Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-01-07
" Oh, yes, one of these days I've always


was rushing on its way straight into the
intense darkness, which, If possible, was
now rendered more apparent by heecy
fall of snow, which was packed all about
US by reason of the great speed at which
we were running. l could not but ad-
mire the perfect GOODNESS of the two men
who were my companions, though my
own senses were in constant state of
nervous excitement. The intense dark
ness, the binding snow into which we
drove, as it seemed to me not knowing
whittier, kept my senses CT the alert /
could not divest myself of the feeling
that there was perhaps something in that
darkness just ahead which we were sure
to run into and wreck the train. Finally
my excited brain began to recall all the
railroad accidents of which | had ever
read or heard, until, as / had just arrived
at the height of miserable anticipation,
suddenly exclaimed:
what is THAR" on hearing something
like prolonged whistle ahead
Your ears are quick" said the
engineer calmly. "That is the Rutland
accommodation train; 1t will pass US in a
moment"
Even while he was speaking there APP
peared in front of US the bright rejecting
signal lantern upon the other engine,
seeming exactly in front of US, and per
haps six or eight rods distant, but scarce
ly had the eye settled upon the dazzling
object before it swept past us on the
other track so quickly as to seem to
have been flash of lightning, and, for
an instant, quite taking away my breath,
though my companions did not so much
as wink an eyelid. In this instance we
had not only the thirty miles per hour
Roadway of our own train but also the
twenty miles per hour of the accommo-
dation train added to the speed which so
rapidly separated US. /, was not very
my brain just then, that misplaced
switch might bring these two trains upon
the same track facing each other, and, at
this frightful rate of speed, the result
can be easily conceived
Frank Moore, the engineer, had been
long in the company's service. He was
man of some thirty-eight or forty years,
intelligent, though not cultivated, and as
/ watched him standing at his post that
dark and dismal night i thought how
many lives were trusted to his sole guild
ance. Surprising an accident were to
happen to him, what would become of the
hundred souls and more in the train?
But he stood there as firm as the iron
about him, never for one moment quit
ting his hold upon either the valve which
should signal danger or that which shut
off the motive power IN case of necessity.
Begrimed by long exposure to SCOT and
smoke his features were very dark, but
there was kindly expression through
all the bronze, and firmness visible in
his face which challenged trust and en-
tire confidence in the man.
We had stopped twice for wood and
water, at which times might have taken
my seat in the passenger cars, but a
sense of wild fascination seemed TO at
tach me to the locomotive and | deter
mined to continue upon 1t at least for
while longer. And so on we dashed
still through the dense darkness and the
binding snow as we had been doing for
SO many long mile. Now and then the
engine would jump in its fierce Roadway
on striking some trifiing obstruction upon
the rails and my heart would leap into al
most audible action, and to me 1t APP
peared at times as though the whole train
was going over an embankment to inevi-
table wreck. When one of these ex-
periences was more decided than usual
] could not quite suppress an ejaculation,
at which my companions would glance
at me with an amused smile. Custom
had Injured them to these occurrences SO
that they gave them no heed.
On, on, and still the driving snow-storm
and the darkness reigned supreme. The
stoker fed the fire, and the engineer,
watchful as ever, peered ahead. / was
perhaps getting to be little sleepy from
the force of the wind and the lateness OF
the hour, for it was now about midnight,
when. fearing to drop TO sleep, rose from
a stool on which / had been sitting and
determined to change to the passenger
cars at the next stopping-place just as
l had made this mental resolve there
came suddenly crash at the front win
dow of the engine that sent every drop
OF blood back to my heart with sicken-
ing thrill. had time to draw one long
breath when the engineer whistled
down brakes" and shut off steam from
the engine, exclaiming:
"My Godl what Is that?" while both
he and myself shook the broken glass
from our faces and neck, and he still
further reversed his engine.
ats a lantern" said the fireman, pick.
ing up what remained of the article
which had come crashing in at the win
dow.
Thrown at u.s." said the engineer.
That means danger If 1t means any
thing"
In the meantime the train had been
brought to standstill, the conductor had
appeared at the side of the locomotive to
consult with the engineer, the bell was
rung, whistle started, and gradually we
ran backward toward the spot where the
lantern had struck us. We had retraced
our way for nearly quarter of mile,
when man suddenly appeared through
the darkness and came to the locomotive.
"Did you throw that lanterny" asked
the engineer.
ITO be sure I did, and worse luck If
hadn't hit yer' was the answer that came
to our ears with unmistakable Milesian
accent.
Who are your" asked the conductor
"Pm trackman between here and Bran
don"
Well, what's the matter'" asked the
engineer
s,TLa ,S1o.+or IL a broken rail lest