The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-24
TRAIN WREcKIvG BY TRAMPs.
Tearing Up the Rails just ahead Of the ~.
Louis MIDNIGHT Express.

From the journal or Commerce, aug. %.
Within the pnst ten days an unusually
largo number Of tfain-wreckinR cases have been
Tsparted. 20, they occurred on railroads ~ the
II At and West. This IL the only gre Il railroad
country where atrocities OF this class are COM
mon They are rarely, IL ever, reported IN Eng
land. he defect with US Is not so much IN the
laws as In tho absence Of prccaution on the cart
OF the railroad companies. statute OF this
sthte Furnishes an attempt al train wfeckine
with i've yoars IMPRISONMENT; and II the death
OF human being results from II, thon the per-
petrator Is liable TO the graver penalties OF some
degree OF homicide. But there might as well no
no law against placing Instructions on the rails,
since II Is SO easy for the criminal to avoid do
ness and silence to spike timber on the track or
tear M lis. Tho roads are unpatrolled and
unprotected. and the chances are ten to ono
that ne will not De caught 10 the acts.
In England tramps are IA numerous ns here;
but train wrecSinR is almost unknown there,
but because the lines patrolled and guarded
from end TO end. When tne railroad companies
o. tns United states take similar care of their
ira KS we shall hear Of fewer OF these out
RACES, On one Of the main lines TO the West IL
i said that special police has Just been laced
with orders to arrest and iuprison a. II tramps
round walking upon the track" the laws for
bidding all such tres pass. II these shall he ex-
ecuted with vigilance, the OBJECT will be
from ne Rochester Democro,. Aug. e1
George Adams Of Cavuga, having business In
Fairport on Saturday last, started for the Depot
Just ~ night, intending to take the train for
Rochester. But he was few minutes behind-
hand, and having urgent reasons for reaching
the city he started out to walk the distance. AZ
pc Deared Lincoln creek he saw lieht in the
Ruished the forms OF five men intent upon some
work on the track. They were tearing up tho
rails
IL was then about eleven o'clock and he knew
that IN a few minutes the st. LOUIS express was
due from the East. sinple-banded he could do
nothng, but the twinkling Of q light IN tho
rmei's house, a short distance away, promised
assistance, and he stole bv tine miscreants to-
ward the bright beacon, At the same time over
nearing one OIL them say, " This Viii be "A
Job than the ono OF the 10Th" He mad nearly
pissed them without attracting attention, and
was Just congratulAting himself upon his success
when his loot struck against some obstacle and
he stumbled neaviiy forward. The noise reacned
the ears o. the men on the track, and they st TT
ed forward, shouting, Catch the mc uling fool
aud drown MIN IN tue creek"
Mr.. Adams Hno the farmer we're soon on the
" OK with red lantern. Meanwhile the ST.
bo"is express, which should start from Rpches-
yer AT eight minutes ST eleven IN the evening.
mad been defined, 80 that 1t was TWENTY-FIVE
minutes behind time. The train was made up
oil baggage and express car, three passenger
coaches, ana seven sleepers, nearly every seat
and brrtn occupied by passenger. rhe en-
eineer had just got his tr In well under way,
crowdine his locon otive "A little to make up for
the lost time, wnen down tue glistening track
bis practised eye discerncd swinging light,
tie well-known signal OF danger. Hts band
was on the reversing lever IN an Instant, the
whistle was down, and, with every brake tight
still.
Mr.. Adsms's story was told in a few words, and
the party started down the track At the cul-
vert over Lincoln's creek. on an mbankment
seventy-nve feet nigh. over twenty feet Of water
on treacnerous bed OF quicksilver, they found
the u so cunningly displaced that, unless MI
rnculousy saved, the entire train must have
dashed down the heights TO inevitable destruc-
ton.
From the remarks that MIR. Adams overheard.
This will oe bigger Job than the one Of the
10Th, IL Is inferred that the wreckers we're the
on that date.