Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-10-03
EVENING STAR.
From the New York Courier and Enquirer
RAILROAD SKETCHES,

From the New York Courier and Enquirer.
RAILROAD SKETCHES.
There were in conveyance across the
Erie railroad some valuable hoses. They
formed part of the burden of long and
ponderouS cattle train " hich was bes e
ing to market-to that extraordinary city
market which never seems to be SO full
as to be cheap-a drove of which, before
the railroad era, would have, with slow
delays, have been driven on foot over the
long and weary ways, pasturing for the
night wherever chance shelter might be
available, and subjected to all the losses
and casualties of labOrious travel. They
were now in comfortable cars, resting
even while they lou, leyed, wondering, if
that emotion is hnown beyond the circle
of man, that they were the passive in
stead Of the active in transportation.
Not having clear pert ,ption of the fu-
ture, the brief and conclusive calamities
of the abatteirs were bid from them.
1t was night of intense cold, and
however luxurious to cattle, whose expe-
ri2nce of floor and rcof is limit ed to the
attendants, the crevices and openings of
the cars let in entirely more of the wild
northwester than was agreeable. The
owner of the horses in the car near the
tender had an apartn. mt rather ,tter
guarded. and, as ne understood the WAYS
of his ap,mals, he was not in the same
fear which others less experier ced would
have Of being with them. Nor is it with
out real danger to ride in a car with
a horse. The sudden start may break
the halters, and in the fight scene of
plunging and trampling takes place in
the midst of which the presence of man
might, for his own sake, be we'll spared.
He who ridNs with bis horse in the car
must have coui~ge and tlergy, so that
Re shat not t appalled, at false alarm,
and that if he is in danger he can mount
and keep his perilous p osition unharmed.
The train was approaching the long
seven miles down grade which occurs just
before entering Deposite from the West
ward. At the last station the Superin-
tendent had deemed it best to have two
very heavily burthened cars affixed to the
rear of the train. They greatly augmen.
ted the load, and the Engineer demurred,
but the discipline was good, and the order
was obeyed. 1t gave the engine enough
to do on the level grade, and all it wanted
on an ascent. WHAT precisely it was to
do when the heavy grade was to run
down, was not quite clear. The Engi-
neer had nerve, however, and, while he
doubted the safety, he did not falter.
The cars coupled, the slight blow was
to the starting-bur, and the train was off.
The engine gave forth its exhaust las the
word is quantity phIased of engines that
know no eXhaustion) with vigorous
whistle, and over the level the wheels
1olled sharp and hard in the bitter frost.
The rain was due at Deposite at such
time as would cause it to meet another,
which by that time was to be on the
switch-awaiting the passage of the west
ern cattle train. In few minutes nv
informant found that the down grade had
been reached. He had with him several
of his friends who were in the same bu-
siness. and who had left their uncomfort-
able cars for his pleasanter one. The
tremendous pressure of the load soon bore
upon the engine. The stout cattle, the
heaH J and weighty cars, and the great
additional burthen which had been added
at the last station, crowded on the
machine, fOm which the engineer, soon
realizing the condition of his train, had
withdrawn the steam, SO that it moved
! by its yn momentus alone.
Another and more appalling truth soon
manifested itself, that with the increase
of cars additional brakemen had not
been sent, and that the brake force was
becoming powerless. Powerless! it soon
became as velvet touch, rather than a
grasp on the wheels. The ice on the rail
rendered even the f,rce that was applied
useless, and each instant increasing, that
train first rolled, then tore along: nv in
formant says he knew of no gradation of
speed. From the moment that the down
grade was reached, it seemed to him and
his compani>ps, shut up as they were in
that close apartment with animals whose
strength would at the first tel cor arouse
to destruction-to him that sensation
was as if the train fell 1t had that De-
culiar motion, not continuous Or regular,
as in the rapid roll of the wheels, but as
if all else but the train were away, and
it was going at the speed of huge mass
falling, and the activity of descent in
creasing each secondhand all this fear
full time that train at Deposite was to be
met
They knew it was to be net. Engi.
neer, and firemen, and brakeman, and
conductor, and the hardy drovers that
were the passengers, knew it, and their
terrific speed they feared less, if it might
be, for themselves than the doomed train,
through which, and over which, amidst
dead and mangled men, and crushed
fragments, never stopping for shrek or
sorrow, their train would go. The miles
they were passed over, no man thinking
of their existence. The train tore on
wards. The men upon it intensely con.
scious, and even the cattle appalled, by q
new sensation. The engineer stood on
his platform, knowing that the widest
and most appalling danger was about
him, in shape or form irresistible if the
thread of safety snapped. The speed
made leap for life but more rapid rush
to death. He could not retreat. The
wheels refused the least adherence to the
break. The ponderous train drove itself
madly on, and in an instant more, De.
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