The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-08-31
CONTINUED
FROM PAGE l
GIRL REPORTER RUNS
n, P. engine ON
EVE OF Big STRIKE

ed TO know.
! hunted out D. s. Tobias. who
assists Hazen J. Titus. head OF the
northern Pacific commissary de-
partlnent. and asked him TO guide
me about. II took him a Ions time
10 make all the arrangements: IT'S
n complicated business TO gain &C
cess behind the scenes OF rail-
way. but We made Il ultimately.
We went 10 the Northern Pacific
round house. which isn't round
house AZ all. but has points and cor
ners all over Il. and which r. To-
Gated Just about az near TO Taco.
ma IA II could possibly be and still
remain within the limits OF Seattle,
We watched the engines switching
about on the network OF tracks.
nosing past each other within easy
touching distance. and never for a
moment getting in each others
way.
Engines Like Giant Ants
They are like nothing so much
as giant ants with human brains
IN them
We were given n Fat envelope
full OF recommendation and passes
and testimonies as 10 our chRrac-
tiers. and we're told 10 climb aboard
No. 9iea. She was the biggest Of
the ants steaming about the tracks.
and was due TO leave for the depot,
to pick up a southhound train
me; her engineer and fireman.
They were something Of n shock
10 me. There was nothing the least
grimy about them. tho they assur.
Cd me there would be before long.
and the set. tense look" that. from
flctional reading. had come to be
lleve habitual 10 the faces OF men
who ran big engines, wasn't there
at all
Climbs Into Engine
They gave me two pieces OF
waste 10 take hold OF things with,
and climbed into the engine cab.
couldn't describe the anatomy OF
that big black ant They told me
the names Of lot OF things-little
handles and big handles, and tubes,
and buttons. ana knobs.
remember some OF the names.
and / remember a good deal about
the way things looked, but ! can't
connect the names and things-and
there's no use trying The only
one I'm really sure OF was the big.
round hole that opens when you
put your foot on little bar-an
iron bar-and thru which you dump
coal into glorious orange and red
cavern.
She's Engineer
They gave me my choice OF be
ing engineer or fireman-and after
a look at the shovel and the coal
pile, chose TO be engineer. ! sat
up on leather cushioned seat,
and did what the engineer told me.
squeezed two iron bars together
and pulled them toward me and
we began TO move-and we kept
moving faster and faster until they
took the iron bars away from me
by force.
I did lot Of other things. too.
with handles. and | leaned out OF
the window and looked nervously
ahead and behind, as have seen
professionals do. Every minute Of
that all too short ride my respect
grew for the men who make the
engine 70.
We don't realize while we are
sitting in the Pullman or in the
day coach. II we aren't the Pull
man kind. all the things that are
going on way up there In front,
nor the responsibilities on the
shoulders OF the men In the cab.
Learns Something OF Engines
| noticed Mr. Tohas listening TO
the engineer very attentively. and
he poked about among the knobs
and coils good deal. It's a good
thing. He may need all that in.
formation II there's a strike-our
telegraph operator says he's sure
there wont be one.
The big ant throbbed its way
into the sheds, and pulled han
die and we slowly groaned to Il
stop. They took the two pieces of
waste away from me and | climbed
down
II more engineers are needed
while the real ones are on strike.
why. | know what TO pun TO start
an engine and what to pull TO
stop it, and that's something any