The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-03-27

time worrying Accidents will happen, no matter how much care Is taken to prevent them, and sometimes there can't be found any reason for them, but you may be sure that they are never caused through the engineer losing his nerve.
 Caution Not Always Winner.
 "1f an engineer were under half the strain most people suppose him to be he wouldn't last a dozen trips but you will find that men live to grow old at en- gineering just the same as at any other work-that Is, if they are suited to the business and have no bad luck As a rule they are men of good strong nerves and with little imagination. Of course, I don't mean that all engineers are alike There are good and ordinary and fast and slow engineers. And 1t Is a curious fact that it is not always the slow, cau- tious man who gets along with the few est accidents.
 "one of the fastest engineers l ever knew was one of the safest and yet he would come safely through after taking chances that would have made another mans hair stand on end One thing he did I'll remember all my life. l was firing for him at the time and I thought that this was the last of us. We came Into the station hauling an accommoda- ton train, with the engine running on
 
 broken down and he had disconnected it. taken off the side rods and tied up the piston All the power thus had to come from the good side. This doesn't inter- fere with an engines speed-at least going down hill-but of course she Is much more likely to give way in that condition than when she is in good order
 "The station was at the top of steep grade and we were coming down. Our train had just five minutes to get to the next station, at the bottom of the hill four and a half miles below, and side track for an express coming from the opposite direction.
 Wanted to Make Run.
 'fWell. the engineer wanted to make the run. but the conductor got off the train and said that he didn't want to commit suicide. If the engineer was bound to kill himself he would have to do it alone said the conductor, but he finally was persuaded to get aboard and away We went Never. before or since have had such a ride From the way we fell down that grade 1 thought we would never reach the bottom except in pile. But we reached the side track safely, after all. and pulled into it just in time to miss the express. for 1t came through moment later as fast as 1t could travel as it's engineer made dash for the grade. and 1t didn't miss the rear end of our hind coach six inches as It was drawn into the siding.
 "Yet that engineer is still running and he has had fewer accidents than many slower and more careful man.
 .There is always certain amount or excitement in the life of an engineer but if gets 10 be just the same as any other work a man is doing year in and year ont. I sometimes see pictures in maga- zines showing the engineer in eonfab with his fireman. his train all the tune sunposed to be traveling at a gait of a mile a minute. You will never see any thing like that in real life. An engineer must always have his hand on the throt- tle and his eyes glued straight ahead The fraction of second sometimes VIII make all the difference in the worlu TOT YOU are likely to find signal set against vou at the most unexpected places, ana if is strictly necessary that you see II just as soon as you can.
 Danger! the Red Flag!
 "While going along with an express as fast as the engine could turn wheel the other day I came suddenly upon brake man waving a red flag. l threw on the air and then reversed the engine, for could tell by the way the brakeman was waving that we were close on his train. Well. we came to stop not an engines length from the engine of a way train that had crossed on my track to get some cars out of a siding. and hadn't time to get out of my way. The brakeman had had hard work to get up the track far enough to give me the warning. so that I A,.- tr. ztn in