Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1878-06-27
49,. CHASED By An ENGINE.
A COndUctorss story.
By e. p. BUFFITT.

d., was riding On night,izain Of. the
Pennsylyapia Central from New York to
Washington on q mission as pewspaper
correspondent. We had passed Balti4.
more, and within an hours time would
be at our place of destination. The con-
ductor had finished collecting .the fares,
and seeing asyacant seat by my side had
dropped into it as if for little rest at
the end Of a tiresome, days. work. He
made an entry in his notebook, closed it,
placed it in his breast-pocket, buttonetl
his coat, folded his arms, and then turn
ed to me with a friendly remark, as ii
now5he felt at liberty to lay aside all of
fetal dignity and be sociable. was
glad to while away the time as the train
was rushing along in a>darkness which
concealed all objects of interest without,
and so encouraged the conversation.
"You must have met with some inter:
csting experiences, and perhaps with some
great dangers. in the course of-your ife,'
said I, the conductors grizzly beard
showing that he might have seen a long
service : 49, -~-.,-->
"Well, perhaps the most exciting time
in my experience was the night / was
chased by an engine-a night which tbi
one reminds me Of" said be, looking on
into the darkness. .(.. :
CHASED by an engineer said I, getting
interested. How lid that happen2"
"WeA," said the conductor, settling
down in the cushion and bracing his knees
against the back Of the seat in front
"many years ago I was running tho nj bit.
express on Long Island from Brooklyn to
Grcenport, a distance Of ninty miles, the
entire length of the road. The Long
Island road was then q one-horse affair;
having only a single track, switches al
the different stations to. allow trains tc
n eet and pass. On the evening to which
now refer l started from Brooklyn al
ten o'clock with the old Constitution
long since broken up, but then the crack
engine of the road, with q baggage O,
treight-car and: three passenger, cars.
The night was Just as dark as a pocket
or, if any thing, perhaps little darker,
he added, as if lie had accurately tested
the internal obscurity OF that useful por.
ton of the dress.
sit mus have been very dark, /" said 1
''We 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 al
Lakeland station, in the middle of. the
island, switching off there to allow US to
ssWel1, We were perhaps six or eight
miles on our way when I stepped out on
the back platform of the rear car to. see
tit was growing any lighter. We were
then going over a part of the road which
was as straight as an ar1oW. for a distance
of four or FIVE miles. AS + was looking
back over this stretch saw behind US
at the distance of thre6 Mills. or 90
what.I knew was the head light of au On.
gine,as it was too bright for any thing
else; for of course I did not suppose the
government had been putting up any
lighthouses along. the road3'
AProbab4y not" said 4. ''- ~'1 =
You may be sure I was little sur.
prised,:' said the conductor, ''for there
wasn't. an extra train once week upon
that road, and. knew that there was none
going out from Brooklyn that night. any
how. I waited for few minutes, Until
saw that it was really an engine coming,
and. what was more, was gaining rapidly
on us, although we were. going at -oul
usual rate Of speed. When I was salts
fed OF this fact / hurried forward, and
said to the engineer: Jake, there is train
close behind hs.' 80 ~ u IL
Jake dropped his oil can and his lowe,
jaw at about = the same moment, and
looked to see if Twas crazy or joking.
"'Well, let the fireman attend to matters
here, and come back and see, 'fsaidI.
awe hurried to the rear, and in mo.
meHt Jake saw as we'll as myself that il
there was any joke in the matter we were
the victims of one; and of rather serious
one too, for the train in; the rear had gained
on tis.a full mile While had been for.
ward. The red cinders were pouring out
of the smoke stack as if FROM u 'blast-fur.
mace; the headlight threw q glare along
the road. Furnishing the iron. rails to ou1
verywheek.) CLOSE As he! vas ypoh us
the engineer of the advancing train ha6
not given the slightest signal to WAR
us of his approach. and made no response
to our repeated whistle Of ALARM He was
violating ali .salr6ad rules; md fi,e had
determined TO secretly run us down hi
would act just as he wasthen doing Jake
at first seemed 10 be' Struck dumb-not sc
much because he then thought of danger
ay at the cool imphdeEce Of the enginee1
behind He looked as' If he would like
to throttle him. His tongue after awhile
got in working order, and he broke out
what does that crazy fool mean?'
"'T The engineer must be either crazy
or dru6kY Said l.; ", he keeps Oh II
mat WY ten minutes longer he will sure.
ly be into. u.s. and signaled the fire.
man, tossput on more steam. What bust.
ness the trainslias upon the. read IT. all
tonight is what puzzles me-
'a''I wonder IF it isn't an engine Tie
oIdr,nan is sending down to Janiacia t.
The shop for repairss' slid -Jake. ..I~saw
the Ben Franknn standing on the side
track will. steam up just as we started.
From the. way she overhauls us, there
can't be much of . train behind her. y
a.eI4d1fl not now but that Jake might
be tight, for 1 he'd seen the Franklin
standing at the depot when We left. That
engine wasljust 40 fast as .ouf own, and if
itwas with0ut a train. Sttached,,; ,,as Jake
SUPPOSED, might sAgil gaiht tqn 81, as i
seemed to be doing pHaaI at any, gste, We
shall see when We pass Jamacia Station
whether JakaSe ,dh41fjf ~ ,ssforrebt2 III
thought enA aaid IL, him. I.
a"BI this. time the fireman, ,actingt 40
engineer had glyensour engine tsllo the
ateomaheMouldl take, andswe were SLASH
m9asadBgs At q slivsly iratsIlI tell yen,,''il
aai6 fha conductor sG'rha 0O1aq 90 xyS1k