The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1873-06-12
Poking Fun at A Railroad.

,
railroad between Richmond and Peters
burg:
But about this railroad. Ofcourse want
it abolished every one does. The reckless
velocity with which the trains run between
here and Petersburg, is absolutely frightful
l was delighted years ago when this road
was established, be cause I thought we had
got rid of the OLD rickety and dangerously
fast stage coaches, bht the. speed they also
beginning to run the trains on this road. is
worse yot. Now; every one knows that
Petersburg is twenty twenty-five miles from
Richmond ifit is.an inch, and q day and
z; le =: 49, :. -, ~ - = 81 ~ -
mt the ma|,asers IS have already reduced -sHe
schedule to one day, and with making the
engine fires too hot, and racing with COWS
along the road, aud all that, the conductors
are even cutting that time down
Why, it was only the other day, on the
home trip, we happened to spy old jim
mule about two miles from Manchester.
What should the reckless wretch of an engl-
neer do but to clap on full steam and race
every foot of the way into town. we didn
exactly pass the mule, but we caught up
with him twice. and come to the Manchester
crossing neck. and neck +; and which was
pufiing the most, the mule or the engine:
YOU couldn't have told to save your HE.
Now it was exciting and all that, l know,
but I hadn't purchased an accident ticket
and don't believe the other four passengers
had either. This is all wrong, Mr.. Editor,
all wrong.
Ard then on another occasion, remem
her we came within hairs breadth OF hav'
inc very serious accident. The engineer
| had got off to SNOWFALL chip-munk, and the
conductor was minding a young widow
bady for her-the result was that the
train happened to get on down grade ana q
was startled off at terrific rate, every bl'
Of four miles an hour, Ishould think. We
were inst halfa mile above Chester, and the
FIRST thing we knew, there being no one tc
whistle and wake up the switchtender, VIZ
were turned off into the Coal6eld road, anc
went down the track at full speed. Imagine
our CONSERVATION when just at tbis momen
we heard the whistle not half a mile aheac
Of US of the up coal train We were para
lv;zed with terror-here were two trains oil
the same track, approaching each othes a
the dizzy speed just mentioned EVIDENT.
our time had come In few short hour
the engines would meet, and then-destruc
ton.
With presence of mind, minister o.
; hoord oreanized a prayer meeting. Pale
but calm the doomed passengers sat, an
though with the very shadow OF death upo
them raised their voices in parting hymn
"Send for the baggage-master," SAID
Young man With sad smile
"Why~ was asked
nBecause we are about to paas IN on
checks"
. Everybody wept From the rear platform
3 g ws couId see the miserable engineer, strail
. ing every nerve TO catch up, but he had
' tirbt boots and didn't gain anything to spea
Of
At this moment ray of hope dawnt
upon us. Il had just finished writing n
;. will on the back of a visiting card, wh,
o % | observed young lady in the act oi u
u e tochine her hustle. Placing the article
!, which was composed ofcight hundred papc,
!" and n hair mattress-under her arm, q
- - heroine marched through the car
~ n We followed her anxiogsly.
r. She climbed upon the tender and tn
ID over the engine. 1t was very interesti
ID and thrilling to see her climbing the whe'
- and brass things on her way to the coweat'
er. It reminded NE of a country g'rl g
n, ting over a wire fence. But never MI
es about that now. Let me see where W