The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-09-02
A RACE FOR LIFE ON A RAILROAD.
TY MILES AN HOUR-A THRILL
ING NARRATIVE.

ING NARRATIVE
Correspondence Grand Rapids Mich Eagle.
= To make it an intelligible
matter TO the reader, let me say that the
Buffalo, Cory and Pittsburgh road inter-
sects the Lake Shore road at this place -
The station at the Junction is called Broc-
ton. Now let it be understood that from
this point to Mayville, ut the head of
Chautauqua Lake, distance oc only
about ten miles, a train Is carried over an
elevation of 700 feet. From the station
TO the summit the grade is about so feet
10 the mile, with curves which increase
the distance 10 four miles 1t is over this
read that the immense quantities of etfC--
leum are brought
On Tuesday evening about o'clock,
train of six oil cars and two passenger
cars reached the summit on its way to the
Junction. Here, by some cause as yet
unexplained, one of the oil tanks took fire
The passenger cars were at once detached
and the brakes stopped them. Next the
oil cars were cut off, and the LOCOMOTIVES,
tender, and a box car containing two wall
liable horses and two men passed down the
road, the engineer supposing that the
brakemen on the oil cars would arrest the
course of those, but what was his horror
on looking back, to see the six cars in.
pursuit OF him down the grade, enveloped
In flames. They not only pursued but
overlook him, knocking the horses and
men fiat upon the floor, and yet almost
miraculousIy not throwing the engine from
the track.
1t was now with the engineer a race
for life, and he gave the engine every
ounce OF steam. Looking south from the
place of my residence at that terrible juno
ture, one of the most magnificent specta-
cles was witnessed that man sees in a
lifetime. A sheet of intensely bright flame,
sixty feet high, was seen coming down the
southern slope, apparently with the speed
OF a meteor, and really very nearly the
speed OF hurricane eighty miles an
hour,) for pursued and pursuer flew over
the course, or rather down II, ard around
the curves, at the rate Of more than sew
en.y miles an hour, as the engineer de-
clareS, and as everybody can believe who
witnessed the spectacle. The whole heav-
ems were Illuminated, and the landscape
way lit up as by the MONDAY light. On
ward aud downward flew the engine, and
behind it few and Numbered the huge
fiery demon. Twice its prodigious weight
was driven against the fugitive, as if in
stinct with a purpose to drive it from the
track. 1t seemed as if to the heroic en-
glneer and fireman there was perfect en-
vironment of peril The speed of the en-
gine was such that it ceased to pump !;
then again, the Cincinnati express was
due at the Junction at this time. The
engineer of the oil train whistled "open
SWITCH" and shaking hands with the fire.
man, they bade each other farewell, knows
ing that their lives depended on the open-
ing of the Lake Shore switch by their
friends below, and this was to imperil
the express train coming down from the
West with its living human freight. The
engineer on this train saw the fire when it
first broke out at the summit, and suppos-
ing he could clear the junction, before the
flaming terror reached it, he, too, put his
engine to the utmost speed on a level
grade. A mile short of the junction he
saw that the effort was vain one, for the
living confiagration had rushed out upon
the Lake Shere track, and was roaring
onward in the direction of Dunkirk. He
checked the onward course of his train,
and brought it to siand-still 1t did not
proceed until 8 O'Clock in the morning.
The case took in another danger, and it
was imminent A heavy freight train was
coming up the Lake Shore road. All 1
will say of the escape Of this is that it did
escape TO the side track, and only escaped
by the last moment of possibility.
Running on to safe distance from the
depot, the engineer of the oil train detacL>
ed his engine and left the six cars to con-
same. He says his situation was fully re-
allied by him. He expected to lose his
life. AT every moment he expected the
engine to leave the track. He saw he was
going at perilous rate of speed, but there
was no help for it. The demon was be-
bind him, and he declares that it looked
like demon. With that fondness of real
affection for his engine, which these men
display, he said 81 thought everything of
my engine, and was determined to stav hv
1t to the last" The fireman made ONE az
tempt to escape by jumping from the Ten
DER but the engineer restrained him. Al
together the occurrence was remarkable
one, and in part remarkable for this. that
no lives were lost. The brakemen on the
oil cars had gone back to the passenger
cars. when the oil cars started. 1t was
well they did. Unless those rear cars
bad been detached and stopped, their in-
mates would have been burned to death.
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