The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-09-21
No.::as.
An ENGINEERS STORY.

Toms Old father. Tom had Q home of
his own. but ns the accident had hap
pened at our end of the line, some 10
miles from Pennington. be had been
taken at once to the hospital. I knew
Tom quite we'll. for, as was in the LAY
department. when l travelled occasion
ally on his section of the road, it was
mostly on Toms engine. Tom was q
matter-of-fact man. temperate, we'll
educated for man Of his station Of
life. anj not given to whims.
1t was touch and 60 with Tom, but
at last. thanks to good nursing. he
seemed to be coming slowly around.
Though he might be crippled. still
there were hopes that he would not
lose his place. If. at the worst he
couldn't run his engine. he might find
berth in the company's shops. for he
was good allaround mechanic. Tom
was about able to cit up when I last
saw him. For the first time he seemed
chatty. His mind would, however, re.
vert to the accident, in which some
eight people had been killed outright,
and some 25 wounded. A careful in
vestigation bad followed the accident,
and as it was clearly proven that it was
no fault of Toms, I didn't see why he
should NOPE so and seem to have
trouble on his conscience. Bunker, said
Tom to me. its in my mind. and it will
take years before that accident will be
clear off my brain. If-if l had only
followed my inclination. never should
have run 33. Eight killed and %
wounded never thought of that be-
fore-that makes 33!' Nonsense, Tom.
said l. what has 50 to do with it!
No it amt nonsense. felt she was
growing vicious. She was but Is
months old, and had been running
rather ugly. when six months ago she
got cruel as a tiger. She showed it to
me. / ought to have known it.
Come. old man. l replied gently,
interrupting him. 'lt's the stimulants
that you have been taking, by the Doc.
tors orders. and your nerves are un-
strung. Take some of this calming
medicine the doctor has left you, and
stop talking
Il amt bit nervous, but am as cool
as cucumber. and my head is ss clear
as bell. I amt a bit shskey. Now just
you listen. 33 was built in the com.
panye's shop. and l had hand in her
construction. Just the day before we
put steam into her there came an old
fellow into the shop and claimed that
we were infringing on an injector or
feeder or something, Of his invention.
It wasn't any Of our business in the
shop, so. though We were civil, he
didn't get much redress. He was cuss-
ing us for thieves and all that kind of
thing. for stealing his patent, when
the boss of the shop walked up, and
hearing the chinning. ordered the old
man out. Il was Bob Harrington that
hustled the old chap out under the
boss's orders, of course. Just as the
old fellow got to tho door. and Bob
vas bouncing him, he turned round
and wished that every one Of us round
that engine might meet our death.
We thought him crazy. Well. SO was
just put on the road, aud Bill Given
he run her. She commenced right of
killing stock. It Was COW or . horse
that was smashed most every week.
1t was alleged that Bill was to blame
and he was discharged. Then Bill took
TO drinking. and he went to the bad.
Bob Harrington then 60: sick of shop
work, and took his old place as engin-
eer. Just then be married Sue Morris.
/ was at the wedding, seeing that Sue
is second cousin of my Jenny. Now,
Bob got through the war, and wasn't
skeery. This spring-,s was in May
| met Bob at Hoppling Junction.
Denny Keef WAS bis helper, and S3 had
q hot journal, or something was out Of
keller, and Denny Keef was cooling and
oiling her. / was running 90. and was
on the sliding waiting for the through
freight to pass. Says Bob to me, Tom.
I amt the thing to run SO no more.
why F.? says /.
Cause she's showing temper says
he.
How = says l. laughingly. and ! re-.
member borrowed some cavendish
from him.
Tom. says he, engines are like hu-
mans. For the last week S3 has been
showing spite.
'Mebbe she wants overhsuling p says
Mary q bit.' says Bob. she is just
out Of the shop. She makes steam
kind of reckless, and wants watching.
! have to keep my eyes on the steam.
gauge oil the time. osnetimes out OF
pure cussedueaa. she won't burn her
Goals, aud oil Of sudden you will
think she wanted to melt ont her great.
bars. She 10 always a-setting some
thing jsmmed or sprung. and heating
on her bearings. no matter how you
keep 'em lied. Three days ago she set
fire to shop full mile FROM her,
Cool your head, Bob aid /. At the
next water-tank.' just then the freight
train passed along. and started my
old engine and went numbering along.
How it happened ! don't know, bnt the
face Of the old man in the ahop who
had cussed us appeared hefore me.
That very night S3 killed poor Bob
Harrington
Nonsense. ! exclaimed.
No, its no nonsense. As Bob was
crossing SsLe's bridge, over Soldiers
Greek, he put bis head out OF the cab
window. Scme Of the hands had been
working on the bridge. and had left =
bi. Of scaffold, . piece of4 by 8 square
stuff. hanging over truss. His head
struck plumb against it, be tumblcd
out az the cab = dead man, apd the
tender cut him in two. The very hext
week IS va, showed on me. / was
mighty careful Of her. First thing she
aid. that wss Monday. two weeks ago.