The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-30

river" We trust that this matter may
come to Senator La Follette's notice;
the charge Is as believable as some that
he has accepted In the past.
Railroad life in Egypt did not lack
variety in its early days. Between 1871
and 1888 no new locomotives were pur-
chased; scarcely a boiler could be added
to the rolling stock; the Egyptian au-
thorities were complacent In the pres
ence Of breakdowns and accidents, such
Incidents being regarded by them as
directly attributable 20 the VIII OF
Allah. 50 far as punctuality was con-
cerned, the Oriental mind recognized u
not; the medical men OF the country
Issued certificates Of disability on the
lightest pretext: matrimonial ventures.
in which the railway servants INDUCED
10 excess, from the viewpoint Of
superintendent, not infrequently dis
| turbed the schedule and excuses for
non. appearance based on religious obi.
cations could not be ignored or sighted.
| OF the engine cleaners II is recalled that
| they would far rather say their prayers
! in dark corner OF the running shed
than wipe down n locomotive" form
of interruption OF labor not common In
| this country.
Semaphore signals were adopted early
| I'm the progress of railroads. Each post
! was provided with a movable arm. hand
worked, and designed to take three pO-
/ sitions, one indicating danger, another
caution and the third safety. To lazy
! signal man at Meadowbank ON the
North British lire Mr.. Protheroe gives
credit for the FIRST notable Improvement
| in this crude system. To save himself
| the trouble Of walking from signal TO
signal he rugged a wire pulley and lever,
| by which he controlled the arm from
! his hut. Tradition has II that the first
| commonwealth was a broken chair, al
.ached to the signal arm by an old
clothes line. This primitive device of
man anxious only to save his legs was
the forerunner Of the complex machines
on which reliance Ia now placed for the
| safety and expedition OF the world 4
commerce
II ia not our intention 10 convey the
! rotion that Mr.. Prothcroe's book is
/ merely a collection Of anecdotes and
| fragmentary legends Of the railroad.
! on the contrary. 1t Is designed 10 fur
| nish g. the reader whose education Is
| not of the kind essential TO the under
standing of technical publications a
| general survey, I'm moderate compass nf
the progress OF transportation facilities.
To pretend that even one aspect Of
| this momentous history, the record of
! activities that have transformed the
earth could ne extensively treated IN
one book is an ahsurdity into which he
! does NOT fall. Yet he covers the f1ed
generally, and has made an interesting
report Naturally, his attention Is
largely directed TO the railways OF the
British Isles. and these occupy 5li OF
his 735 pages In the PA remaining
pages ne treats, under the general head
| ing Foreign and Colonial Railways,
he rest OF the earth's surface. The dis
parity in space Is obvious; the difference
| in treatment becomes equally apparent
when the book is read.
In the pages devoted to England
no, only are the major roads honored
with separate chapters but not a few
paragraphs are devoted - individuals
who have made railway history. In
these IL Is interesting TO observe that
whole families have enlisted in the ser.
vice. and that more than one has had a
number of representatives in the higher
offices at the same time.
OF workers below the highest grade
Mr.. Protheroe speaks with mat ad
mirat!on which none who knows their
fidelity. devotion and resourcefulnes'
can escape or desires to:
! Railway annals TEEN with the records oi
. ! devotion to duty in the face of rampant
dangers not only by engine men. bu, por
tiers. guards, signal men and other ciasse'
, in the service. Engine men, burnt ant
sealded have brought a train to n standstil
! 20 insure tho safety Of the passengers he
hind: porters ana guards have saved per
sons crossing tho line by leaping upor
the metals and holding them down while
an express Numbered over them
This is not only rendering justice 8,
the railway employees. but the sen
fences we have quoted give fair no
. ton Of Mr. Protheroe's literary style
The book is adequately illustrated an
not a few Of the photographs reproduce,
are Of real interest