The Winslow mail., 1914-08-01
He LIVES IN THE CAB
TAKES NEW LOCO,
MOTIVES TO OWNERS.
Guard and Caretaker of These Engines
Must Remain With Them Continu-
ally Until They Reach Their
Destination.

Since the days when people first be-
gan to look upon the locomotive as
rival of the stagecoach the engineman
has occupied big niche in the hall
of fame. Artists paint him standing
faithfully at his post of duty as his
engine plunges on to destruction;
writer's tell of his bravery under the
most terrifying stress; poets sing of
his heroism and the responsibility for
the human beings in his care.
Yet there is another man who occu-
pies the locomotive cab long before
the trusty, grime-besmeared engine
man guides the throttle-a man around
whom neither the artist, the writer nor
the poet seems to have woven the fan
ciful and the heroic, says the Phila-
delphia Record.
After the huge modern locomotive
is completed it may be necessary to
send this powerful machine thousands
Of miles across the country. From
Philadelphia the trip may be to Port
land, Ore, or far off into the coldest
and widest regions of Canada. A new
locomotive cannot be used to pull
train travelling in that direction, as
Stunning Immediately the work for
which it has been built 1t probably
belongs to another railroad and must
be shipped to the ordered destination
as freight
Most Of us have travelled sufficiently
or been near railroads enough to have
become familiar with the sight Of
long freight train which is made up
Of numerous locomotives, fresh paint
and shiny metal testifying to their
newness, between the familiar box and
gondola cars. They are not travelling
under their own steam, but are moving
as freight, the same as any other mer-
chandise or machinery. Grouped in
twos, each pair is separated from the
next by four or six regular freight
cars. In the cab of each leading To-
comotive sits man, officially desig-
mated as "the messenger" He is guard
and caretaker of two of the newly built
engines and is required to remain with
them continually until they reach the
place where the owners take posses
sion.
While travelling he must stay awake,
watchful of possible accidents and
breakages. For days and weeks he is
practically under solitary confinement,
snatching an occasional few minutes of
sleep when the train halts and that
only after he has completed thor
ough examination Of the engines. His
life is unusual. In many respects it is
similar to that of a tramp. He travels
from one end of the continent to the
other by freight and IS seldom at home.
From the time he leaves the locomo-
tive works he lives in the cab Of one
of the engines. The back is boarded
up, with small sliding door in the
middle. Within 1t is fitted out as a
combination eating and sleeping room.
The quarters are cramped, but the
messenger finds space for his needs.
bunk and over it shelf. A small coal
stove heats the compartment. On the
right is a table and seat His provi-
sions and fuel are stored in the ten
der. Thus he lives during his trip,
which may mean three, four or five
weeks
Attached to the locomotive works
are about $50 messengers. During the
busy season these men are riding the
railroads farther and longer than the
most hustling of our city drummers.
They return to this city on passenger
trains and their mileage is covered by
the company.
His unconventional apartment does
not make the messenger any the less
appreciative Of good food. And some
of these men have gained fame for
their cooking. Said one man who has
made so many trips that the work has
almost become monotonous: 81 usually
start with a good supply, and for a
three weeks trip get a pound each of
butter and coffee, several loaves Of
properly cared for, a quarter-peck of
onions and potatoes, a half-dozen boxes
of biscuits, two dozen of eggs, some
canned vegetables, a couple of slices
of ham and sufficient sugar. Like my
self, most Of the boys have a sweet
tooth, and like buns and cakes and rice
puddings, Also no messenger would
go without some cans Of sardines, for
they make their favorite sandwiches of
them"