The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1876-01-19
THE ENGINEERS HERoIsM.


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Neh Ride Through FIG and Rain 70 he Bound Brook
Baaseaeld-Pusaing past Instructions and Riding
Raiitcss Ties
It is late at night in the little depot of East
Milestone. ON the Pennsylvania Railroad and
the telegraph operator, almost the only occu-
pant, is taking dispatches. Chicketty-click
sings the electrical instrument. and all the
messages tell of excitement all along the front
at the Bound Brook crossing. Roth sides are
face to face in hostile attitude. The men of
the Pennsylvania Company, few in number at
the point Of attack. stand strictly on the de-
fensiye, and the Bound Brook and Delaware
men watch for an opening for an offensive
movement.
Chickettycick still ticks the instrument,
and it says that there are 100 Italians at the
crossing, armed to the teeth with knives and
revolyers. and that the road is thronged with
Irishmep who carry stones and s6illalahs.
Then there is another despatch, and this calls
for instant action, for it SAYS that the Bound
Brook men are tearing up the rails, and that
they have partially fixed the frog in positiou.
in a few hours they will be running their
trains right across the track of Pennsylvania
road, unless something is done at once.
THAT something will be done, am think
ing,n said the operator and ere he had hardly
finished the sentence the clicking is heard
again and the message that it brings has the
sharp and decisive ring of authority The
words are from the Superintendent of the
Pennsylvania Company, and they are:
Send George Ellis at once with 1886, " and
tell him to break down distractions on the
road, and drive his engine into the frog.
George Ellis, stout, swarthy, and dark eyed
and black bearded is pacing up and down the
dusky room. His engine at the door. Out
side the rain is falling drearily and the night
is pitchy dark. He is one of the oldest and
most trusted drivers oh the road, and to lin
has been assigned desperate and perilous
undertaking but he docs not finch. He but
tons his smutty blouse to is chin, steps upon
the platform of the engine, and pulls the
lever. The steam goes kissing and whizzing
through the iron limbs, the wheels begin to
move and then with shrek the great thirty
ton monster springs forward, snorting into
the darkness. The road is all clear il miles
to Hopewell, and the locomotive thunders on,
burning and flaming across the Jersey plains
and meadows. BY the side of Ellis stands
his brave fireman, Sam Granger, and both pee
ahead upon the uncertain path, dimly illumi-
ned by the head light. Everywhere is i'm
penetrabe darkness, save the gray vista
ahead, over which dance spectral and bewil-
dering shapes. Still the two men in the flying
monster look silently ahead, and still the en-
CINE thunders on. The rain droops plash and
siz upon the heated boiler and stand in beads
upon the panes of the windows. The wet
rails glisten i'll the light, and seem long,
cleaning serpents Of steel that curve and
trail away into the dark. But Ellis and
Granger do not mind them or the beating rain,
for they are looking ont for breakers and for
Italians armed to the teeth.
At length tile speed is gradually reduced,
for the neighborhood of the enemy is nearly
reached, and there is light shining ahead.
At tile depot of the little hamlet of Hope
we'll, not three-quarters of a mile from the
ffoy, Ellis checks the locomotive, for it is
time to be cautious and wakeful. A man rnn-
ming to him through the fog says exctedly,
"There are Instructions Just below, and the
enemy are guarding the switchesn The man
gets upon the engine box and again they are
off into the rain I'D fog. Not so fast as be-
fore. however. for there are men with clubs on
either side, and what they have done to the
track can only be guessed at. First, a glow
| ing red light tossing and whirling in the air
is seen, and the headlight CLEANS upon the
dark outlines of n man !; but there isno stop
tonight for the signal Of warning, for it is in
the hands of foes as o ruse. Then another
| light red and glowing CLEANS from the track.
| It is a silent command for an instant halt.
| But Ellis knows what it means, and with a
dash the engine is upon it, and the lantern Is
sent wbirling in thousand pieces in every
direction. Slower and slower the engine runs,
| for the Instructions are near. The engineer
and fireman watch intently. Suddenly a
| glmmeripg and Pickering that is not the re-
! Election upon the road, dark wall rises up as
the light flashes down the rails, there is a
crash. the noise of cracking timbers, and then
the air is full of flying ties and rails. Old 1856
losses them off her Prov as though they were
wheat straws, and onward, rushes straight for
the frog and the expected crash. In an in
slant almost another black pile grows out of
the road bed +; the engine is upon them !;
there is another cracking of wood, and the
Kissing engine. blowing showers of flame from
her stack, uprears in the air. There is a