The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1869-08-24
AN EX-RNdINEBR's STORY.

The railroad lines along the borde
were the scenes of some startling adyen
lures and narrow escapes, during the wal
Inc following, very graphically told by
former engineer, has the merit also o
truthfulness
Among the many incidents that dur
ing the late rebellion were connected witt
that great national artery, the Baltimorr,
and Ohio Railway, is one that / will re-
late.
" In the fall of 1851, having been de-
tanned by business in the town of Cumber.
land, Maryland, | was at last about to start
for Wheeling, when | learned by a dis.
patch that the road was occupied below
Harper's Ferry by force ofrebels and
therefore no train would pass.
This proved to be true in reference to
ordinary trains, but special. with which
was the Hon. bIr Pierpoint, and few
other notabilities, had passed before the
rebels cut the track, and was therefore
e.rcrra4phoUr 'Ge eomlus 'ruIn nad been
one of my old chums, ere | had discard
ed engine-driving for more profitable
business. My friend Joe Nj was
cool, bold, skilful engineer, and as gener-
GUS az reckless of danger.
"As ! expected, no sooner saw him
and stated my wish to go up the road,
than he swore that, special or no special,
| should ride with him, if for nothing but
to see the "fast time" his engine wild
fire" would make.
"As we dashed rapidly along and were
passing through Black Oak Bottom, a
couple of Unlocking fellows in citizens
dress fired at the engineer, but doing no
damage, merely provoked laugh of de-
rision from him for their want of marks
manship. On arriving at Oakland Mary
land, we were disagreeably surprised by
receiving a telegram, informing us that q
party of rebels were making extraordina-
ry haste to reach a point many miles
ahead of u.s. Also they seemed to know
who the special contained, and woulc
therefore use all endeavors to capture Oh
kill US.
"Mr. Pierponts business was too urgen
to admit of delay two or three other
concluded to risk the trip, and well
if it's not too egotistical to say so-f hat
run risks on railways too often to bacl
out because there was danger ahead ,whil
the rest concluded to stay and trust t
luck for the opportunity of getting away
Just as we we're about to start, th
. fireman making misstep on the 'runnin,
0 board fell and struck the ground wit
such force as to break his arm. 10
t hurriedly picked the poor fellow up, bu
= time was precious just then, 80 leayin
7 ? him to the care of the gentlemen who ha
accompanied he started directly towar
- me, asking me to come and run for hin
= as, having no fireman, he would hsy
II more than he could do. | told him nov
I, ever, to consider me his fireman for I'll
rest of the trip, as he was best acquainte
= with the road So without any more ad
I doffed my coat, we jumped on, and ava
p we went, past hamlets, through wilde
nesses of stunted bushes, up grade al
down hill, at speed rarely equale
Our light train made firing an easy ta
for me, and | had frequent leisure to SCI
the beautiful ranges of the Allegani
along which we skirted. Joe was sittiu
as was usual with him, with his left hal
on the throttle lever, and his body hi
out of the window of the cab that
, might the better scan the track ahead.
"A few miles south ofthe famous Che
river bridge, is deep mountain gorl
with precipitous, rocky sides.
I" 1t is shaped like an hour-glass wi
r, at each end but tapering each way towa
the middle. The track runs for quit,
distance along one side of the gorge, NAL
a very abrupt turn to cross the chasm
very deep one, in straight line and tn
still curving inwardly, follows the gol
in line nearly parallel with the tri
on the opposite side, for three fourths
amile.
1--WE were twitching along with I
peculiar rocking, bounding motion, 80 I
ferent from the jar ofordinary fast spe
As we swept to the top of grade, ,aro,
the side of hill that commanded "
rs, Of the gorge-Joe and l both on
lookout-we saw, at a moments glaI
enough to make us concentrate our thi
ing faculties, and act in hurry, wi
ever was best to be done
There, on the straight track. just
the near edge of the gorge, a lot of l
saS ana in gray uniform, were hastily piling
some old ties, logs, etc, while at the s.
point where the curve was sharpest-
fore reaching the gorge-wer. sew