The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-01-03
Peoples Forum.

Hoult, w. va, Jan 1.
Editor West virginian:
was glad to notice what the Lone
Star says about the railroad men in
his last letter and while would not
subtract one iota from what he has
said, yet l wish to add to IT, but in
a different way.
What the Lone Star says about
trainmen brings once more very forci-
bly, to my mind the fact that the more
humble laborer in all walks of life are
little noticed.
Did it ever occur to the Lone Star
and to many others who will scan
these few lines that there are many
men, most OF them very humble and
most Of them very poorly paid, whose
labor is Just as important as that of
the engineer or conductor and yet the
world seldom hears Of him? refer
in particular here to the m oh abused
paddy" or maintenance OF way EN-.
ploye; yet there are also many others
on whom the lives of people depend
as well as train men.
Have you not seen man dirty and
greasy and not very attractive to look
upon going along train OF passenger
cars just arrived and tapping the
wheels with hammer? How many
people stop to think that upon this
mans ability to detect flaw in a
wheel by the tone Of the ring OF his
hammer depends just as much as the
skill OF the engineer?
When the night is dark and the
earth soft, how many think Of the
lonely Waterman in lonely cut upon
whose fidelity to the trust reposed in
him may not only rest the lives of the
passengers but the lives OF those
same engineers and trainmen who
have been so much Wanted?
Then there is the track walker who
must be ever vigilant to perceive a
broken rail, a joint with the bolts out,
bit OF spread track or anything else
wrong.
Then how about the forman who
must be responsible for the five miles
of track he is in charge of and keep
1t in perfect shape for the trains?
And last, but by no means least. the
trusty track men who ably assist in
keeping everything in a safe condi-
ton. Are all these not worthy OF
mention? The smallest wheel in your
watch is Just of as much Importance
as the largest and II any were missing
your watch would be useless.
shall try to Illustrate by story
this division of responsibility among
the employees of the railroads of which
one class only gets the credit. AS the
writer has spent most of his time, for
seventeen years in the maintenance of
way work what we say may SAVIOR OF
egotism and should perhaps be left
for some one else to say, but no one
can describe anything so well as those
who talk from experience, and know
this little incident tosbe true, for, al
though it happened twelve years ago,
the smallest detail is in my mind.
1t is merely an embarrassing story
OF a common experience in the life
OF railroad trackmen such happens
many times.
The night is dark as pitch. the rain
comes down with a steady patter. A
Waterman is tramping over his beat
in lonely railroad cut. Now and
again he is startled by a splash as
small boulder of limestone drops from
the hillside into the overlooking ditch
es. After very cold winter there
has been long warm spell, which
draws the frost out Of the ground rap
idly and leaves the banks very soft.
This is followed by long continued
rain and these treacherous limestone
cuts are very dangerous. The lonely
Waterman realizes the fact as he
his lard oil lantern which only gives
out a small circle Of light and he is
conscious OF feeling of uneasiness.
He looks at his watch and sees that
It is ten o'clock. A half hour yet till
the last passenger train up. How he
wishes it was safely past and this
weight OF responsibility partly lifted,
for he is not worried so about the
slow freights as the fast passenger
trains.
Suddenly he stops with startled
exclamation as he bumps almost into
something large. He holds on high
the lantern and Surveys monster
limestone of many tons weight lying
on the track and smaller ones scat
tered about. The road bed is mar
row here and the river flows thirty
or forty feet below. A train running
into such an obstruction would be
A hA