The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1854-12-12
A Western Locomotive Fireman 20 his
Friend IN the Ea.l.

TOLEDO, Nov. l2th.-Dear Jim: Why
don't you pack up your pIurder aud come
here. We have rare sport, ] can tell you
you can bet your life on that. When fivsi
came out here | had the ager a good deal.
! shook every day Tor six months, and then
got a going every other day. Took more
quinine than horse could tyaw. After u
while Joe Smashup asked me ID run on his
engine and fire for him.
"You Won't shake long on my locomo-
tive" says he, "fur il pine knots don't drive
out your ager, one or two collisions i'll FIX you
completes"
Well on his engine went, and haint
shook since. It's better than Kolagog.
Joe 10 a perfect brick. He'J ruther run
into train or drove of cattle than not.
You'd ought to see lie horns fiy some times.
We had little iun the other night, and III
tell you how il was. The other train, that
We met every night at PIIe-up station, has
been in the habit OF hoIdin' on TO the track
on our time, and the conductors had two or
three jawings about it. Our conductor says
to the other one, says he:-
at You don't get off on to the other track
little livelier in future, I'll run into you
some night-sure's you live"
Then the other one says:-"You run into
me and you'll get cleaned out certain An
I'll stay on the track twelve hours, il l like
you bet your sweet lite o. thst!'
"WeI," says our conductor, "when you
stand on the track on my time, you've got TO
go back to the east end of the side track to
switch of,or you'll ketch it. some dark
night"
NO." says t. other one, 81 amt goin TO
no east end Of the side track to switch Off
certain's you live."
avail. then, you'll get smashed to hell
up, sure's you live."
avail, you just try it on"
"Wall, you'll see."
avail, you'll see."
"You'li make heap by runnin' into me,
reckon"
"WaIl, you'll make heap by holdin' on to
the track-that's certain."
! Well, you'll see, that's tie kind Of talk we
had once or t~ ice. and the other night, about
half-past two in the morning, they got to The
station ahead of us and held on. The con.
ductor gose into the depot, and cocks his feet
10 on the stove, as cool 8 a cucumber, leavin'
train-eight passenger carson the track.
The depo man is wide-awake chap, and be.
cause his switch. man was sick and off duty,
~
train was put on the side track for Us to 90
by.-So he went in aud axed the conductor
! if he warn't goin' on the side track!
"Y-a-a.s, / spose So"
"Wali," says he "you can't be a mite too
quick about it-now tell ye."
| The conductor went out kinder slow, and
teiled the engineer to 90 to the west end Of
the side track aud switch-off, but afore they
got there they met US and then want there
some fun! Joe Smashup says TO me, whats
them t,llers tryin' to do! Ain' they on our
timer EYES," says he, looking at his watch,
"the track beion 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. "l'm runnn' on my
own time-'he track belongs To me, and
don't see any signals So sint 10 blame 10
there's a smash. Same time, between you and
!, we'd always orter be ready TO jump when
We gel near this depot;" and he gin me u
wink. as il to say, look out for YOURSELF
It's q mighty straight tratk across the coun.
try, at P,leup, and we struck pretty good
gait. Joe had his hand upon the irons, bu,
he kept a koogin' mighty sharp. "Bv
George!" says he, 1--WE shall head 'em off.
They can't get NJ 70 the switch in time.
Get ready to jump. No you needn't. 'Twon,
be killer, for they've stopped and are craw.
ling of the other way. I'm afraid we shall
run into 'em thought"
:. | did jump, though, before she struck, bu,
Joe stuck 10 the machine. He's used TO it,
and knew jest how hard they biz, to pourd
The damage wasn't great. The Lion, 10th.
er locomotive, was smashed up con iderable
: d nd one ba JUape car and p1ese nVers worms
no good afterwards. Then all the couplings
|, and platforms in noath trains were smashed
, up. We lost cur cow-ca,c cher and lantern
, but our bully machine run just as we'll as ev.
er that mornn'.
Well, the passengers screamed. One
mans ankle was smashed, ole sholder was
put out OF joint, and one pa ssenger had his
leg crushed all 10 pieces. We took him to
a depot, and young surgeon cut off his leg
at the thigh. It's probable that he'll die
The young doctor has got to hsngin' round
, the Pileup depot every night for the train.
believe he's cut off four legs there in two
months. heard him tell Bill Robinson tina,
he was ahead yet. got sight Of this Eel.
, low, sure. | heard the jaw between the con.
ductors yesterday, and reckon on job this
morning.
The man that was smashed was going
home to his family in Wisconsin. 1t took
US long time To clear the track, and the
passengers growled like fun after they got
over the fright.
!, Now, Jim, come out here, and get on a
train with a gritty set Of conductors and en-.
glneers, and you'll have heap of fun, sure's
you live. SAMUEL FIREATER.
". Y Tribune.