Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-05-11
An Unlucky Locomotive Engineer.

nearly ali his life. He is man who has
grown gray in the service of railroad
companies, most of his time having been
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 west of the
Mississippi, and is the one who, with in
domitable 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 il put the
flames out and saved the large structure.
This act OF heroism was heralded far and
wide by the newspapers of the country,
and Van Buskirk was given unbounded
praise everywhere. A few other incidents
in the life of MIR. Van Buskirk which oc-
Cured in the West several years ago are
OF interest. Mr.. Van Buskirk had been
upon the road 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 had
left his team standing in the field where
he was engaged blowing, ami ran across
the track TO get drink OF water. Hear
ing the approaching train laundering
along, he started To return TO his team to
save them, and In doing so, lost his own
life. He jumped acroes the track, Just
escaping the point of the pilot, but was
struck 10y part OF the engine frame and
killed. The train was brought to a stand
still, and the unfortunate farmer picked
up and taken home, a. few yards distant.
Upon examination IL was found that his
back was broken. Returning TO the train,
the railroad men discovered that
the team, which the farmer wanted
10 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 at.
tempted To get on the train, slipped and
fell, and was crushed to an indescribahle
mass of flesh and bones. The killing of
the third man aroused the deepest feelings
of sorrow I'm the engineers breast. The
man was poor farmer, who was standing
at a distant crossing with his team, APP.
parently waiting for the train To go by
The engineer observed him, and thinking
that that was his object, an occurrence
frequently noticed by engineers, steam
was not shut off, and the train flew along
at lightning speed. Had the farmer re-
manned where he was the train would
have passed without touching him, but for
some unexplained and mysterious reason
he whipped up his horses Just as the
locomotive approached, and the man and
the two horses were struck and killed
This man was also cut into shapeless
mass
The fourth person killed was passen-
ger who, at one OF the stations where the
train stopped, got off the train and ran
across the track 10 saloon TO get drink.
Before he returned the train had started.
Mr. Van Buskirk saw the man coming,
but. as, it was wet and the rails were very
slippery, and he had hard time to get
the train under headway he did not shut
off steam, but kept on. The man caught
the train and grabbed hold of the hand
railing, running along with the car 1t
was the forward end of the rear coach,
! ut he could not manage 10 lift himself
upon the platform He held last until he
ran into u wood pile beside the track,
which Ioosened his grasp Of the railing
and threw him under the wheels The
man was killed instantly, This accident
occurred eight days after the third man
was killed, and made four for that month.
Strange as il may appear, but few
days passed in the following month be.
fore Mr.. Van Buskirk's train again com.
menced lis deadly work AT a gathering
one evening in the hotel where the cngl.
neer boarded, and after the fourth fatal
accident had occurred, he was addressed
by an acquaintance, who knew of tile kill.
ing OF The four persons, in this manner:
Wen, Van, have you killed anyone
to-day" The engineer replied No, but
I've been mad enough all day to kill half
a dozen If ! could" Another friend,
oyerhearing the remark, cautioned the
engineer against expressing himself in
that manner; for, rs he said, somebody
might snap you up, and, having Killed so
many lately, IL would probably go hard
with you" The proprietor of the hotel
then asked the engineer II he had kept an
account Of the number he had killed there
and in Californian The answer given
was that he knew of sixteen or seventeen,
but when they got up 20 that number he
gave up keeping record OF the killing.
In a remote corner Of the room sat IL gen.
tleman with white nccktie, and having
every appearance OF clergyman. He
had been listening attentively 10 the con
versaiion briefly noted, and when the en-
gineer stated that he had killed sixteen or
seventeen and failed to keep record OF
future fatal accidents, he rose up in a
Mortified state OF mind, and exclaimed:
" Monster! Monster! Landlord, | am IA
minister OF the Gospel from Arkansas. |
b ave heard and read Of the crime and
atrocities OF the West, and OF the dGpreda.
lions Of the savage Indians; but | am
aumbloanded, and little did think was
now among sayages, or would here meet
with such monsters as this man
appears 10 be. Get my baggage
and | will leave your house at
once and seek some Christian gentle
man who will harbor me over night, and
in the morning ! will leave this place
where such monsters are tolerated" The
reverend gentleman displayed his indig-
nation with all sincerity, but was quoted
somewhat when the landlord explained that
the "monster" was none other than a rail.
road engineer, and that the people killed
by him we're killed by being run over by
the cars accidentally. The parson was
satisfied with the explanation given, but
was not much pleased TO see the gentle.
man make so light Of the matter OF taking
human life. He lecturcd the party for Il
few moments, aud concluded by saying
that hc would not patronize company
that employed men who made so little OF
taking persons life, even If by accident.
The next morning Van Buskirk jumped
upon his engine and left the depot at ten
u ,v;tn liza train Ia ntIllp1 ont