The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-04-23
FIFTEENTH voLUME---NUMBER 7s4.

descending cars and surmised what was the
matter. In an instant be ordered his engine to
be detached from the train, and put on steam to
meet the runaway cars if possible, to break their
force and save his train. His locomotive was o
! large freight, and he had moved several rods
ahead when the coaLcars struck him like n
thunderbolt, and crushed his engine back on
the train; but his heroic courage had saved
many lives. His engins was utterly demolished,
and many of his cars were also crushed; but 90
had he broken the force of the shock that no
| lives were lost. The mans name was Story,
and his grateful bene6ciaries presented him some
elegant silver-plate, with the deed itself and
| their names engraved on them. When asked
why he did not abandon his train, he replied,
| "Quick as lightning, thought I had better die
than to have those runaway cars cut clean
| through my train, destroying hundreds !" Il
was a heroic answer.
Let me relate one more incident in the same
line. That part of the Marietta Cincinnati
Railroad between Athens and the Ohio river
was formerly made famous by the number of Its
long and high trestie-bridges. With few ex-
ceptions, these are now filled up, aud the road
is becoming one Of the best At one time the
COMPANY were in great straits, and many of their
operatives were unpaid. Some Of the men were
desperate, and, as the fact proved, dangerous.
On certain evening, train was approaching
one of these high trestle-bridges 1t was known
that the directors of the road were aboard, aud
some villain had determined to throw the whole
train from that bridge. The engineer, letting
his train move at the ordinary speed, suddenly
discovered that rail had been displaced on the
bridge He seemed to know instuetively that
the momentum was too great TO save the whole
train; and be signaled the brakes down and
reversed his engine, to stop if possible, the cars
before reaching the chasm Then, opening tho
throttle-valve, his engine sprang forward SO
violently ns to break the connection with The
train, and dashed to the awfut@leap. The bold
man, as this was going on, ran out of his window
on the engine and opened his escaps.valye.--
Whilst standing there the engine went over
with him; and, marvellous to relate, he, falling
under the huge weight, was preserved from
being crushed by the enginc.bell at his side.
The train, for the rescue Of which he had exhib.
tied such incredible pluck, stopped just soon
enough to escape the horrible leap after tho en-
gine. This bold mans name have not heard;
but he recovered from his wounds, and is still
an honored employee of the company. p
We gorify our heroes of the battlefield aud
the sea; we stand all agog with amazed admira-
tion if some foolish man or more foolish woman
ascends Mt Blanc just for the name of the feat;
we talk about Alexander and Bucephalus, and
Caesar 10 the boat in the tempest; why may not
my humble pen glorify the heroes Of the loco
motive engine, who exhibit as noble and praise.
worthy daring as any heroes in other fields
And they do this 10 the constant service of the
thousands of families who every hour of the
twenty-four are represented on the railways Of
the world. All honor to the heroes Of the en-
gine, and "ten thousand times ten thousand" If
they could, would respond "Amen." t~'
Macaulay has stanza in his "Horatius" which
shows what Rome did for one of its humble but
bold benefaetors: ~'.
"They gave him Of the corn-land,
That of the public right,
AS much as two strong oxen
Gould plow from morn till night;
And they made him molten image.
And set il up OIL high, . -
And there it stands unto this day
To witness if lie." .' E-t