Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-10-25
A HAUNTED LOCOMOTIVE.
A Ghost on an Engine on the Delaware
Road.


fCrisaela tMd. Cor. Chester Republican
The New York Central Railroad has its
plant I'm train Of cars which on the recur
renee of the anniversary of the trans
portation of the assassinsted President
Lincoln over that road, appears with all
tue concomitapt supernatural circnm
stances, such as exhibition demands,
rattes over the line In the denth Of mid
night, to the CONSERVATION OF the dwt.llers
along that great viaduct OF tie Er,plre
State. We denizens OF the Eastern Shore
have no train Of cars, with its ghostly
occupants, marked with the symbols Of a
nation's sorrow, to terrify our primitive
people no engine with its fashiug
meteOric forehead. rumbling over the
rails; no black streamers lutterinc In
the night breeze no long dotted window
lines Of light decorating the sombre 'ides
of the cars no dense, black oppressive
atmo'phere which moves with the moving
train, us 1t does on the Central, hut we
do have a haunted engine on the Eastern
Shore Railroad.
! Last summer, year ago, a colored
ran psmed Frederick Jones, who by bis
attention TO business and aptitude In ac-
quiring the necessary knowledge TO run
aD engine had been promoted to the
charge Of the New Castle, tho oldest ma
chine ou the route, and was filling the
position with credit to himself and to
the satisfaction to his employers. One
evening he brought the freight down and
drilled the cars oD the siding sat.sfac
tOrily, but every one noticed IT, : bis eyes
were unusually brilliant. lis tnnvese tion
wandering and at times Wild. strongly IN
contrast with his generally uuexcitable
demeaDor. Thus he went home. The
next morning he was IN a ra9ing fever,
totally delirous snd ncoherent In his
speech, throughout which constant refer
ence was made to the New Castle.
"He loved his engine we'll"
For weeks he lay growing weaker and
| weaker every hour, and the halluclDation
of bis mind remained as firmly centered
upon the locomotive as at the first mo
nent of his illness. He was behind time,
he thought, and It was impossible fol
him to make up that which was lost
Often be would call the attention Of th'
watchers at his bedside to cattle crea
lures of bis Imagination, who were OF
the track In the way of the coming train
His ever busy fancy led him TO ramble
now be was whistling "down brakes :
now causing his engine 10 emit sharp
shrill, ear-piereing shrieks to drive th'
wandering cattle off the road now rub
bing the brass work of the locomotive
until it shone again now rumblini
through the thick piney woods, and nov
running race with the moon which
seemed 10 spring from tree TO tree a. h'
q zed uD OF It. and would not be lett be
hind, let the laboring engine do It's best.
Often be would burst forth in htsof un
comfortable laughter, and call the atten
tion of the anxious friends TO a pal
licular calf which galiopad down th
track before the New Castle, and not
withstanding the uuearthly whistle of tn
engine, kept steaiily on till the locomo
tive was almost upon it, when il woul
spring carelessly to one side and gaze a
the moving mass with strange wonder
ing look. Thus the sick nan struggle
with his disease until death interviewed
Now many people believe the disemdodie
spirit Of the dead engineer fingers arouu
the locomotive be had loved 80 well i
life. On Saturday evenings his ghos
, has been repeatedly seen upon the Ne'
Castle as OF yore, and have know
colOred meu, when alone late at nigh
refuse 10 pass the round house where tn
! engines are sheltered, lest they should Sc
his ghost.