ohio on its fast lines uses
an immense tyre of Locomotive, with
driving wheels 18 inches in diameter
The boiler extends through the cab
to the Gender, and the space between
it and the wall Of ihG cab is II inches
In that space The engineer is situated.
Necessarily he must not be wider than
IA inches. That IS why the future Of the
fat fireman Is al barren and hopeless
blank. N
E. T. White, superintendent Of mo-
tive power, of ., the eastern division,
agrees that there can be little comfort
to man of even moderate girth IN
such limited territory. But what are
we going to o?"'he asked. 1--WE can't
make the CAP any wider, as it would
strike trains on 'hc opposite track
Then. again, the schcm" of having men
made on purpose 10 suit III" engines is
obviously impra c.r.aSle. 1t would seem
that the easiest solution of the problem
would be to promote only thin men 10
be runners"
Sadly conceding the logic Of this
reasoning, the fat firemen of the COM
pany have resolved upon the only
measure left to them. They are 60
ing to try to become thin f.apien.
Charlie Metzs,r who fires" OH one
of the b. & o. flyers. weighs at least z50
pounds. but he has already adopted
heroic methods Of reduction.
II think the boss must be Joking"
he said, with sorrow in his tone, but
IL he amt, then must keep on reducing
myself, as I am about headed to go
running In fact, I am already in
training. There is room enough for me
to get into the right side of the cab
now"
To demonstrate this, Mr.. Metzger
drew in his breath and mounted. AS
already explained, the compartment
measures only IA inches at it's widest
part. Metzger is considerably more
than IA inches at his widest part. 1t
was a perilous experiment, and for
dread moment or two he was threat
ened with apoplexy, but with a gasp
and heave he accomplished the pas
sage and wedged himself on the mar
row drop seat with heavy list 10
starboard and convulsive smile of tri-
umph. 1t subsequently developed that
the framework of the door had pre-
viously been well oiled. -.r f
Various modes of treatment are icing
resorted to by the redundant stokers.
Their diet will hereafter be confined to
pickles with vinegar sauce, lemons and
sauerkraut. To insure the desired re-
suit they win not rely upon the usual
emaciating fare to be had at railway
restaurants, but will establish "antifat"
counters along the routes, where sup
plies may be obtained for consumption
in transit.
Physical exercise will, OF course, be
conspicuous feature of the training.
1t is reported that two Of the firemen,
whose combined weight is nearly half
ton, have begun to practice on a
tandem bicycle, having been advised
that they would fall off a good deal
The ''hot air" treatment will also be
used, every locomotive carrying its own
supply on tap. Other suggestions are
made by Mr.. McDongall. OF which CO.
pious fremen are free to avail them
selves.