Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1867-05-08

hundred dollars, an offer which poor "Bob's
wife met with this query: % hlr. ------, would
you sell one OF your legs Tor hundred dolars?n
/ During the war an incident occurred on the
PennsylyarAa Central, which was related 20 me by
1 an eyewitness. NY informant with a regi-
ment Of soldiers going from Pittsburg to Harris.
burg in a special train. Between Johnstown and
the summit they were detained by freight train
OF the track, or part of its cars of This they
learned at one OF the stations and remained there
until they should be informed that the track was
clear. II was in the night, and most Of the thou
sand men on the train were asleep, unconscious of
their danger. Four heavily loaded coal cars be-
longing to the tram ahead had by accident, become
detached, and began the descent of the heavy
grade at speed which soon became terrible. -
The engineer of the special train heard the roar of
the descending cars and surmised what the
matter In an instant he ordered his engine 20 be
detached from the train, aud put on a steam TO
meet the runaway cars if possible, 70 brake their
force and save bis train.
His locomotive was a large freight, and he had
moved several rods ahead when the coal cars
struck him like thuuderbot, and crushed his
engine back on the tram; but his heroic courage
had saved many lives. Ills engine was utterly
demolished and many OF his ears WIRE also crushed ;
but so had he broken the force of the shock that
no lives were lost The mans name Story,
and his grateful beneiciares presented him some
elegant silver plate with tue deed itself aud their
names engraved upon them. When asked why
he did not abandon his train, he replied "Quck
as lightning, thought | had better die than 10
have those runaway cars cut clean through my
train, desroying huadreds" IL was heroic an
swer.
Let me relate one more incident in the same
line: That part Of the Marietta and Gin 'innati
railroad, hctw en Athen, Anl ths Ono rive, was
formerly male f.mous 10y The number Of is long
and high tresile bridges With few Xce1tiOns
these are nov filed up, ami the roal Is n-rl uing
one Of the best A. one Tins the GO uplny were
in great straits, and many of their employees we're
unpaid. Som. of the men were desperate and as
the fact proved, dangerous. Ga acerta,n evening
train was approaching OF these high trcstle
bridges It was known that the directors OF the
road were abroad, and some villain had deter
mined to throw the whole tram from that bridge,
The engineer, letting his train move at the
binary speed, sud ienly discovered that a rail had
been displaced on the bridge. tie seemed to
know instiuctvely that the momsntum too
great save the whole train, aud he signalled the
brakes down and reversed his engiue, to stop II
possible. the cars before reaching the chasm.-
Then opening the thrJttle-yaye, his engine sprang
forward so violently as to break the connection
with the train, aud dashed to the awful leap. The
bold man, as this was going on, ran out of his
window the engine and opened his escape
valve.
While 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 engine bell at his side. Hhe train for the
rescue of which he had exhibited such incredible
pluck, stopped just soon enough to escape the
horrible leap after the engine. Hhis bold mans
name | have mt heard but he recovered from
his wounds and is still an honored employees of
the company.