The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-08-27
Terrible Race with o Burning
- OIL Train.

Tho Grand Rapids CAiichlgan) Eagls
tells tho following exciting story Of ter
riblo race with burning oil train which
took place on tho Buffalo, Cory and Pitts
burg Railroad. From the Brocltnn sta
ton to Mayvillo, at tho head Of Chautau-
qua Lake, q distance Of only about ten
miles, q train u carried over IN elevation
of 700 feet. From tho station to tho sum-
NIT tho grade Is about eighty feet TO tho
mile. with curves which increase tho dis
tancc by four miles. II Is over this road
that the immense quantities Of petroleum
arc brought:
ION Tuesday evening about o'clocka .
train consisting Of six oil cars and two pas
sengcr cars reached the summit on its way
to tho junction. Here. by some cause as
yet unexplained. ono Of tho oil tanks took
fire. The passenger cars were at once de-
tsched. and tho brakes stopped them.
Next tho oil cars were cut of. and tho lo-
comotivc, tender and box-car, containing
two valuable horses and two mem passed
down the road, the engineer supposing
that tho brnkemen on the oil cars would
arrest the course Of those; but what was
his horror, on looking back, to 500 the six
cars In pursuit Of him down the grade In
flames. Thcyn not only pursued. but over
took him, striking the box-car with incon-
ceivable force. knocking tho horses and
men fiat upon the floor. and yet, almost
mirnclously. not throwing the engine from
tho track.
It was now with the engineer raoc for
life, and ho gave the engine every ounce
of steam. Looking south from the place
of my residence Mt that terrible juncture,
one of tho most magnificent spcctacles
was witnessed that man sees In life-
time. A sheet Of intensely bright flame,
sixty feet high, was seen coming down
that southern slope, apparently with tho
speed Of meteor, and really very near
tho speed Of hurricane eighty miles IN
hour); for pursued and pursuer few over
the course or rather down 1t, and around
tho curves, Mt the rate of more than sev.
enty miles nm hour. rs the engineer de-
clarcs, and rs everybody can believe who
witnessed tho spectacle. The whole heay.
ems were illuminated, and tho landscape
was lit up rs by the MONDAY light. On
ward and downward few tho engine, and
behind It flew and thundered tho huge
fiery demon. Twice It's prodigious weight
was driven against tho fugitive, rs II In
stinct with purpose to drive II from the
track. It seemed rs II to the heroic engi-
necr and fireman there was perfect en-
vironment of peril. The speed Of the en-
gine was such that II ceased to pump;
then again the Cincinnati express was duo
nj the junction at this time. Tho cngi-
neer of the oil train whistled open switch
and. shaking hands with the fireman, they
bade each other farewell. knowing that
their lives depended on the opening ofthe
Lake Shore switch by their friends below.
and this would impcril the express train
coming down from tho west with It's living
human freight. The engineer on this
train saw the fire when It first broke out
ut tho summit, and, supposing he could
clear the junction before the flaming ter
ror reached Il, he, too, put his engine TO
the utmost speed on level grade.