The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1876-06-10
THE ENGINEERS STORY.


In returning from Philsdelphis about
the middle Of August. 1855, the cars
we're very crowded. and my companion
in the same s-s. | found cut 20 bs =
locomotive engineer. and la the course
Of our conversation, he made the re-
mark tha. hs hoped he had run his last
trp OH locomotive. Upon making
bold 20 AK his reasons. he gave
the following story. aud since then |
have found II out 20 b. strictly true
Five years was RAINING upon the
New York Central Railroad. Ny run
was from B---~so Il. II was
the Tightening Express Train. aud was
wha. It's name denotes. for il WAS fast.
fhav. seen her throw her SIX foot driver,
40 far as to t-s almost invisible 10 tha
eye. But 10 my story.
About h.lfs ,nile fron the village Of
B--;here was . nice little cottage
but few feet from the Track At that
time young married couple lived there.
They had one child, little boy about 1
years old. bright black eyed. curly
headed little chap as ever you say. /
had taken great deal Of interest III this
little fellow and had thrown candy and
oranges to him from the train, and was
sure to seo his peepiug through the fence
when my train passed.
One fine Sunday afternoon We were
behind time aud running fast ; We did
not stop at b, and | was TO make up
one hour before reaching R. We
came up at = tremendous speed, and
when sweeping around the curve, my
eve following the track, not over two
hundred feet ahead sat the little fellow
playing with kitten which be held In
his lap A. the sound Of our approach
he looked up and laughed, clapping his
little hands in high giee vt the alright
I'd kitten a. it ran from the track.
Quicker than the lightning that blasts
the tall pine upon the mountain top |
whistled down brakes" and reversed
my engine. but 1t was impossible to
stop Nobly did the old engine try to
save him. The awful straining and
writhing Of its iron drivers tod but
too plainly OF the terrific velocity we
window and down on the ow-eatcher
in flash. The little fellow stood still
| motioned him off and shouted his
little blue eyes opened wide with as
tonishment, and merry laugh was
npon his lips held my breath Us we
rushed upon him. made a desperate
attempt 10 catch him but missed. and
us his little boy passed heard the
| feeble cry OF Mother" and the for
ward trucks crushed his body TO atoms.
q God that moment ] may 1.-Two
air. to les an old man. but the agony of
that moment can never he erased from
my memory. The ears stopped some
rods from tho spot, and | ran back Us
soon as possible His mother saw the
train stop aud a fearful foreboding flash
cd upon her at once. She came rush
ing frantically 10 the spot where we
stood. Mover shall forget the look
she gave me as she beheld her first born
shapeless mass | would have avoided
that mother l have seen men, women
and children msngled aud killed.
have seen ali this, but that little inno-
cent boy as he looked up ia my face,
and killed almost in my arms, 1t uB-
norvsd me. and from that day made =
solemn VOW never to run locomotive
more.
The young mother is now iii the Utica
LunAtic Asylum. From the hour her
boy WAS killed reason had left its
throne
He .tooped aud wiped the tears from
his eyes and said you may think it
weak in me to shed tears. bat cannot
help it."
NO." replied. "but think it noble;
aud. sir. would TO God every man had a
heart as large As yours" have often
thought since. how few are those who
give one passing thought to the man of
strong nerve and stout arm. who guides
them through darkness and storms,
with the speed Of he wind, safely TO
their journeys end. They do not, for a
moment. turn their attention Ia the
! iron monster that is dragging them
! forward with fearful velocity to meet
/ friends or relations. They do not re-
alixe that the man guides the fiery
monster holds all their precious lives At
his command. and that the least ne4li
gence upon his part would cause sorrow
aud mourning In u thousand homes that
are now waiting the return Of the absent
! loved one.