Bisbee daily review., 1907-05-21
VALVE TESTER IS IN GREAT
 PERIL
Most Dangerous Occupation Of Railroading About Which the People Hear Little or Moth ing-Ride on Cowcatcher.

CHICAGO. May 2O.-Riding upon the front of an engine going 6Q miles an hour protected from the rush of the wind by the flimsiest of wind shields. where the slightest mis- hap or obstacle thrown up by the cowcatcher would mean instant death, the young men who are engaged in testing the steam valves on locomo- tive engines may truthfully be said to have the most perilous occupation in the world
 Those of you who have ridden about the rollers coaster and the loop the loops at summer resorts have some conception of the speed made by one of the up-to-date overland linn tied trains. It takes away the breath of one who is unaccustomed to it on his first experience. But conceive yourself on the front of an engine where this rate of speed is kept up mile after mile and you will have some idea of the daily experience of locomotive valve tester.
 If there is a wreck and their engine collides with another, or perchance goes plunging through an embank- ment or through a bridge into river, the young men 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 escap- ing alive.
 The crew engaged in this test num- bers three. These are in addition to the regular crew Of engineer and fireman. The latter have nothing to do with the test, and look after their regular duties, regardless of and per haps indifferent in the presence of the testers. In fact, If the truth is told the enginemen would rather the testers would select some other en- zine. The space within the cab is naturally limited, and third person, in the engineer of the test, who has charge of the collection of records and who keeps his position in the cab, is not welcomed. Then again, the engineers are ayerse to the pres ence of the young men on their front end with the constant danger of their being killed.
 Nearly every big railroad employs these valve testers, but like many other vacations connected with rail- road, they are not known to the gen. eral public. If you ever happen to notice a big engine flying along at lightning speed with big box GOV ering the front just above the cow catcher, you may know that the box covers two young men who are at tempting to discover whether the valves are workink right and to To- cate the fault if they are not.
 When the enine runs into an open switch or collides with a box car or some obstacles on the track, the fire man and engineer, although their jobs are regarded as the most perilous of any of the members of the train crew have at least a fighting chance for their lives. They can usually tell moment or two before anything hap pens which would give them time to jump if they were so disposed. Not so the valve testers on the front of the engine If anything should hap pen to them they would never live to know what it was. Having no oppor- tunity to jump or save themselves, they would be the first to meet death. But although this work has been go- ing in for several years on most Of the big roads, so far as known, no accident of any importance has ever happened to the young men who daily take their lives in their hands.