The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1878-08-21
MISCELLANY.
CHASED By AN ENGINE.


was riding on night train of the Penn
sylvania Central from New York to Wash
ington, on mission as newspaper correspond
ent. We had passed Baltimore. and within
an hours time would be at our place of desti
nation. The conductor had finished collecting
the fare and seeing a vacant seat at my side
had dropped into it as for little rest, at til,
end of tiresome days work He made al
entry in his note book, closed it, placed it il
his breast pocket, bnttoned his coat, folded
his arms, and then turned to me with a friend
ly remark, as if now he felt at liberty to lay
was glad to while away the time as the trair
was rushing along in the darkness which
concealed all objects of interest without, ant
so | encouraged the conversation.
"You must have met with some interesting
experience, and perhaps some great danger il
the course of your life,' said I, the conduc
tors grizzly beard showing that he might
have seen long service.
"Well, perhaps the most exciting time il
my experience was the night was chased by
an engine-a night which this one reminds
me of, said he, looking out into the dark
ness.
"Chased by an engine " said I, getting in
terested. elbow did that happen ,"
"Well," said the conductor, settling dowr
in the cushion and bracing his knees agains,
the back of the seat in 'front.' many years
ago | was running the night express ON Long
Island from Brooklyn to Greenport, n distance
of ninety miles, the entire length of the road
The Long Island road was then one-horst
affair, having only single track, with switch.
es at the different stations to allow trains tc
meet and pass. On the evening to which
now refer started from Brooklyn at ten o.
clock with the old Constitutions, long since
broken up, but then the crack engine of the
road, with baggage or freight car and three
passenger cars. The night was just as dark
as pocket, or, if anything, perhaps little
darker" he added, as if he had accurately
tested the internal obscurity of that usefu
portion of the dress.
" 1t must have been very dark" said I.
ave were the only regular train upon the
road that night, with the exception of the
Greenport express to Brooklyn, which was to
start at 10 o'clock, and meet us at Lakeland
Station, in the middle of the island, switch
ing off there to allow us to pass"
WE'LL we were perhaps six or eight miles
on our way, when l stepped out on the back
platform of the rear car to see if it was grow
ing 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
l was looking back over this stretch, saw be
hind us, at the distance of three miles or so
what knew was the head light of an engine
course did not suppose the government had
been putting up any lighthouses along the
road"
Probably not, said I.
You may be sure was little surprised
said the conductor, 8. for there wasn't an ex
ira train once week upon that road, and
knew that there was none going out from
Brooklyn that night anyhow. | waited for q
few minutes, until | saw that it was really ar
engine coming, and, what was more, was
ing at our usual rate of speed When / was
satisfied of this fact, hurried forward, and
said to the engineer, Jake, there is train
close behind u.s."
"Jake dropped his oil-can and his lower
jaw at about the same moment, and looked tc
see whether | was crazy or joking.
Well, let the firemen attend to matters
here, and come back and see, said l."
eve hurried to the rear, and in a moment
Jake saw as we'll as myself that there wasn't
any joke in the matter, we were the victims
of one and of rather serious one, too, fol-
the train in the rear had gained on us full
mile while had been forward. The red Gin
ders were pouring out of the smoke-stack as
if from blast furnace the headlight threw
glare along the road, furnishing the iror
rails to our very wheels. Close as it was up
on us, the engineer of the advance train had
not given the slightest signal to warn us o
its approach, and made no response to our re
peated whistles of alarm. He was violating
all railroad rules, and if he determined to So
cretly run us down he would act just as hi
was then doing. Jake seemed to be strucl
dumb--not SO much because he then though
of danger as at the cool impudence of the en-
gneer behind. He looked as if he would lik.
to throttle him. His tongue, after a Will
got in working order, and he broke out
What does that crazy fool mean p +"
"sThe engineer must be either crazy o
drunk said /. If he keeps on that way tel
minutes longer, he will surely be into us /;
and signaled the fireman to put on NOR
steam. What business the train has upol
the road at all tonight is what puzzles me.
50 wonder if it isn't an engine the OLE
man is sending down to Jamaica to the shop
for repairs p said Jake. saw the Be-
Franklin standing on the side track witt