Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1854-12-21
A Western Locomotive Fireman to his
Friend In the East.

A Western Locomotive Fireman to his
Friend In the East.
Toledo, Nov. II. 1854.
DEAR JIM: Why don't you pack up
your plumber and come here. We have
rare sport, | can tell you you can bet
your life of that. When first came ont
here had the ager good deal. shook
every day for six months, and thengot a
going every other day. Took more qui-
nine than horse could draw After
while Joe Smashup asked me to run on
his engine and fire for him. You won't
shake long on my locomotive says he,
for if pine knots don't drive out your
ager. one or two collisions i'll fix you
complete
Wall, on to his engine / went, and |
haint shook since. It's better than a
kolagog.
Joe is perfect brick. He'd rather
run into train or drove of cattle than
not. You'd ought to see to horns fly
sometimes. We had little fun the 9TH
er night. and I'll tell you how it was.
The other train, that we meet every night
at Pileup station, has been in the habit
of holdm' on to the track on our time,
and the conductors had two or three jaw
ms about it. Our conductor says to the
other one, says he. If you don't get off
on to the other track little livelier in
futur, Fllrun into you some nlght--sure's
you live
Then the other one saws. You run in
ter me and you'll get cleaned out certain.
An I'll stay on the track twelve hours.
i'll like-you bet your sweet life on that
wall, says our conductor, when you
stand on the track on my time, you've
got to go back to the cast end of the side
track to switch Off or you'll ketch it
some dark night
No says t'other one, I amt goin'
to no east end of the side track to switch
off certain's you live
Wall, then you'll get smashed up to
hell, sure's you live
wall, you'll see
Wall, y0uU see.'
You'll make a heap by runuin' into
me, reckon
Wall, youW make heap by holdin'
on to,the track-that'S certain
Well, you see, that's the kind of talk
we had once or twice, and the other
night, about half past two in the morn
ing, they got to the station ahead of us
and held on. The conductor goes into
the dcpo and cocks his feet up on the
stove as cool as cucumber, leavin' train
eight passenger carson the track.
The depo man is a wide-awake chap. and
because his switch-man was sick and off
,uty. he know'd he got to turn the switch
if the train was put on to the side track
for us to go by. So he went in and AK
ed the conductor if he WANT goin' on to
the side track!
'Y-a-a-s, sposc So
wall, says he, you can't be a mite
too quick about it-nvw | tell ye.'
The conductor went out kinder slow
and telled the engineer to go to the west
end of the side track and switch off, but
afore they got there they met us, and
then want there some fun! Joe Smash
DIP says 10 me, w hats them fellows try
in to do? Amt they on our timeF Yes
says he boxing at his watch, the track
belongs to US, an I'm goin' to let her rip
-sure's you live
What says I. YOU goin' to run these
trains together?
Look here says he, Pm runnin on
my own time-thc track belongs to me,
and | don't see any signals, so | amt to
blame if there's smash. Same time,
between you and | we'd always orter be
readg tojump hen we get near this de-
po : and he gin me wink as if to say,
Look out for yourself?'
It's mighty straight tack across the
country at pieup, aid we struck pref
ty good gait. Joe had his hand upon
the irons, but he kept lookin; mighty
sharp. BY Georoe! says he, we shall
head EN- of. They cam get mp to the
switch in time. Get ready to jump. No
you need Mt Twont be killer, for
they've stopped, and arc crawlin' off the
other way. I'm afraid We shall run in
to 'em thought
| did Jump. though before she struck,
but Joe stuck Ia the machine. He's us
ed to it, and knew Just how hard they'd
hit, to a pound. The damage was Mt so
great. The Lion. tother locomotive, was
smashed up considerable. and one bag
gage car and one passenger were MT no
good afterwards. Thenall the couplings
and platforms in both trains were smash
ed up. We lost our cow-catcher and
lantern, but the old bully machine run
Just as we'll as ever that mornin.'
Well. the passengers screamed. One
mans ancle was smashed, one shoulder
out of joint, and one passenger had his
leg crushed all to pieces. We took him
to the dcpr. and goung surgeon cut off
his leg at the thigh. It's probable that
he'll die. The youns doctor has got to
haurin'round the Pileup Gcpo every night
for the train | believe he's cut Oft -four
legs th~re in two months, | heard Inn
tell Bill Robinson that he was ahead yet
got sight of this fellow sure. heard
! the jaw between the conductors yester-
! day, and reeoncd on job this morn
/ ing.
The man that was smashed was goin
home to his family in Wisconsin. 1t took
us long time TO clear the track, and the
passengers g;owled like finn after they
| got over the fright.
! Now, Jim. cone out here. and get or
a train, with gritty set of conductor:
and engineers, and you'll have a heap o
| fun, sure's You live.
SAMUEL FIREATER.
I
CAN anybody be drowned as long a
! his head swims?