The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1870-11-17
Gales, Shstebes, 3netootts, Ee
RUNNING A TIME TABLE.
A BRAKEmAN's STORY.

have been "railroad man" for great
many years-have, as the expression goes
! grown gray in the service. ! am certain
however, that in all my experience | never
/ saw road that was the equal of the Valley
Air Line, upon which | was, at the time OF
the incident about to be related brakeman.
The Valley Air Line was one of those roads
that spring up suddenly out of the imagina-
tions of a few men. One cannot say that it
sprung from their purses, for if they had the
seed in them to grow anything, it was never
put in the Valley. There was, as nearly as
l can now remember, a capital stock, which
was never paid up, little town and village
credit, aud large amount of preferred stock,
first and second mortgages, etc. As a re-
suit the road was built. in manner, grades
were bad, road~bed was poor, bridges and
culverts were thrown together in the worst
possible manner, because the worst was the
cheapest. The iron was light and frail
mass, manufactured in England especially
for the American market, while the roliug
stock had been worn out in service On other
roads and sold TO the Valley Air Line Oh
credit and long time
The reader will see from this truthful
statement that the Valley was not the safest
road in the country for travellers. 1t was
not Innumerable were the accidents we
1AddS dliO AZ HOuOST 10 LHdL none OF
them we're serious. While we had many
narrow escapes, we still managed, through
sheer good luck, slow time, and great care.
TO get on without breaking bones; but l
positively assure you that time did not &C
custom US to the road, and we never ran into
the depot at night without feeling thankful
that we were alive. When / say we l mean
the conductor, engineer, baggageman, fire.
man and myself. How the passengers felt
! do not know. but | do know that they
ought to have felt as thankful as the road
men that their bones were in good condition
to allow them to walk FROM the depot to
their homes. Ignorance may have been per-
feet bliss to them, however.
The engineer of our train-the Lightning
Express-was one of the most sober, careful,
thoughtful and industrious men that ever
handled a throttle. He possessed more than
the ordinary share of thoughtful prudence
of his class, and it was owing to this fact
that SO great degree of good fortune came
to us.
A few moments before the train was to
start one morning, Gardiner, the engineer,
called me to bis cab. he appeared unusu-
ally downcast that morning, though at the
best he was by DO means gay" fellow.
"Bob," said Gardiner, after a few minutes
talk about general matters, Bob. I want
you to be very careful to-day. / know you
are good fellow and always do your duty
well, but to-day want you to do more I
want you to staad by your brake every sec
ond OF the trip-not TO leave it for moment,
and when signal want you to set them
up as you never did before, and promptly
too. know you will do it for won't
you, Bob2"
] was too astonished to speak for a second,
and then ! asked; "Why, what under the
sun is the matter with you, Gardiner You
know the brakes are 80 nearly worn out that
it is impossible to set them up, and you
know too"
II know it all, Bob, and that is the reason
why want you to be careful am going
to try and make the time table to-day; il it
is possible, / will do So l feel just as tho
something was going to happen, and am
more than half sorry that I promised; but
Pll do it though. Now, promise me, Bob.
and Of 20 your brakes.p
1promised and took my place, not little |
mystified az Gardiucr's words, looks and ac-
tions.