, 1863-01-10

The Enginccr-Thc Fircmnu-Thc
Brakeman.

a new work has just been issued by ]. Brad
burn, 10 Walker street, New York, on the
''Driyers Of tho Iron Horse, or Trips on n
There is In this country race Of men whose
life is a perfect paradox. They have homes
and flrcsides, wires and children, Jet they arc
ever wandering to and fro, dashing along by
cities, through villages ,uuiet country ,ields,
and dark forests, as if they had no resting
place. Seen daily by thousands Of their fel-
low beings; they arc personally known to but
few. Although holding responsibilities the
very contemplation Of which arc fearful, they
are scarcely thought Of by those who daily
place their lives in their power. These men
arc they who run the railroad trains-the en-
gincers, conductors, firemen and brakcmen.
They have, says the writer, "been too long
looked upon as the rougher kind Of Humanity,
have been the subjects Of severe condemnation
and rcproach upon the occurrence Of every
disaster, while their skill, bravery and pres
encc Of mind have scarcely ever found chron-
iclcr. Tet If the record Of their noble deeds
were all gathered and presented in their true
light, II would he found that these rough,
weathcr-worn men were entitled to as high 4
place and as lofty fame as has been allotted
to any other class who cope with Disaster
The writer Of the book from. which We quote
is IN engineer, who has long been driving the
'*iron lorsc'' on our principal roads. He
relates some fearful accidents and chair
breadth escapes This experience seems to
have had its effect upon him, for IN one Of his
sketches he draws the following vivid pic
turc: ->'
THE ENGINEER.
Thought Of the poor estimate in which the
class to Which I belonged vas held By the
people generally, who, seated In the easy
cushioned seats Of the train, read of battles
fhr away-of deeds Of heroisnl, performed
amid the smoke and din Of bloody war-anil
their hearts swell with pride-they glow with
capable Of such daring acts, and all the while
thcse. very readers are sharting the edges Of
rrecfpices, to look down which would appall
the stoutest heart and make the STRONGEST
ucrved man thrill with terror; they arc
crossing deep, narrow. gorges on gossamer.
terrific speed, where there is but m inch Of
space between smooth-rolling prosperity and
quick destruction; they are. darting through
dark, gloomy tunnels, which would be turned
into graycs for them, we're single stone to
be detached from the roof in front Of the
lungcd, smokc-helching monster, In whose
form arc imprisoned death. dealing forces thu
most terrific. And mounted upon this fire.
fiend sits the engineer, controlling its every
motion, holding In his hand the thread o1
every life on the train, which a single act-a
alton Of thought or care on lis part, would
cut, to be united never more; and the train
thunders on, crossing bridges, gul1ies and
roads, passing through tunnels and cuts, and
over clabankments. The engineer, firm to
his post, still regulates the breath Of his steam
demon, and keeps his eye upon the track
ahead, with Thousand things upon his mind,
the neglect: or wrong thought Of either O
which would run the risk Of Il thousand lives
and these readers In the ears are still absorbed
with the during deeds Of the Zouaves under
the warm sun Of italy, but pay. nota thought
to the Zouavc upon the engine, who ever
and chargcs q; bridge Of Magenta. :
Here s stirring account Of the end 0
- *A.nHAvE EsclSzER-
George D. was running the night cx
| press, md Was some thirty minutes bchint
| time My freight train was waiting on tn
| switch for him to pass. He canc on, at abou
thirty FIVE miles an hour, as near as / conf,
| judge, and1 was <wat ching him all the time
| lie was within about three times the lcngtl
| Of his train of the switcll-was blowing hi
| whist1c-when saw, and hc saw the switch
man run 1nadly ont Of his q sl.anty,'' grab til
switch and, turn 1t so that 1t would lead lin
| directly into the hind end Of my train.
| jumped. instinctively. to start my: engine
| heard linn whistle for brakes, and those tha
| stood ncnr said that lie reversed his engine
but my train WINS too heavy for ME to mov
1 quickly, aud he wns too near to do much zoo
By reversing, SO! I:soon felt heavy concussio
and knew tint he had struck: hard, for, at th
other end Of forty-fye cars, 1t knocked N
down, and the jar broke my engine loose frol
the tta!n.;: Hc might Lave jumped from b