The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1911-03-16

Nl W HEN you mace mat long
WAN delayed trip to Europe you
1SkFW perhaps noticed, when
49, saunterinr about The deck,
w e trim, stronF.lookiug man
in blue coat with the
words Chief Engineer" on the front
Of his cap. He WIS apparently a man
without work TO do; for he strolled
about the deck summing himself. occa.
sionally stopping to exchange word
with passenger, and evidently didn't
have care or responsibility in the
world. And he was only about thirty
five or forty
And yet that same man was one Of
the most alert on board for on him d.
rectly rested the strain Of getting the
huge vessel across the seas on SEIZED
ule time and with due regard to the
safety OF the passengers The rumble
OF the engines six or eight stories be.
low was as familiar 10 him as the
tones OF your boys voice. and was
noted constantly.
II Is fine occupation, that OF mar
ine engineer. and one that offers almost
unlimited opportunities for advance.
ment to the young man possessing
ambition and energy. AS In all other
occupations, there are many who do
not appear 10 get ahead very far: but
the rewards are adequate for the one
who works and studies to Increase his
efficiency
Yes, your boy can be marine en-
gineer. 1t is simply up to him to get
at IT, no matter what his age or edu-
cation so hong as he is at least four.
teen or fifteen and is in good health.
Strangely enough, the best way to
make the start. If one has high am
billions, is not in vessel at all, but in
n machine shop To be sure, the logi.
cal way would seem TO be TO get Job
as fireman on tug or ferry boat or
other small craft and so work up, and
many have begun in that very way;
but a full knowledge of machinery
must be attained somehow before the
worker can get very high. and II is
difficult TO do so In any other place
than where the machinery Ia made
and put together. Your boy is looking
at the end rather than the means, and
prefers getting as much experience as
he can before, at 81, he takes his ex.
animation for engineer. (Under gov.
eminent regulations he must be of age
before he can do this
so, at the age OF IA or 15. he goes to
the foreman Of a shipbuilding or re-
pair plant and applies for n Job. When
he gets It he will be nothing, for a
time, but machnlst's helper, and
will do only the most ordinary kinds
Of manual labor, such as wiping off
pieces of steel for the machinists, run
ming errands, carrying things, etc,
and will be paid only $3.50 or 81 a
week
After while he begins to get &C.
quainted with the different tools In
use ut the shop, learns what they are
used for and how they are operated,
and in course of few months will be
doing some of the less important
work Of the regular engineer And so
he goes on advancing in capability and
pay until, at the end of the fourth
year. he will be earning SO or $40
wesfly
This completes his period OF appren.
ticeship. and he is a full-hedged Jour.
neyman machinlst, entitled to SO or 81
day. Now, he should not go at
once to a vessel expecting TO make
an engineer, but instead should re.
main in the machinists trade, for two
or three years more to gain expert
ence Furthermore, II will be better
for him to go to other shlpyards and
work. so as to become acquainted
with the different methods OF con.
structing engines, boilers, etc. In this
way he will broaden his knowledge
until he can meet any mechanical
emergency that is likely to occur.
BY the time he is 21 or thereabouts
he should 20 to the chief engineer OF
some steam vessel and ask for a Job
as fireman. water tender, or oIler. to
gain the practical experience aboard
ship Under Uncle Sans regulations
he must have year OF this work be-
fore he is qualified to take the exam.
ination for third assistant engineer
OF course. he passes the test given
him by the local government inspector
OF boilers, and is then ready for his
first regular job at engineering His
pay at once expands from the s4b a
month and board he received as oiier
TO $40 or SIS. also with board, and he
stands one Of the regular watches of
four hours Engineers work four hours
and have eight of In regular service.
He also helps at making repairs to
the machinery and watches the
pumps, dynamos. etc.
A year Of this. and he may take the