The Greene County Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 185?-1867, 1867-04-10
WAYNESBURG, PA, WEDNESDAY, APRI[rS 1861

. his engine to be detached from the train
and put on steam TO meet the runaway
cars if possible, to break their force aud
save his tram. His locomotive was q
large freight, and he had moved several
rods ahead when the coal cars struck
him like thunderbolt, 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 he broken the torce of the shock
that no lives were lost. The mans
name was Story, and his grateful bene-
ticaris presented him some elegant
silver plate, with the deed itself and their
names engraved on them. When ask
ed why he did not abandon his tram he
replied, Quick as lightning thought
had better die than TO have those runa,
way cars cut clean through my train
destroying hundreds = 1t was an heroic
answer.
Let me relate one more incident in
the same line. That part of the Maret.
ia & Cincinnati railroad between Athens
and the Ohio river was formerly made
famous BY the number of its long and
high trestle bridges. With few excep-
tons these are now filled up, and 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, rs the fact proved, dan
gerous. On certain evening a train
was approaching one of thes high trestle
bridges. 1t was known that the direc-
tors OF The road were aboard, and some
william 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
lie seemed to know instlnc,ively that
the momentum was too great to save
the whole train; and he sienaled the
brakes down and reversed his engine, to
stop, if possible, the cars before reaching
the chasm. Then, opening the throttle,
valve, his engine sprang forward so vio
lently as to break the connection with
the train, and dashed to the awful leap.
The bold man, as this was going on, ran
out OF his window on the engine and
opened his escape valve. Whilst stand
ing there the engine went over with him
and, mWveous TO relate, he, falling
under the huge weight, was preserved
from ben crushed by the engine bell at
at his side. The train, for the rescue OF
which he had exhibited such incredible
pluck, stopped Just soon enough to es>
cape the horrible leap after the engine
This bold mans name | have not heard;
but lie recovered from his wounds, and
is still an honored employee of the COM
pany. .... ...
We glorfy our heroes OF the battle
field and the sea; we stacd all agog with
amazed admiration 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 in the boat III the tempest;
why may not my humble pen glorlfy the
heroes Of the locomotive engine, who
exhibit as noble and praisworthy dar-
ing as heroes IN other fields? And they
do this in 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 engine, and ten thousand
times ten thousand, if they could, would
respond amen
Macauley has stanza IN his 'Hora-
thus which shows what Rome did tor
one Of its humble but bold benefactors.
'Thcy gave him ofthe corn land,
That was of the public right, ~ Co."
AS much as two strong oxen %
Could plow from morn till night; e.
And they made him molten image,
And set 1t up on high, ..|.
And there il stands unto this day
To witness il lie."