Year: 1876

/ workman who was descanting on the
advantages Of his saw, and who merely
wanted to point out how truly il ran.
lie pushed his finger forward little too
far. and whizl off IL went. He felt pc
culiar sensation, not a hurt (for il is well
known that there is no pain attending
the looping off Of a member by a very
rapidly revolving blade,) and, half in
stinctively, he poked out another finger,
and that likewise departed Then he
discovered that something was wrong,
and subsequently that he was minus two
fingers Fingers cut off are trivial acci-
dents to some that occur through care
lessness Not very long ago, a woman in
a New England mill went TO work with
her hair down. She moved carelessly
around among the buzzing wheels and
shafts, and the FIRST thing she knew her
tresses were caught, and no Pawnee on
the plains could have scalped her more
neatly. Her misfortune benefited Sci
ence, however, for 1t gave the doctors a
splendid opportunity to try the efficacy
OF transplanting skin. Medical skill
healed the wound, we believe. but her
flowing locks were gone. A workman
was strangled in q somewhat singular
way, his loose neckcloth catching and
twisting itself about a shaft, which could
not be stopped in time; another. we re-
member, met a more horrible fate by be.
coming entangled with a shaft which
swung him around and around, dashing
him against the beams and floor at every
turn, until, before the motion could be
arrested, he was literally torn to pieces.
We have seen men ON steam vessels
crawl down among the machinery, with
light in one hand and a tool in the
rNNh NJ NrWs a. n L.
moving part at its every revolution, the
rolling of the ship making their position
still more perilous. A case happened, a
very short time ago, in which a maehin-
ist entered the narrow enclosure in
which the paddle shaft crank Of steam
err worked He knew perfectly we'll that
steam was up, and that the vessel would
shortly get under way; but for some un.
accountable reason, he chose at the last
minute to get under the crank, perhaps
to put the last touch on some repairing
job. IL was his last touch, for the engi-
neer. whom he did not notify Of his in
tention. happened to work the starting
bar to give the engine turn or two.
The crank came over and smashed the
unfortunate being out Of all human sem
blance.


We might 20 on and multiply instan-



there are few of our readers who cannot
do likewise. But despite the knowledge
Of the prevalence Of these casualties, peo-
pie continue 10 be careless. Tho engi-
neer doesn't realize that the engine
which he has rubbed till he can see his
face in any part Of il, or whose motion
he has controlled for the last ten years,
will crush him il he once gets in its
clutch. Hasn't he a pet name for IL, and
doesn't he pat the cylinder Rffectionately,
and view it all over with a kind Of faith
erly INTEREST," Certainly he reasons
somehow that the insensate iron and
steel will spare ITS master. Then there
is the machinist Did he not put up
those countershafts, and ft that belting2
What if he does get up on a ladder. and
try to slip belt already on the driven
pulley over a big driver with the latter
in motion2 lie laughs when the risk Of
his getting caught between belt and pull
ley Is pointed out, guesses he knows this
gear, and "he's done it n thousand
times" and the thousand and first time
may result in a horrible death. Locomo-
tive engineers are also frightfully reck-
less. With an engine going forty miles
an hour, il is much more prudent to
slow down or even stop in order TO oil
squeaky bearing than to climb out on
the side and hang over so as to reach the
place with tho oil can. Better lose
minute or two OF time than risk life.
The men who run our locomotives have
plenty Of chances to display heroism and
daring at the right time; and il is for
the very reason that they are so rarely
found wanting in those qualities that we
hate to see them uselessly peril their
lives.


In a word, workmen should learn that
there is no such thing as familiarity with
machinery. Study your machines, we
say. know every bolt, every nut, every
piece Of metal in them, know how TO re-
pair, to build, to invent improvements,
know how to exact their utmost capabil-
tiles; but for your own safety, and for
the sake Of those dependent on your Ia
Dor, do not relax one instants care. nor
persuade yourself that you can rely upon
your dexterity or upon any half supposed
merciful attribute in moving masses Of
metal.-SeiHtife American.