Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-04-11

"Yes, sir" said the brakeman as he
stood by the stove warming his be-
numbed hands, after coming in from
braking, "people think as they sit in
their warm seats and only hear us
call out the different stations, that we
have nice, soft easy time. But we
know better. Imagine yourself out
on q fiat car all night, with the snow
dashing into your face, your hands on
q cold iron brake, and think if that's
easy /; or up on top of q freight car,
running along, the wind cutting like
Q knife, dark as pitch, and watching
for fear you may rush suddenly un-
der q bridge and be swept of, and
perhaps left to die in the snow. Is
that easy? Does that look like soft
job2 To be sure, when we are trans
ferred, the work is nice enough, but
the dangers we have to 20 through
(fOr we generally have to 60 on freight
cars first), entitle us to something bet
ter than passenger car, and we ain't
sorry when we get orders to take the
head end of such regular train.
"There are but few brakemen who
can't tell some never-to-be-for
incident connected with their life on
the rail. To explain, let me tell you
q story from my own experience. I
remember one night, it was fearfully
cold, right in the middle of winter,
and showing hard, was braking in
the middle of freight train. It was
running along ON slow time that
night, and we were about two or
three miles from the station. / was
standing at the brake of q fiat car,
trying to get warm by stamping,
wishing that we were at the depot, 50
that could get back to the caboose,
out of the bitter cold, when suddenly
| heard the train humping and jump
ing like as if a wheel had broken, and
l knew that something was wrong.
The whistle blew for brakes, and in
a mighty short time we had the train
stopped.
"With the rest of the men, / went
back to see what was the matter, hop
ing might get a chance at the stoye,
for was nearly frozen. Going back
about three hundred feet, we found
that one of the rails had got loose and
out of place, but as we had been GO
ing slow, we had run over the spot in
safety. Our conductor looked up,
and seeing me, said;
"'Jim, get back and signal the pass
enger train. She will be along in q
short time now; and take this he
said, handing me red-light lantern,
well go on. You can come along on
the other train.'"
"With that, all hands got on board,
and soon there was nothing but my
self and lantern left.
"a cold gust brought me to myself
with quick turn, and then remem-
bered what I had to do. Holding the
lantern up, found that it was flick
cring, and shaking it, found it
almost empty. Then l began to
feel the responsibility of my position !;
lamp with no oil in it, the train due
in ten minutes, with the chances of
its being thrown off the track, and no
telling how many poor people killed
and wounded. In a case of this kind,
sir, even a brakeman will do his best
to save human life, although he some-
times loses his own in the attempt;
and all he gets for it is having his
name put in the paper, and being
called brave fellow.
"Quicker than it takes me to tell it,
I made up my mind that tho train
must be signalled, lamp or no lamp.
But how to do it was the question
Ii ran ahead without light, the
engineer might think / wanted to
stop the train for robbery, for such
things have been done you know, and
would not only dash on, faster than
ever, but (may be) try to scald mc as
the locomotive rushed by. tell you
I felt like praying just then; but then
brakemen are not generally affected
much by their religious feelings, so l
didn't pray much, but looked around
and saw light shining In window
not far of. laid down my lantern
carefully on the track, made q bee
line for the house, and soon brought
| q woman to the door, who looked
more frightened than I was, at my
excited appearance. It was useless
to ask for sperm oil (the only sort we
use), SO cried out:
"For Gods sake get me some
straw"
"She seemed to realize the situation,
and quickly brought q bundle. Feel
ing in my pocket, I found three match
es, and grabbing the straw, ] made
my way back to the track.
"Laying the straw between the rails
/ struck . match and showed it into
the bundle. It flickered an instant
and then went out. felt aud found
the straw was damp.
"Just then dull, faint rumbling
sound came down ON the wind,
and / knew that she was coming the
train would soon be there.
~ struck the second match and
touched of the straw-a blaze, little
smoke, and it was dark again, and
raising my eyes saw the headlight
away In the distance. But trains do
not crawl, and tho buzzing of the
rails told me to be lively. The red
light was still burning, but family
five minutes more and 1t would 20
out. For an instant was almost par
alyzcd, when shrill scream from the
engine brought mo to my senses, and
1 saw that inside of two minutes she
would be there.
"Scizing tho lantern with one hand,
struck the last match, and bending
down, laid it carefully inside the
the straw, and then rushed forward,
waving the lantern over my head.
The glare from the headlight shone
down the track, and the engineer saw
me, but did not notice the red light
tho sudden waving had put 1t out
and only screeching, he came on.
When the train was almost on me, ]
suddenly jumped aside, and swing
ing the lantern over my head, dashed
1t straight into the cab. The engineer
saw the lantern ~ ii broke on the
floor, and seeing the red glass, whis-
tied the danger signal, and tried to
check up.
4 Looking down the track, / almost
lscreamed with excitement. The last
match had found dry spot, and the
straw was blazing up bright. The
train came to q stand-still. She wal
saved. That's all remember.
"The next knew l was in the bag
gage car. They said they had found
me lying beside the train in q dead
faint, and-excusc me, we are going
to stop now.
Stamford |" he sung out. The trair
stopped and the writer went home
satisfied that brakeman's life is al
exciting one.
il Visiting cards, invitations and
!. things Of that sort must be severely
plain to be In style.
j Go North, South, East or West
and you will find coughs and cold
at this season Of tho year. A remedy
which never fails to give satisfaction
ID Or. Bulls Congh Syrup. Price n