Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1859-04-20
From the Cleveland Review.
INCIDENT IN THE LIFE OF A LOCO
MOTIVE ENGINEER.

In returning from Philadelphia abOu
the middle of August, 1858, the car
were very crowded, and my companion
in the same seat with me, found out t
be a Locomotive Engineer, and in tn
course of our conversation he nc ade th'
remark, he hoped he had run his las
trip upon locomotive.
Upon making bold to ask him hi
reasons, he gave me the following story
and since then l have found to be strict
ly true
Give years since I was running upor
the N. Y. c. r. r. My run was from
D. to R. 1t was the Light
ming Express Train, and it was what it:
name denotes, for it was fast-a very
fast run, and if l do say it, the old Tor.
nado could go. l have seen her throw
her six foot drivers So as TO be almost
Invisible to the eye. And let me here
remark. it is supposed By many thai
rail road engineers are hard hearted
set of men ; their lives are hard, 'tis t ne
but | do claim to have as fine feeling,
and heart that can sympathize with
the unfortunate as any man that breathes
But to my story.
About half a mile from the village oI
B, there is a nice Lille cottage, but
a few feet from the track. At that time
a young married couple lived there
They had one child, little boy about
four years old, bright, black eyed,
curly-headed little chap as you ever saw.
| had taken a great deal of interest in
the little fellow, and had thorwn candy
and oranges to him from the train, l was
sure TO see him peeping through the
fence WHOM my train passed.
One fine sunny afternoon we were
behind time and running fast, and did
not stop at B--.and / was to make
up one hour before reaching R
We came up at a Tremendous speed,
and when sweeping around the curve,
my eye following the track, not over two
hundred feet ahead sat the little fellow
playing with kitten which he held in
his lap. At the sound of our appros ct
he looked up and laughed, clapping hi
little hands in high glee at the atfrighteC
kitten as il ran from the track. Quick
er than the lightning that blasts the tai
pine upon the mountain top. | whistleC
"down brakes, "and reversed my engine
but knew it was impossible to step
Molly did that old engine try to saw,
him. The awful straining and writhin!
of its iron drivers told bu, too p 'ainly o
the terrific velocity we had attained
/ was cut the cIp window and down cl
the COW catcher in a flash. The it'll,
fellow stood still | motioned him Of
and shouted his little blue eyes opened
wide with astonishment, and a merry
laugh was upon his lips. l held ny
breath as We rushed upon him, make |
desperate attempt 10 catch him, bu
missed, and as his little body passed
heard the feeble cry Of "Mothell" anC
the forward trucks crushed his body t'
atoms.
Oh, God that momentl l may live
sir, TO be an old man. but the agony o
that moment can never be erased from
my memory. The cars stopped SONS
rods from the spot, and l ran back a.
soon as possible. His mother saw thu
tram stop and fearful foreboding flashe I
upon her at once. She came rushing
frantically TO the spot where We stood
Never shall forget the lock she CAV,
me as she beheld her first born a shape
less mass. l would have given my
whole existence TO have avoided lha
moment | have seen death in all it.
forms upon railroads have seen men
women and children mangled and killed
Il have seen all this, but that little in
nocent boy as he looked up ia my face
and was killed almost in my arms
unnerved me, and from that day m adt
vow never to run locomotive more.
That young mother is now in the
Utica Lunaiie Asy lum. From The hour
her boy was killed reason had left IT'D
throne" ... .-..
He stopped and wiped the tears from
his eyes, and said, ''You may think i
weak in me 10 shed tears, but ] canno
help it, "No," replied, "but tbinl
il noble; and. sir. would to God every
man had heart as large as yours"
have often thought since how few
those who give one passing thought oi
the man of strong nerve and stout arm,
who guides them through darkness and
storms, with the speed of the wind
safely to their journeys end. They dc
not for moment turn their attention tc
the iron monster that is dragging them
forward with fearful velocity to meel
friends or relations, or home and all it:
loved ones: They do not realize thai
the man who guides the fiery monster
holds all their precious lives at his con
maud. and that the least negligence up
on his part could cause sorrow and
mourning in thousand homes that are
now waiting the return OF absent loved
ones" B b. II.