Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-06-06
AN HOUR OF TERROR.
Iu the Grip Of wise Before an Ap-
preaching Railway Train.

preaching Railway Train.
Detroit Free Press.
There arrived in the city Friday
morning over the Grand Trunk Rail-
way, a man named Patrick Macarthur,
who met with a thrilling adventure
about siS miles east of the junction
Thursday night. He is a iaboring
man, and having no money, and failing
to get 4 chance to work his passage
down from Port Huron on a boat, ne
started to walk down on the railroad
track, and had nearly completed his
journey when the adventure befel him.
He laid by during the heat of the day
Wednesday, and was walking in the
evening TO make it up. While cross
ing the tracks where a switch leads
down alongside the main track he got
b foot caught fast in frog" and
his efforts to extricate it were of no
avail. He had on stout boot, and it
fitted so closely over the instep that he
could not draw his foot out. In fact
the boot was wedged In the frog" so
closely that the mans toes were Sc
verely pinched. He pulled this way
and that, wrenched and twisted, but
the frog" held the foot like wise.
At length he could hardly move his
| leg for the pain, and ne found that he
must either be run over by the next
passing train or make some one under
stand his situation. He shouted him
self hoarse, but no one came. The
nearest house was half a mile away,
| and if the farmer heard the wild calls
fer help he gave them no attention.
After the man had been prisoner for
upward of an hour he heard the whis-
tie of a down freight train. 1t was yet
| a long way off, and he had a little time
to think. He had match box In his
pocket, papers in his bundle, and the
idea came to him to signal the train.
Tearing the paper off his bundle and
getting at number of letters, he rolled
them into heap, and for fear that the
flame would die out too suddenly he
added two flannel shirts from the bum
die. The bundle was then made fast to
the end of his walking stick, matches
produced, and he waited Until the head
light of the locomotive should appear
up the track.
II finally greeted his vision, lookin g
like bright white star, as it glistened
afar up the track. The rumble of the
train grew louder, the star grew larger
and brighter. He struck his match.
The flame blazed up brightly, but as
he moved it toward the bundle little
gust of wind blue it out Was there
time yetP Up the track he could hear
the thunder of hundred heavy wheels,
and the great light of the locomotive
glared at him like the fiery eye of some
wild beast Another match, an instant
of fear and doubt, and then the paper
blazed up and curled over and around
the bundle and swayed right and left
with the night wind. He waved the
signal of fire back and forth, and just
when he was ready to believe that
death under the wheels was certain, he
heard the whistle for brakes.
He could hear the wheels grinding
and grooming, the hiss of steam as the
engineer threw back his lever, and
then the heavy train came to a stoI
with the great light shining down upoI
him, paling his dying signal. He was
saved, but the engine had only thirty
feet more to 60 to crush him. The
fireman came forward, got crowbal
and released him, and he was taker
back to the caboose. The train mel
were very kind to him, and yesterday
he found acquaintance here who ar
ranged for his board until he will be
| ahla IN work His foot Is badly swell
ed and very tender, and it will be sew
eral days before he will be able t.
walk.