Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1868-11-05
A Drunken Man Driving
q Locomotive at Full
Speed. =;

q Locomotive at Full
Speed. :
I We learn from an engineer. on
the Hudson River Railroad tbs
| particulars of one of the most ex
citingscenes probably that ever
occurred on the line of that road
On Saturday last the locomotive
Arctic was standing on the track
at Poughkeepsie, awaiting the ar.
rival of the 9:45 A. M. train from
this city, which Il was to conduct
to New York. The fireman of
the engine was a recent employe
of the road, and Jumping off the
locomotive repaired to a neighbor-
ing saloon, where be became not
only drunk but utterly wild and
ungovernable with liquor. PCS
The time for the arrival of the
train was fast approaching, andfhe
engineer, becoming alarmed at the
absence of his fireman, got off the
engine to look for him. During
his absence the fireman returned,
aud, influenced blythe devil, mount
ed the engine, and with one despe-
rate clutch opened the throttle
which waste set the penderous ma
chinery in motion.
Away the Arctic sped with the
speed of the whirlwind. For a
a few minutes all was CONSERVATION
and excitement among the lockers
on. Ina moment the engine with
its maniac driver was out of sight,
bounding along over the track at
a rate utterly fearful to ccntem-
plate, and suggesting most terrible
disasters to such unlucky trains as
might be preceding it on the track.
What to do-how to stop the
mad career of the engine-were
the questions which presented
themselves for, solution to the
minds Of the railroad officials
1t Poughkeepsie. There was but
'ne recourse, and that was to tel
'graph TO the station master at
New Hamburg to throw open the
switch at that point, and run the
lying locomotive off the track
But before the agent at that place
'ould execute the order, the Arc.
ic came tearing along at its great.
passed the station in safe |
y, and was flying on its course
ike a demon of destruction. Or
Iers were sent ahead for the
rack to be torn UP, as it was de-
ermined that if possible no one
hould be harmed by the freaks of
he madman but himself, neither
is life nor the value Of the en-.
inc being considered Of the least
ccount when the lives of so MANY
theirs depened on the result.
Fortunately the engine was stop
ed by causes within itself, rather
han any of the measuressuggested
,r its overthrow and destruction. +:
he engineer at Poughkeepsie when
e left the engine to look for his
bsent fireman, had both pumps :
work filling the boiler with wa !
sr. The fireman either did not !
now how to shut of the flow of J
Did water or had overlooked in c
is frenzy and excitement the fact e
lat the pumps were at work, and u
eglected to shut them off, and af. 1
II running about q dozen miles
le pressure of water upon the {
oiler, was SO great as to cause an ?
7erfow, the fires went down, o
cam was exhausted, and the en- q
ne stopped for want of the neces- q
ry driving power. 's5ai 2
The fireman then took the cush- 0
ms from the engineers seat, laid
em down in the gutter along
de thetrack, and coolly deposited %
mself upon them for a comforta- g
e snooze, .unmindful of the ter .
Die excitement and apprehen- 2
ons of disasters he had caused 81
ong the line of the road. The "a
gine was subsequently, brought g
ok to Poughkeepsie none the q
orse for Its mad journey, sandl
e faithless fireman was dis O
arged from the employ of the D
mpany. %