The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1868-10-16
ATHRILLING INCIDENT ON THE HUD'
son RIVER r. sR. 8. - Z

We learn from an engineer on the
Hudson River Railroad the particulars
of one of the most exciting scenes, prob
ably, that ever occurred on the line of
that road. On Saturday last, the loco
motive Arctic was standing on the track,
at Poughkeepsie, awaiting the arrival of
the :45 a. m. train from this city, which
it was to conduct to New York. The
fireman of the engine was recent en-
ployee of the road, and jumping off the
locomotive, repaired to a neighboring
saloon, where he became not drunk, but
utterly wild and ungoVernabie, with
| liquor.
The time for the arrival of the train
was fast approaching, and the engineer,
becoming alarmed at the absence of his
fireman, got off the engine to look for
him. During his absence, the fireman
returned, and Influenced by the devil,
mounted the engine, and with one des-
perate clutch Opened the throttle which
was to set the ponderOus machinery. in
motion. s-~
Away the Arctic sped with the speed
of the Whirlwind. For few minutes,
all was CONSERVATION and excitement
among the lookers-on. In a moment the
engine, with its maniac driver, was out
Of sight, bounding along over the track
at a rate utterly fearful to contemplate,
and suggesting most terrible disasters
to such unlucky trains as might be pre-
ceding it on the track.
What to do-hoW to stop the mad ca
reer of the engine-Were the. questions
which presented themselves for solution
to the minds of the railroad officials at
Poughkeepsie. There was but one re-
course, and that was to telegraph to the
statien-master at New Hamburg to
throw open the switch at that point, and
run the flying locomotive off the track.
But before the agent at that place
could execute the order, the Arctic came
tearing along at its greatest speed, pass
ed the station safety, and was flying on
its course like a demon of destruction.
Orders were sent ahead for the track TO
| be taken up, as it was determined that
if possible no one should be harmed by
the freaks of the madman but. himself,
neither his life nor the value of the en-
CINE being considered of the least &C
count when the lives of so many
| others were depending on the result.
Fortunately the engine was stopped
by causes within ITSELF rather than by
the measures suggested for it's overthrow
and destruction. The engineer at POUCH
keepsie, when he left the engine to look
for his absent fireman, had both pumps
at work filling the boiler with water.
| l. HC nfeIIldH olIuSE u1u HOG KNOW now u
shut off the flow Of cold water, or had
overlooked in his frenzy and excitement
the fact that the pumps were at work
and neglected to shut them off, and af-
ter trimming about dozen miles, the
pressure of water upon the boiler was
so great as to cause an overflow, the fires
/ went down, steam was exhausted. and
the engine stopped for the want of the
necessary driving power.
The fireman then took the cushions
from the engineers seat, laid them down
i'll the gutter alongside the track and
coolly deposited himself upon them for
a comfortable snooze, unmindful of the
! terrible cAGitoulonL aud app olioIIsivIis
of disaster he had caused along the road.
The engine was subsequently brought
back to Poughkeepsie, none the worse
for its mad Journey, and the faithless
fireman was discharged from the en-
ploy of the company.-I1oy Times,
| Sent ord .-H 81 -f-t