The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-07-07
Incident In the Life of a LOcOmO.
tive Engineer.

tive Engineer.
In returning from Philadelphia, about
the middle of August, 1858, the cars were
very crowded, and my companion in the
same seat with me, found to be a Loco.
motive Engineer, and in the course of our
conversation he made the remark, he hop.
ed he had run his last trip upon Locomo.
tive.
Upon making bold to ask him his reasons
he gave me the following story, and since
then have found it out to be strictly true
give years since,I was running up in
the N. Y. G. R. R. My run was from B.
to R.. 1t was the Lightning Express
Train, and It was what its name denotes, for
it was fast-a very fast run, and if do say
it, the Tornado could 60, have seen her
throw her six. foot driver so as to be almost
invisible to the eye. And let me here
remark, it is supposed by many that railroad
engineers are hard hearted set of men
their lives are hard, it's true, but do claim
to have as fine feeling, and heart tina,
can sympathize with the unfortunate, as any
man that breathes. But to my story.
"About half mile from the village oil
B., there is nice little cottage but a few
feet from the track. At that time young
married couple lived there. They had one
child, little boy about four years old, q
bright, black. eyed, curly-headed little chap
as you ever saw. had taken great deal
of interest in the little fellow, and had
thrown candy and oranges to him from the
train, and was sure TO see him peepine
through the fence, when my train passed.
"One fine, sunny afternoon, we were
behind time, and running very fast, and die
not stop at B., and I was making up one
hour before reaching R. We came up al
Tremendous speed, and when sweeping
around the curve, my eyes following th'
track, not over two hundred feet ahead sal
the little fellow, playing with a kitter
which he held in his lap. At the sound o
our approach, he looked up and laughed
clapping his little hands in high glee at th'
affrighted kitten, as it ran from the track
@ ucker than the lightnieg that blasts tn
tall pine upon the mountain top, whistle
"down brakes" and reversed my engine
but knew it was impossible to stop
Nobly did that old engine try to save him
The awful straining and writhing of its rol
drivers told but too plainly of the terrific We
locity we had attained. WINS out of tn,
window and down on the cowcatcher, in I
fash. The little fellow stood still. mo
toned him off and shouted, his little blu
eyes opened wide with astonishment, and ,
merry laugh was upon his lips. held ny
breath as we rushed upon him, made des
perate attempt to save him, but missed, an
as his body passed, heard the feeble cry {
"Mother - and the forward trucks crushe
h i'm to atoms.
Oh, God that moment may live, siI
to be on old man, but the agony of that mo
ment can never be erased from my memory
The cars stopped some rods from the spot
and ran back as soon as possible. Hi
mother saw the train stop, and fearfu
foreboding flashed upon her at once. Sh
came rushing frantcally to the spot wher
we stood. Never shall forget the loo
she gave me, as she beheld her first.born
shapeess moss. would have given m
whole existence to have avoided that me
ment. have seen death in all it's form
upon railroads. have seen men, wome
and childre mangled and killed. hay
seen all this, but that little innocent boy, q
he looked up into my face, and died almos
in my arms-it unnerved me, and from th
day made solemn VOW never to run
Locomotive any more.
That young mother is now in the Utit
Lunatic Asylum. From the hour her be
was killed, her reason had left it's throne.
He stopped and wiped the tears from hi
eyes, and said. .."You may think it wesk
me to shed tears, but cannot help it,"
"No," replied, "but think it noble; an
sir, would to God every man had heart q
large as yours"
have often thought since, how few al
those who give one passing thought to tn
man of strong nerve and stout arm, wi
guides them through the darkness ar
storms with the speed of the winds safe
to their journeys end. They do not for
moment turn their attention to the iron mol
ster that is dragging them forward to me-
friends or relations, or home and all j
loved ones. They do not realize that tt
man who guides the fiery monster holt
all their precious lives at his command, az
that the least negligence upon his pa
would cause sorrow and moarning in thol
sand homes that ore now waiting the retur
OF the absent loved ones.
Of Too strong lg ht in sleeping.roon
is bad, especially if the bed is opposite tt
window ; for to wake suddenly out of sleeI