The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1863-01-23
How a Friend was Killed.

sigh. Every man, unless he be SO morose
that he cannot keep dog, has his par
licular friends those 10 whom he con.
fides, aud 10 whom he is always cheerful,
whose society he delights in, and the pos
sibiliiy OF whose death he will never allow
himself 10 admit.
Such friend had l in George Il.
We we're nseparable--bolh Of us un-
married we would always manage 10
board together, and on all possible oc.
casions 10 be together. Did Georges
engine lay np for the Sunday at one end
Of the road, and mine at the other, one Of
US was sure 10 90 over the road ''extra,"
In order that we might be together.
George and l differed in many respects,
but more especially in iLis. that, whereas
] was one Of the "lsst" school Of runners,
who are never so contenled with running
as when mounted on fast engine, with
an express train, and il behind time,
George preferred slow train, where, as
he said, his occupation was "killing time,"
not "mahIng" It. So, while 1 had the
"Baltic," fast engine, with drivers six
feet and half in diameter, and usually
ran express trains, George had the ''Es-
SEX" freight engine, with four feet dri-
yers.
One Saturday night l took the last run
north. and was 10 clay over" with my en-
gine for the Sunday Mt the northern ter
minus Of The road until two o'clock Mon
day, p. m. George had 10 run the ''night
freight" down that night, and, as we
wished particularly TO be together the
next day, concluded 10 go "down the
line" with him. Starting time came, and
Of we started. rode for while in the
"caboose," as the passenger car attached
10 a freight train is called but, as the
night was warm and balmy, the moon
shining brightly ,iinging with silvery white
the great, ,heecy clouds that swept through
the heavens like monstrous floating
islands of snow drifting over the fathom-
less waters Of the sea, went out and rode
with George on the engine. The night
was, indeed, most beautiful; the moon.
light shimmering across the river, which
the wind disturbed and broke into mary
ripples, made il 10 glow and shine like g
sea of TNolIen silver. The trees beside
the track waved and beckoned their leafy
tops, looking somber aud weird in the half
darkness of the night. The vessels we
saw upon the river. gliding before the
freshening breeze, with their signal lights
glimmering dimly, and the occasional
steamers. with light streaming from ev-
cry window and the red light OF their fires
casting an unearthly glare upon the wa
ters-these all combined 10 make the
scene spread before us, as we rushed
shrieking and bowling over the road, one
OF unexcelled beauty. We both gazed al
it, and said that, il all the scenes in the
life Of a railroad man were as beautiful as
his, We would wish no other life.
\ But something allied Georges engine
Her pumps would not work. After tinker
ing with them awhile, he asked the fire.
man If there was plenty of water in the
tank the fireman said there was, but, io
make assurance doubly sure, wen. and
looked, and 10 there was not drop
Before passing through the station, George
had asked the fireman IL there was plenty
Of water. He replied that there was sc
George had run through the station, it no
being a regular stopping place for the
train, and here we were 10 fix. George
thought he could run from where we haC
stopped to the next water station so he
cut loose from the train and started. We
had stopped on the outside of a long
! curve, TO the other end OF which we could
. see 4; it was fully half mile, but the
/, view was straight across the water--a bay
of the river sweeping in there, around
which the track went.
In about twenty minutes after George
} had left, we saw him coming around the
J furthest point of the curve the brake
man al once took his station with his light
at the end of the cars, 10 show George pre-
cisely where the train stood. The engine
came swiftly toward us, and soon saw
he was getting so near that he could moi
stop without COLLISION unless he re-
:. versed his engine al once, so snatchec
} the lamp from out tie brakeman's hands
and swung it wildly across the track, bu
il was Of no avail. On came the engine
, not slackening her speed the least. We
saw somebody jump from the 6reman's
! side, and. in the instant of lime allowed
: us, we looked TO see George Jump, bui
!. no he stuck TO his post, and there came
' a shock as OF a mountain falling. The
heavy freight engine, running, as it was,
? at high rate Of speed as it could make,
crashed into the train thiiteen cars were
piled in mass OF ruins, the like of which
|, is seldom seen. The tender was turned
bottom side up, WITH the engine lying Top
} Of it, on its side. The escaping steam
: shrleked and howled the water, pouring
in on the fire, crackled and Kissed the
stock (sheep and cattle) that were in the
cars beloved and bleated in their agony,
aud it seemed as if all the legions Of hel
|. were striving to make pandemonium o.
!, that quiet place by the river side.
As soon as we recovered from the shocl
' and go, used 10 the din, which at frs
. struck terror TO our hearts--and lkinl
j. no sound can be more terrible than a 10
. Of cattle that are crushed in a railroad
smash up-we went to work TO see /
George was alive,an TO get him out. .deat
a or alive. We found him under the ten
der. but one side Of the tank lay across
bis body, so that he could not move. w,
). got rails and lifted and pried, until W
d raised the tender and got him out. w
T took one Of the doors from the wreekel