The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-05-08
!, WIS n,los;sible only to modify the shock.

it was possible only to modify the shock
Together rushed those two painting and
reluctant giants, their joint weight not
less than. sixty tons, with the-gathercd
momentum of their following trains. They
rose like two furious animals in fight,
standing on end, and in a trice the two
splendid machines were wreck. The
cars behind them was also badly crushed.
Orsborne did not leap from his engine, but,
never moving his hands from the levers
which controlcd it, be stood as resolute as.
rock at his post until the shock came,
and then, quick as thought, adjusted his
valves to allow the steam to escape with
out an explosion. Our war can furnish
no clearer proof of the finest courage than
that
At the crossing of the Morris and Es-
sex Railway and Orange Turnpike may
be seen fagman with one leg. The
other he lost in the wreck have just de-
scribed. Had he had Orsborne's nerve to
face danger, he would have escaped also
unhurt. Poor fellow! The man who is
sued the presumptuous blunder that day,
tried to buy him off from prosecuting the
company, for the sum. of one hundred
dollars-an offer which poor Bob's,wte
met with this query: "Mr. -, would
you sell one of your legs tor hundred
dollars ?"
During the war an incident occurred
on the Pennsylvania Central, which was
related to meby an eyewitness. My in
tormant was with regiment of soldiers
going from Pittsburg to Harrisburg in a
Special train. Between Johnstown and
the summit they were delayed by freight
train off the track, or q part of its cars
off. This they learned at one of the sta
tions, and remained there until they
were informed that the track was clear.
1t was in the night, and most of the thou
sand mon on the train were asleep, un-
conscious of their danger. Four heavily
loaded coal cars belonging to the train
ahead had, by accident, become detached,
and began the descent Of heavy grade
at speed which soon became horrible.
The engineer of the special train heard
the roar of the descending cars, and sur
missed what was the matter. In an. in
stant he 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 loco
motive was a large freight, and he had
moved several rods ahead when the coal.
cars struck him like thundcrbolt, and
crushed his engine back on the train; but
his. heroic courage had saved many lives
His engine was utterly demolished, and
many of his cars were also crushed; but
so had ho broken the force Of the shock
that no lives were lost. The mans name
was Story, and his grateful bencfciaries
presented him some elegant silver plate
with the deed itself and their names en-
gravcd on them. When asked why he
did not abandon his train, he replied
"Quick rs lightning, I thought | had bet
ter die than to have those runaway cars
cut clean through my train, destroying
hundreds" II was.a heroic answer.
Let me relate one moro incident in the
same line. That part OF the Marietta ant
Cincinnati Railroad between Athens ant
the Ohio river was formerly made famous
by the number Of its long and high tres
tie bridges With few exceptions, these
are now filed up, and the road is becom
ing 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 a train was approaching one o
these trestle bridges. 1t was known thai
the directors of the road were aboard, ant
some villain had determined to throw tht
whole train from tho bridge. The engin
eer letting his train move at the ordinary
speed suddenly discovered that rail hao
been displaced on the bridge. He seemed
to know nstinctively that tho momentum
was. too great TO save the whole train
and he signaled the breaks down and re
versed the engine, to stop, ifpossible, thu
cars before reaching the chasm. Then
opening the throttle-valve, the engine
sprang forward so violently as to breal
the connection with the train, and dashec
to the awful leap. The bold man, as this
was going on, ran out of his window Oh
tho engine and opened his cscapc-valve
While standing there the engine went
over with him :; and, marvellous to relate
ho falling under the huge weight, was
preserved from being crushed by the en-
gine bell at his side. Tho train, for Tho
rescue of which he had exhibited such in
-crcditable pluck, stopped just soon enough
to escape the horrible leap after the en-
CINE. This bold mans name I have moi
heard; buthe recovered from his wounds
and is still an honorcd employee of the
company.
we glority our heroes of the battlefield
and the sea; we stand all agog with ad
miration if some foolish man or moro fool
ish woman ascends Mont Blanc just for
the namc Of the feat; we talk about Alex
ander and Buccphalus, and Caesar in the
boat in the tcmpest-why may not my
hnn,hle nnn nlnritv the heroes of the loco.