Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1907-06-22
MOST PERILOUS
OCCUPATION KNOWN
NERVE REQUIRED OF MEN WHO
TEST VALVES ON
FLYERS.
lFrom Thursday's Daily.)

1From Thursdays Daily.)
CHICAGO, June 22.-Riding upon
the front of an engine going so miles
an hour, protected from the rush of
the wind by the flimslest of shields,
where the slightest mishap or obsta-
Gle thrown up by the cowcatcher
men who are engaged in testing the
steam valves on locomotive engines
may truthfully be said to have the
most perilous occupations in the
world.
Those of you who have ridden
about the roller coaster and tie loop
the loops at summer resorts have
some conception of the speed made
by one of the up-to-date overland
limited trains. 1t takes away the
breath OF one who Is unaccustomed to
it on his first experience. But con-
ceive yourself on the front of an en-
CINE where this rate Of speed is kept
up mile after mile and you will have
some idea of the daily experience of
a locomotive valve tester.
If there is a wreck and their en-
CINE collides with another, or per-
chance goes plunging through an EN-
bankment or through a bridge into a
river, the young meh on the front
end would be caught like rats in a
trap. There would be no escape.
There would not be one chance in
1000 of their escaping alive.
The crew engaged in this test num-
bers three. These are in addition to
the regular crew of engineer and fire.
man. The latter have nothing to do
with the test, and look after their
regular duties, regardless OF and per-
haps Indifferent to the presence of
the testers. In fact, If the truth is
told, the engineer would rather the
testers would select some other en-
CINE. The space within the cab is
naturally limited in the cab is not
welcomed. Then again, the engi-
neers are adverse to the presence of
the young men on their front end
, with the constant danger of their be-
ing killed.
Nearly every big railroad employs
i. these valve testers, but like many
other vocations connected with rail
roads, they are not known to the gen
eral public. If you ever happen &c
notice a big engine flying along al
lightning speed with a big box cov
ering the front just above the COW
catcher. you may know that the boN
! covers two young men who are at
c tempting to discover whether the
valves are working right and to 10
4 cate the fault If they are not.
When the engine run into an oper
q switch or collides with a box car o.
> some obstacle on the track, the fire
man and engineer, although their jol
\ is regarded as the most perilous o
= any of the members of the trail
crew, have at least a fighting chance
for their lives. They can usually tel
a a moment or two before anythin!
. happens. which would give them tim
, to jump if they were so disposed
a Not so the valve testers on the from
; of the engine. If anything shoul,
, happen t them they would never liv.
: to know what it was, Having no op
portunity to jump or a v themselve
they would be the first TO meet death
But although this work has been &c
ing on for several years on most O
the big roads, so far as known n
j accident of any importance has eve
! happened to the young men VIII
> daily takes their lives in their handl