Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 179, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 July 1914 — HE LIVES IN THE CAB [ARTICLE]

HE LIVES IN THE CAB

"MESSENGER" TAKES N£W LOCOMOTIVES TO OWNERS. ■■■■ ■ ■■■■'.; / -■ 'iv-. \. f ■ ’ . . ' •_ r ; ’ .. Guard and Caretaker of These Engines Must Remain With Them Continually Until They Reach Their ' Destination. Since the days when people first began to look upon the locomotive as a rival of the stagecoach the engineman has occupied a big niche in the hall of fame. Artists paint him standing faithfully at his post of duty as his engine plunges on to writers tell of his bravery unde¥ 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 occupies the locomotive cab long before the trusty, grime-besmeared engineman guides the throttle? —a man around whom neither the artist, the writer nor the poet seems to have woven the fanciful and the heroic, says the Philadelphia 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 Portland, Ore., or far off into- the coldest and wildest regions of Canada. A new locomotive cannot be used to pull a train traveling in that direction, assuming Immediately the work for which it has been built. It probably belongs to another railroad and must be shipped to the ordered destination as freight. 1 Most of us have traveled sufficiently or been near railroads enough to have become familiar with the sight of a long freight train which is made up ofnunrerousioeomotives.freshpaint and shiny metal testifying to their newness, between the familiar box and gondola cars. They are not traveling under their own steam, but are moving as freight, the same as any other merchandise 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 locomotive sits a man, officially designated 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 possession.

While traveling 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 a thorough 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 locomotive works he lives in the cab of one of the engines. The back is boarded up, with a small sliding door in the middle. Within it is fitted out as a combination eating and sleeping room. The quarters are cramped, but the messenger finds space for his needs. On the left side he places a temporary bunk and over it a shelf. A small coal stove heats the compartment On the right is a table and seat His provisions and fuel are stored in the tender. Thus he lives during his trip, which may mean three, four or five weeks. Attached to the locomotive works are about 150 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: “f usually start with a good supply, and for a three weeks’ trip get a pound each of butter and coffee, several loaves of bread that will keep fresh a week if 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 myself, most of the boys have a sweet tooth, and Ilka buns and cakes and rice puddings. Also no messenger would go without some cans of sardines, for they make their favorite sandwiches of them.”