Newspaper Page Text
for the trip are aboard and in the
proper place.
Watching closely his water and
steam, handling the throttle as gently
as a mother handles her new-born in
fant, that his speed may be uniform
both up hill and down ; giving cros
sing signals for the protection of oth
ers, station signals bidding the station
agent to be at his post, and putting
the impatient passengers on notice to
be also ready; watching keenly for
misplaced switches the engineer’s
death trap —he reaches the station —
the connecting point —on time.
The opposing train is delayed. As
his conductor rushes to the telegraph
office for orders, you see the engineer,
with monkey-wrench and oil-can in
hand, passing quietly but quickly
around his engine, keenly scanning
every part of the machinery, knowing
full well that he will be called upon
for an extra run in order to give the
delayed train a chance to make up
lost time.
The order is received and calls for a
very fast run over a very difficult
piece of road. Perhaps his engine,
from some unknown and undiscovera
ble cause, has not been steaming well,
and it has been only with great effort
that he has been able to make the
meeting point on time.
The order appeals to his profession
al pride. The decision rests on him —
and him alone —whether he can make
the run in the allotted time.
Rising to the situation he instantly
calculates to the fraction of a second
the power of his machine, and an
swers, “I can make it.”
Dangerous as these specially quick
runs frequently are, I have often rid
den with the engineer in his cab,
watching with the keenest interest
the man under these trying circum
stances. With compressed lip and
flashing eye, this man of iron nerve
calls upon his favorite for a supreme
effort, and strange to say the call is
rarely in vain. Like the high-mettled
horse who catches the spirit of his ri
der, this complex thing of iron and
steel catches the spirit of the man who
guides it —the quick beatings of its
fiery heart increasing until its fierce
throbbings become a continuous roar.
Dashing over bridges and culverts
at a speed that shakes them to the
bottom of their foundations, swinging
around curves with the speed of the
wind, where an obstruction would send
all to eternity in the twinkling of an
eye, this iron man stands erect as the
royal pine crowning the Bills of Geor
gia, watchful, cool and resolute, never
tearing, never doubting —and wins.
I have seen big-chested, brawny
men so exhausted from these strains
upon brain and nerve as to become
weak as an infant.
Rallying with superhuman effort, I
have been intensely amused as they
would walk around their machine,
patting it with a loving hand, calling
it pet names and avowing that his pet
was never known to fail when called
upon by her loving master.
Verfly, the engine driver is a ma
chine, and the machine is a part of
himself, and next to Mollie and the
babies, commands his deepest and
strongest love.
Now let us discuss for a moment the
vast responsibilities resting upon the
staiwuit shoulders of this iron man,
the locomotive engineer. Let us look
at this question in a pure business
light, and if possible to do so, let us
estimate the money value of the loco
motive engineer to the 65,000,000 of
people inhabiting this great country.
At this date we have 140,000 miles
of railway in operation in United’
States.
The average cost ot those 140,000
miles of railway has been $60,000
per mile —or a grand total of $8,400,-
000,000.
This investment of $8,400,000,000
underlies all other interests of this
great country.
These interests are dependent upon
the railways.
The railways are dependent for their
operation upon the locomotive engi
neers.
Without them they could not be op
erated.
Without them this investment of
$8,400,000,000 would be comparative
ly valueless.
Suspend the operation of our rail
ways and the shrinkage of values
would literally bankrupt the nation.
Their suspension would set the clock
of time back a century.
So much for the business view of
this great question.
No body of men —no organization
on this continent wield so vast a pow
er as the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers.
That it will be exercised for the fu
ture good of their country—no one
conversant with the principles of the
order, and its past history, will for a
moment doubt.
Their motto —“The Golden Rule,”
is as broad as the universe. It is love.
God is love.
Summing up the whole subject in a
single sentence, the locomotive engin
eer is truthful, loyal, and brave to a
fault.
His character is cast in a heroic
mould.”
We will here add that the engineer
has always struck us as being one of
the most useful, necessary and heroic
of men. There is something peculiar
ly impressive in his daily career.
Starting out, for instance, at night
for a run which lasts until the next
daylight, one of his principal cares is
to see that his headlight is in good
condition. The conductor rings the
bell, and with the engineer’s hand
upon the lever the mighty machine,
like an intelligent thing of life, starts
forward. The throbbing motion and
majestic sound soon attract the atten
tion of all around. The engineer, how
ever, looks not back nor to one side.
Holding his hand upon the throttle he
continues his steady glance in front of
him upon the track which is illumina
ted for some hundred yards or more by
the bright glare from the headlight.
Out into the darkness, like a shoot
ing meteor rushes the engine. Now
the streets and houses of the city are
passed, into the hill country, among
the forests, which appear all the more
gloomy in the darkness of the night.
Onward, across high bridges and on
the tops of enormous embankments,
the creature of his will shoots forward.
The seconds dart into minutes and
minutes run into hours, and still his
hand clasps the throttle and his eye
looks upon the two steel rails before
him. Cattle appear on the track.
The signal is given to frighten them,
or, if necessary, he slows down his
engine. He approaches the town en
route. The fireman, at a nod from
him, rings the bell to warn from the
crossings all passers-by. The cross
road in the country is approached.
The whistle or bell gives notice that
THE KENNESAW GAZETTE.
there is danger and that any one must
keep off the track.
Thus through the night his eye and
his mind are strained to the utmost,
and when the long trip is over, fre
quently exhausted nature leaves him
almost faint. We might write a vol
ume upon this subject and still pay
only a small tribute to the heroism as
well as useful industry of the locomo
tive runner.
Gentlemen of the Convention and
all your associates, our hats are off to
you. “May you live long and pros
per.”
I’se Gwine Back to Dixie.
I’se gwine back to Dixie,
No more I’se gwine to wander ;
My heart’s turned back to Dixie
I can’t stay here no longer.
I miss de ole plantation,
My home and my relation ;
My heart’s turned back to Dixie,
Andi must go.
CHORUS.
I’se gwine back to Dixie,
I’se gwine back to Dixie,
I’se gwine where de orange blossoms grow,
For I hear de children calling,
I see their sad tears falling,
My heart’s turned back to Dixie,
And I must go.
I’se hoed in fields of cotton,
I’se worked upon de river,
I used to think if I got off,
I’d go back dere, no never ;
But time has changed de ole man,
His head is bending low,
His heart’s turning back to Dixie,
And I must go.
I’se trav’ling back to Dixie —
My step is slo w and feeble;
I pray de Lord to help me,
And lead me from all evil;
And should my strength forsake me,
Den, kind friends, come and take me;
My heart’s turned back to Dixie,
And I must go.
Psalm CXXIvT
The Church blesseth God for a miraculous
deliverance.
A Song of Degrees of David.
IF it had not been the Lord who was on
our side, now may Israel say ;
2. If it had not been the Lord who was
on our side, when men rose up against us:
3. Then they had swallowed us up quick,
when their wrath was kindled against us:
4. Then the waters had overwhelmed us,
the stream had gone over our soul:
5. Then the proud waters had gone over
our soul.
6. Blessed be the Lord, who hath not
given us as a prey to their teeth.
7. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of
the snare of the fowlers: the snare is bro
ken, and we are escaped.
8. Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
A Historic Locomotive.
The old “General,” the W. & A.
locomotive, famous as the one stolen by
the Federals during the war, when
they attempted to destroy the “Back
bone of the Confederacy,” has of late
been thoroughly overhauled and re
juvenated, and is now pulling one of
the accommodation trains. Though
small, compared with other locomo
tives, the “General” is a fast traveler.
She recently made quite a remarkable
run from Atlanta to Kennesaw, while
hauling passenger train No. 19. The
train left Atlanta nearly three-quar
ters of an hour behind time, and the
“General” was called upon to do her
best. There were three cars and a
sleeper comprising the tiain, and the
way they rocked and reeled as the
“General” whirled them around the
short curves, was a caution. The
speed at times was great, often reach
ing a maximum of a mile a minute.
The passengers certainly breathed
freer when Kennesaw, the supper
house, was at last reached, and the
lost time made up. — North Georgia Cit
izen.
H. R. C.
RHEUMATISM CURED.
READ THE EVIDENCE!
Louisville, Ky., Oct. 4,1886.
Gentlemen—Having been afflicted
with rheumatism for several years,
and only getting temporary relief at
times, I was induced to try your Rheu
matic Cure while in Atlanta last June,
buffering with a severe attack while
there, and found immediate relief, and
was entirely cured after taking two
bottles. I consider it the best rheu
matic medicine now on the market,
and can and will take pleasure in rec
ommending it to those afflicted with
this disease. Yours very truly,
N. HAIGHT, Traveling Agent
Union Pacific Ry. Co., 346 West Main Street.
Atlanta, Ga., Oct. 15, 1886.
Some years ago I had a severe at
tack of rheumatism, and was confined
to my bed for thirty days ; one Sun
day morning I was on my bed help
less and with little hope of recovering,
when I sent for Mr. J. M. Hunnicutt,
who informed me that Hunnicutt’s
Rheumatic Cure would have me up
and walking over my household the
next day. I thought the man was
crazy and laughed at him; though I
agreed to try his remedy, and did as
directed. My right leg was then im
movable. During the evening and
night I began to feel a sense of unea
siness all through my system, and
about 2 o’clock in the night my leg
that was bad began to relax and the
sudden relief aroused me to a wide
awake, when I called my wife and
asked her to look at my leg. I could
pull it up. I was so overjoyed I hol
lowed “Hurrah for Hunnicutt.” I
slept nicely the balance of the night.
The next morning I got out of my bed
and dressed, when the children began
to be so surprised at seeing me out of
bed, they came around with delight
and exclaimed : “Look at papa! I
am so glad!” I walked that day all
over my home. The second day I had
a walk in the yard. The third day I
went riding and visited my place of
business, and less than one week I was
moving again at my post as if nothing
had happened. I have not been troub
led with anything of the kind since
and can yet say hurrah for “Hunni
cutt’sßheumaticCure.” J. A. Adair,
Ticket Agent W. & A. R. R.
Louisville, Ky., March 14, 1887.
This certifies that I was severely af
flicted with inflammatory rheumatism,
and after the use of several bottles of
Hunnicutt’s Rheumatic Cure I was
completely cured. In this connection
I would say my servant woman in
formed me that I had better secure
the services of another cook, as she
suffered every winter from inflamma
tory rheumatism, and would not be
able to serve me during the winter.
She used, by my advice, three bottles
of H. R. C., and has not lost a day’s
work this winter, being completely
cured. I recommend it without hesi
tation as being the best rheumatic cure
I know of. C. C. W. Alfriend,
Passenger Agt. L. & N. R., Cor. Main and 4th sts.
Louisville, Ky., Dec. 24,1886.
I hereby certify that three bottles of
Hunnicutt’s Rheumatic Cure cured my
wife perfectly well in four weeks’ time,
after being confined to the house for
six months with a severe attack of
muscular rheumatism. It is certainly
a most wonderful cure.
Z. T. UNDERWOOD. City Ticket Agent,
J. M. & 1. R. R., S. W. corner 3rd and Main Steets
ASK YOUR DRUGGIST FOR IT ANO IF HE HASN'T IT MAKE
HIM ORDER IT FOR YOU.
Hunnicutt Rheumatic Cure Co.,
P, O. Box 51, Atlanta, Ga., Sole Proprietors.
5