Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1910-02-03
RAIL ROADiRS MOST
SUPERSTITIOUS
EVERY MYSTERIOUS SIGN COMES
IN FOR RATHER CLOSE
WATCHING.
ALL SAID TO FEAR SEPTEMBER
AND LONG FOR THE MONTH
TO PASS.

railroad workers are generally re-
garded as daring, hard-headed, praC-
teal minded men, and especially en-
CINE drivers and brakemen have been
lauded as the modern relic of the
knight Grant of ancient days. There
fore few people dare to accuse sucn
fellows Of superstition belief in lucky
numbers and the careful and anxious
watching for signs Of disaster. Yet
such is the case. The handsome
young brakeman whom the girls
along the line regard as a real sol
der Of fortune, and who can be seen
sitting uncOncernedly on the extreme
edge Of the end OF a box car root
while the train runs at a speed of
forty miles an hour, certainly has
no fear of falling down under the
wheels But he is superstitious and
he carefully watches all mysterious
signs, listens attentively to legendary
railroad tales, and anxiousIy keeps on
the look out for odd numbers. And
so it is with the engineer and fire
man who always possess a physiog-
nomy that besepeaks ridicule Of per
sonal danger.
Some engine drivers suffer from an
inveterate propensity to believe that
one disaster will invariably be fol-
lowed by two others, and no man can
convince this kind of engineer or fire.
man that accidents will not occur IN
cycles of three. The consequence is
that when a mishap happens to his
engine, the superstftiOus driver feels,
uneasy until two other disasters have
followed. This superstition is so prev
alent among certain drivers that the
phrase. Were bound to have an
other, Bill" is frequently heard. AS
strange contrast to this fear of a
cycle of accidents is the belief prev
alent among railroad men in regard to
stations and places on the line where
disasters have occurred.
The month of September is regarded
by many engineers as the most I'M
lucky month of the year. Although
statistics prove that more disasters
have not taken place during Septem-
Der than in any other months of the
year, superstitious engineers will re-
main confirmed that 1t is an unlucky
period of time for railway men The
following quotation of an old engi- |
neer is often told among railway
men:
81 always feel more comfortable !.
when september is over. Perhaps be-
cause it marks the end of the holiday ,
season and the rush of summer rail-
way traffic. Personally, / should not |
like to have a holiday in that month. !
neither would l care for any MEMBER |
Of my family to go away during Sep |
TENDER. 1t may be silly fancy on my
part, but I always dread something |
happening in the ninth month Of the |
year"
This man also said that in his cx,
perience he knew Of many engineers
who would never step into the CAP
with the left foot first. There are
railroad men who, if they stumble !
over a rail, would go back immedl- |
ately and step over it carefully and !
Many other superstitions |
exist among railroad men, each class |
Of the men who run the trains
throughout the country believes III
different signs and different omens, !
and it has been maintained that very
few railway workers are not super
Yet the railroad man is a brave fell
low. He seldom fears for his own
life, and the confidence with which he
works about the dangerous machin-
cry can but pronounce him as a man
devoid of fear. 1t is for his train and
however, that the mani
worries. To figure in a wreck is mol
wish Of any railroad man, and when
ever an accident does happen it isl
usually the crew of the train that
gives he greatest exhibition Of BRAY
cry. For man to lose his head and
become excited during a collision IS
considered the worst disgrace among
railroad workers, and the instances
where a trainman complained of ms
iuiuripC are faw