Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1878-06-20
CHASED BY AN ENGINE.
T.innincott,s Magazine.

and within an hours time would be at
our place of destination. The conductor
had finished collecting the fares, and see
ing a vacant seat by my side had dropped
into it as if for little rest at the end of
tiresome days work. He made an entry
in his notebook, closed it, placed it in his
breast-pocket, buttoned his coat, folded
his arms, and then turned to me with
friendly remark, as if now he felt at lib /
erty to lay aside all official dignity and be |
sociable. 1 was glad to while away the /
time as the train was rushing along in |
darkness which concealed all objects of |
interest without, and so 1 encouraged the |
conversation.
you must have met with some inter |
esting experiences, and perhaps some |
great danger, in the course of your life,'
said I, the conductors grizzly beard |
showing that he might have seen long |
service.
well, perhaps the most exciting time
| in my experience was the night [ was
chased by an engine-a night which this
one reminds me Of said he, looking out
into the darkness.
CHASED by an engine!' said I, getting
interested. 'How did that happen?'
well, said the conductor, settling down
in the cushion and bracing his knees
against the back of the seat in front,
! many years ago was running the night
express on Long Island from Brooklyn to
Greenport, distance of ninety miles, the
entire length of the road. The Long
Island road was then a one-horse affair,
having only a single track, with switches
at the different stations to allow trains to
meet and pass. On the evening to which
[ now refer 1 started from Brooklyn at
ten O'Clock with the old Constitution, long
since broken up, but then the crack en-
gine of the road, with a baggage or
freight-car and three epassenger-cars. The
night was just as dark as pocket. or, if
anything, perhaps a little darker he ad-
ded, as if he had accurately tested the in
ternal obscurIty of that useful portion of
the dress.
'Itmust have been very dark said l.
FWe were the only regular train upon
the road that night, with the exception
of the Greenport express to Brooklyn,
which was to start at ten O'Clock and
meet us at Lakeland station, in the mid
die of the island, switching off there to
allow US to pass.
well, we were perhaps six or eight
miles on our way when L stepped out on
f the back platform of the rear car to see
if it was growing any lighter. We were
then going over part of the road which
was as straight as an arrow for distance
of four or five miles. As 1 was looking
back over this stretch I saw behind US, at
the distance of three miles or so, what
knew was the headlight of an engine, as
: it was too bright for anything else; foI
: of course did not suppose the govern
# ment had been putting up any light
houses along the road
Probably not,' said 1.
You may be sure was little sur
prised,' said the conductor, 'for ther,
# wasn't an extra train once week upoI
20 that road, and knew that there was non
, going out from Brooklyn that night, any
& how. l waited for few minutes, unit
I saw that it was really an engine com
ing, and what was more, was gaining rap
idly on us, although we were going a
" our usual rate of speed. When was sat
said to the engineer, Jake, there is
train close behind u.s.
'Jake dropped his oil-can and his lowe
jaw at about the same moment, and look
ct ed to see whether was crazy or joking
Id well, let the fireman attend to matter
en- here and come back and see,' said I.
Ia 'We hurried to the rear, and in MT
he ment Jack saw as well as myself that
g there was any joke in the matter we wei
the victims of one; and of rather a ser
Gus one, too, for the train in the rear ha
gained on us full mile while I had bee
forward. The red cinders were pourin
ss' out of the smoke-stack as if from blast
W. furnace; the headlight threw glal
i'll along the road, furnishing the iron raj
a to our very wheels. Close as he was uE
oh on us, the engineer of the advancing trai
at, had not given the slightest signal to wal
ell us of his approach, and made no respon
~ to our repeated whistles of alarm. F
m was violating all railroad rules, and if
at determined to secretly run US down
III would act just as he was then doing. Jal
M seemed to be struck dumb-not so muC
because he then thought of danger as
the cool impudence of the engineer b
hind He looked as if he would like
throttle him. His tongue after a viii
of got in working order, and he broke OF
OF what does that crazy fool mean?'
81 81 "'The engineer must be either crazy
A drunk, said I. IF he keeps on that W,
ten minutes longer he will surely be in
us;' and signaled the fireman to put c
more steam.' What business the ira
has upon the road at all tonight is VIII
puzzles me-
81 wonder if it isn't an engine the o
man is sending down to Jamaica to t
in shops for repairs p said Jake. 4 saw tt
be Ben Franklin standing on the side-tra,
with steam up just as we started. Fro
the way he overhauls us, there can't
much of a train behind her.
81 did not know but that Jake mig
n.y. be right, for I had seen the Frank
standing in the depot when we left. TT
engine was just as fast as our own, and
it was without train attached, as ia
supposed, might easily gain on US, al
seemed to be doing. AT any rate,
shall see when we pass Jamaica stati
ults whether Jake's theory is correct I ST
and to him.
II Is 'By this time, the fireman, acting
engineer, had given our engine all I
steam she would take, and we were sla
ing along at lively rate, tell you,'' S
the conductor. '"rhe good people ale
the road who we're out of their beds m
have thought that railroad Gilpin v
riding another race according to the n
style. was angry enough to have s.
bullet at the crazy engineer follow
LIS and I deternined that nv first hr