Evening star., 1902-02-01

THE travelling public has peculiar ideas
as to the quantity of coal consumed on
passenger trains" explained an old loco
motive engineer to a Star reporter, "and
not one in hundred ever get it anywhere
near right. The great majority of them
get 1t all the way from ten to twenty times
too large. though now and then there are
some who get 1t dreadfully small. The con-
sumption of coal on passenger trains is by
no means q haphazard affair, for it is
known to a nicely how much it takes.
though, of course, a locomotive engineer,
to be on the safe side and ready for any
ordinary emergency always carries more
coal than he will need on a run. Under
some conditions of the weather, and espe-
ciaIly when the wind Is strong, much more
coal Is used than Is necessary at other
times. Sometimes, also, the steam-m making
capacity of coal is considerably reduced.
This is especially the case where bitumin-
GUS coal Is used, but with the harder, the
anthracite, the consumption rarely varies.
Take a train from New York to Washing
ton as an instance. Three tons will take
train through the trip though four to four
and half are generally carried. A half
ton of coal will run an ordinary trip or an
ordinary train of four coaches and a bag
gage car to Baltimore from this city.
THE rule Is three and half pounds of
coal for each car, and eleven pounds for
the locomotive for each mile 1t runs. When
fast time Is necessary an extra amount is
used but the quantities stated are about
the average. OF course, an engineer gives
but little attention while running loco
motive to the matter of coal used, for his
time and mind are taken up in other ways.
He leaves all such matters to the fire
man, but just the same he has to super
wise the consumption of coal to get
the necessary speed in case the fireman is
not all that he should be. AS a rule, the
fireman and engineer learn firing in the
same school of experience and it is seldom
that they do not work together, that is.
that their ideas are not about the same, for
they are both working for the same pur-
pose. The engineer being the boss in fact
as well as theory, has things as he wants
them or he gets new fireman
"The late Edward Clark, the architect of
the Capitol for so many years, taking all
In all was the most careful man in the way
Of expending public money that 1 ever
knew" remarked an experienced treasury
official to a Star reporter, "and his ac-
counts, running way UP into the millions,
were always well within the law and ap-
preparation. He would not expend penny
that was not appropriated In distinct terms,
and took no chances. remember on one oc-
casion, having business in his Office when
a well-knpHn gentleman, a newspaper
writer. by the way. came in and urged him
the Dome, on it and placed on the door
leading to the dome. 1t was during the CEN
tennial year. when the Capitol was over
run with visitors Mr. Clark admitted that
the sign would be great convenience to Wis
itors and others, but said he could not have
1t painted because there had been no dis
tinct appropriation made for 1t. There was
an appropriation made that year for paint
ing the DOME and the newspaper man ar
gued that a small amount of that appro-
priation, say so cents. surely could be used
to have the sign painted but Mr. Clark
would not Yield The newspaper man deter
mined to carry out his idea for the accom-
modation Of the public, and went up to
Charley Armor, a sign painter on D street.
and had the sign painted, paying for 1t out
Of his own pocket. He then put the sign
on the door himself early one morning. and
1t remained there for over twenty years
Ten years afterward I happened to be in
Mr.. Clarks Office at the Capitol when the
same newspaper writer came in. The sub
1ect OF the sign came up, and the news
paper man said he thought he would put in
claim to Congress for the 80 cents he had
paid to have the sign painted. Mr.. Clark
acknowledged that the sign had been a
great convenience, but that 1t was on the
door without authority of law and had
been for years.
I have often thought of having it taken