The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-09
Tales Of Life on the Rail.
5-JIM WAINWRlGHT'S KID.
by the S. S. Mcclure Co.
By JOHN A, HILL.

/. By JOHN
Copyright by the S. S. Mcclure Co.
AS put down my name and the mum
Der of the crack engine of Americans
well as the imprint of a greasy thumb-on
the register of our roundhouse last Satur-
Z day night the foreman borrowed chew
of my fireman's f1ne-cut and SAID TO me:
John, that old Teller that's putting on
the new injectors wants to see you.
''What does he want, Jack?" said l.
why. he says he knowed you out west
fifteen years ago
$50! What kind O. looking chap Is he?"
..Youngish face. John; but hair and
whiskers as white as snow Sorry-look-
ing rooster-seems like he's lost all his |
friends on earth, and wat just sure where
to find en- in the next world.
II can't imagine who it would be. |
What's his name?"
.Winthrop-no Wetherson-no femme |
see-why. no. no. Wainwright; that's 1t.
Wainwright; J. E. Wainwright.
Jim Wainwright says I, Jim Vain
wright! 1 haven't heard word of him |
for years-thought he was dead; but he's
q young fellow compared to me-.
''Well he don't look it, said Jack.
After supper I went up to the hotel
and asked for ]. E. Wainwright
Maybe you think Jim and didn't go
the 'front.' is the pioneers idea OF railroad
life. I guess we started at the lowest
numbered engine on the road. and gos-
siped about each and every crew. We
had finished the list Of engineers and had
fairly started on the f1remen when a
thought struck me, and said:
'Oh. forgot him. Jim-the Kid your
CHEEKY little cricket Of a hresy, who
thought Jim Wainwright the only man
on the road that could run an engine
right remember he wouldn't take a job
fot7o
know that firing for Jim Wainwright was
a better job than running was crazy.
What's become Of him? Running, sup
poser"
Jim Wainwright put his hand up to his
eyes for minute and his voice was a lit
tie husky as he said:
'tNo. John. the Kid went away
''Went aw'ay?'
event across the Great Divide-dead."
That's tough" said I, for saw Jim
felt bad. THE Kid and you were like two
brothers.
'John. loved the
Then Jim broke down. He got his hat
and coat and said:
John, let's get out into the air-I feel
all choked UP here. and I'll tell you a
strange, true story-the Kids story"
AS we got out Of the crowd and into
Boston Commons, jun told his story. and
here it is just as remember it-and I'm
not bad at remembering.
9TH commence at the beginning, john
30 that you will understand. It's strange
story but when I get thru you'll recall
enough yourself to prove the truth.
Before I went beyond the Mississippi
and under the shadow of the Rocky
mountains. fired, and was promoted, on
a prairie road in the Great Basin, we'll
known in the railroad world. I was much
like the rest of the boys until I COM
menced to try to get up a substitute for
the link motion. I read an article in a
scientific paper from the pen of a jack
and then blackguarded the railroad me-
chanics Of America for being satisfied
with the link because it was handy.
started in to design motion to make a
card, but-well, you know how good fol
nothing those things to pull loads
with. .
After my first attempt, l put in many
nights making a wooden model for the
patent office. I subsequently in
formed that the child Of my brain inter
fered with about ten other motions. Their
commenced to think-which / ought tt
have done before. I went to studyiIs
what had been done, and soon came tt
the conclusion that I knew a little
about enough to get along running. gave
up the hope of being an inventor and
benefactor of mankind, but study hat
awakened in me the desire for improve
came to the conclusion that the best thin,
could do was to try to be the best run
ner on the road, just as a starter.
Il was about Is years old and had bee
running between two or three years. wit
pretty good success, when one day tn
general master mechanic sent for me-
the office I was introduced to a gentle
man. and the general master mechani
said:
" This is the engineer I spoke to yo
of. We have none better. l think h
would suit you exactly, and when you ar
thru with him send him back; we al
only lending him, mind and he went o,
into the shop.
'"The meaning Of it all was that tt
stranger represented a firm that had p,
up the money to build a locomotive wit
a patent boiler for burning patent fuel
she had an improved valve motion, too
and they had asked our general mast,
mechanic for a good engineer to send ca
and break in and run the new machi1
and go with her around the country
ten day trials on the different roads. T
offered good pay. 1t was work I like
and went. I'came right here to Bostt
and reported to the firm. They were
big concern in another line, and the hes
of the house was a relative Of our gel
eral master mechanic-that's why he h;
a. chance to send me.
81 after the usual introductions, the pre-
ident said to me:
Now, Mr.. Wainwright, this new e
CINE of ours Is hardly started yet. T.
drawings are done and the builders CO
tract Is ready to sign; but we want "
to look over the drawings to see If the
are any practical suggestions you CT
make. Then stay In the shops and S
that the work Is done right The invent
is not practical man: help him If y
can. for experience tells us that ten thin
fail because of bad design where one do
because Of bad manipulation. Come 4
into the drawing-room and I will intr
d duce you to the inventor
cup under the skylight I met the 4
signer of the new engine. In five minut
was deep in the study of the DRAWN,
Everything seemed to be worked out
right, except that they had the fre-dc
opening the wrong way and the bral
valve couldn't be reached-but many
q good builder did that twenty years a,
I was impressed with the beauty of t
drawings-they were like Autographs a
4 one a perspective, was shaded and c
ored handsomely. complimented him
them.
& "A ~