Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1876-05-15
A LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEER.
HOW MANY MEN AN ENGINEER CAN KILL.

A letter from Fishkill Landing to the
N. Y. Times says; W. F. Van Buskirk,
the master mechanic of the Dutchess and
Columbia railroad, is an old and expert
ehced railroad engineer, having followed
the profession nearly all his life. He is
man who has grown gray in his service
of the railroad companies, most of his
time having spent in Minnesota and the
far west, where he has been employed
on several different roads. He was the
first engineer that ever ran locomotive
vest of the Mississippi. and is the one
who, with indomitable courage and great
presence of mind, ran locomotive into
the burning freight depot at Winona,
Mimi, and by opening the safety-valve
allowed the steam to escape with such
force that it put the flames out and saw
ed the large structure. This act of hero
ism was heralded far and wide by the
newspapers of the country, and Van Bus
kirk was given unbounded praise every
where. A few other incidents in the life
of Mr.. Van BuskIrk which occurred in
the west several years ago are of inter-
est. Mr.. Van Buskirk had been upon
the road for some FIVE or six years, and
during one month of that time his train
killed four persons, at as many different
times and in various ways. The first of
the four victims was farmer, who left
his team standing in the field where he
was engaged plOwing, ran across the
track to get drink of water. Hearing
the approaching train laundering along,
ne started to return and save them, and
in SO doing lost his own life. He jump
ed across the track just escaping the pi-
lot, but was struck by part of the engine
frame and killed. The train was brought
to stand-still, and the unfortunate far
mer was picked up and taken home a
few rods distant. Upon examination it
was found that his back was broken, re-
turning to the train the railroadman dis
covered that the team which the farmer
wanted to save, had not moved from the
spot where he left them. The second
man killed that month fell under the
wheels while the train was in motion.
He attempted to get on the train, slip
ped and fell, and was crushed into an
indescribable mass of flesh and bones
The killing of the third man aroused the
deepest feelings of sorrow in the engin-
eer's breast. The man was q poor far.
mer, who was standing at distant cross
ing with his team, apparently waiting
for the train to 60 by. The engineer OBJ
served him and thinking that that was
his object. and occurrence frequently no
ticed by the engineers, steam was no
shut off, and the train few along a
lightning speed. Had the farmer re
mained where he was the train would
have passed without touching him, bu
, for some unexplained and mysteriou
) reason he whipped his horses just as th'
locomotive approached, and the man anC
two horses were struck and killed. Til
man was also cut into shapeless mass
The fourth person killed was pas
f senger who, at one of the stations wher
the train stopped, got off the train ant
7 ran across the track to saloon to get
drink. Before he returned the train hat
, started. Mr. Van Buskirk saw the mai
coming, but as it was wet and the rail
= very slippery, and he had hard tim
S to get the train under headway. he di,
: not shut off steam, but kept on. Th
man caught the train and grabbed hOl
6 of the hand-railing, running along wit
; the car. 1t was the forward end of tn
rear coach, but he could not manage t
: lift himself upon the platform. He he'll
y fast until he ran into a woodpile besid
the track. which loosened his grasp G
!, the railing and threw him under tn
: wheels. The man was killed instantly
g This accident occurred eight days afte
u the third man was killed and made fou
for that month.
. Strange as it may appear, but a fe'
= days passed in the following month bt
e fore Mr.. Van Buskirk's train again con
It menced its deadly work. At gatherin
n one evening in the hotel where the Ell
C gineer boarded, and after the fourth f;
tai accident had occurred. he was aC
dressed by an acquaintance, who kne
of the killing of the four persons, in tn
manner ''Well, Van, have you killc
any one to-day ?" The engineer replied
"No but I've been mad enough all da
to kill half dozen if | could" Anotl
er friend, overhearing the remark, cav
toned the engineer against expressir
himself in that manner, for, as he SAT-
somebody might snap you up, and, ha'
ing killed so many lately, it would pro
ably 60 hard with you" The prOpriet
70 of the hotel then asked the engineer
b. he had kept an account of the numb
Id he had killed there and in CalifOrni
ID The answer given was that he knew
y sixteen or seventeen. but when they g
i up to that number he gave up keeping
ID record of killing. In remote corner