The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1911-01-20

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W2%M nearest to deserving the
GV dignity of being called a
profession is that of loco
| motive engineer. Formerly this was.
like carpentry and mechanics and
OTHER manual occupations, little more
than a trade; but the complexities and
importance of railroad transportation
nave become so great as gradually to
nave elaborated the training of the
eng1neman until they are considered
competent to run a train only after
years of hard work and scientific
study.
SO, when your boy manifests symp-
toms of wishing to be locomotive en-
glneer, it may not be wise to dissuade
him on the ground that he would be
learning trade. He is sure to look
admlrlngly and longingly at the man
beside the throttle; almost every i'm
aglnatlve youngster does. If this at
traction is more than feeting, then
probably he is aspiring to an honor
able occupation which may give him
opportunity to reach the highest
places in the great business OF ra:i-
roading
The logical place for your son to
make his beginning is as fireman,
where he is to serve his three years
apprenticeship The preliminary re-
quirements are an ordinary common
school education, good physical condi-
ton. especially In eyesight and hear
ing, and of course, good habits. "Hav-
ing these qualifications" to quote
from railroad bulletin, advancement
will come to those who are Consci-
entious in the discharge of their du-
ties and who devote some of their
leisure hours to study"
AS soon as your boy is employed as
fireman he is on the same technical
basis as the oldest and most experi-
enced fireman on the system; for the
pay is the same, $2.75 for every hun
dred miles Travelled, reckoning a hun
dred miles as a days work.
This does not mean that he will be
assigned to fast express or even any
passenger trains. Newcomers are put
on the extra list. which means that
they will be employed only half time
or less, according to traffic demands
and the supply Of firemen Trainmen
are promoted and considered strictly
on seniority basis, with, of course,
regard for efficiency, the oldest men
In the service, if competent, being
gi1el. the choicest and most remunera-
tive runs.
When your boy is employed first as
fireman, he will be given a list of
questions on which he will be ex-
amined at the end of the first year.
This is rigid custom on a famous
eastern railroad and is generally fol-
lowed by railroads throughout the
country:
Explain the principle of the steam
gauge. What is the source of power
IN a steam locomotive? About what
quantity of water should be evapora-
ted in locomotive boiler to a pound
OF coal? What is steam and how is it
generated? What is combustion ?
What is the composition of bitumin-
GUS coal?. In what condition should
the fire be in order that the best re-.
suits may be obtained from the CON-
bustion of the coal? How should the
fire and water be managed in starting
from the station? What is the DIN.
pose Of safety valve? When and
why should you wet the coal in the
tender? And many other questions
covering wide range of knowledge
of the fuel used in locomotives and
the care of the engine itself. Also he
must explain what should be done in
wide range of emergencies and acct
dents.
By the end Of the first year, if your
boy has done his best to acquire
knowledge, he should be working
pretty regularly on freight engines
and earning probably as much as $50
or $50 month. and. # he passed his
examination. h'a will be doing fairly
we'll from Their on, by the end OF the
second year increasing his monthly
earnings to SIS or so which will prob
ably grow to $50 or 500 soon after.
ward. At the end of the third year he
has completed his course. and after
passing a particularly rigid examina-
ton is given a certificate of engineer
ing. This other examination is along
the line of the first, except that it is
more advanced and carried out ir
greater detail. It also includes com.
prehensive knowledge of the air
brake.
Your boys first engine will probably
be on a work train or at switching,
at a regular pay of 1925 a day of ten
hours; but, if seniority permits, he
will soon find himself on a regular
freight run, at pay of 1885 to $3.50 for
every hundred miles run, according
to the size of the locomotive. Freight
engineers on steady work earn some
thing like 1925 a month, and are in
direct line for promotion to passen-
ger runs. The regular pay on the lat
ter is $685. for every hundred miles
which gives engineers from Si5o to