The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-12-06
Our 0lio.
A TERRIBLE RIDE.

y
Cory and Pittsburg railroad, where he
had one Of the most terrible experiences
ever recorded 10 the history Of railroading
His death recalls that night of peril, al
though it has never ceased to be related
in minutest detail at all gatherings Of rail-
road men where the dangers Of tho foot
board have been the topic.
From Mayyille Summit to Broclon juno
ton of the Lake Shore road the distance
is ten miles, bat owing to the numerous
sweeping curves Ia the railroad the dis
tanee by rail is fourteen miles. The grade
for that distance is nearly eighty feet to
the mile. The Cory road extends into
the Pennsylvania oil regions, and ten years
ago carried large quantities Of petroleum.
On the night Of August II, 1869, Davis
on's engine was at the Summit with
train of one box car, six loaded oil cars,
and two passenger ears, The box car was
next to the locomotive, and the passenger
ears were at the rear Of the train. The
engineer had started the train and it had
attained good headway, when he dlscov-
cred flames issuing from one Of the oil
cars. He whistled down brakes, and the
coaches were cut loose from the oil cars,
which were quickly uneoupled from the
box car, The engineer then pulled on
down the hill, to get out Uf the reach of
the burning ears, III order to save the
locomotive and the other car, in which
were two valuable trotting horses aud their
keepers on their way TO Cleveland. He
supposed the brakeman would put the
brakes on the oil cars, but in the excite
ment this was not done and they followed
the locomotive, gaining headway every
moment Before the engineer had taken
in the situation, the oil cars, every one Of
/ them now ablaze, came dashing upon him
around curve. They crashed into the
box car, knocking in one end of it, but,
sogularly enough neither that nor any Of
the moving cars were thrown from the
track by the collision. The engineer and
fireman could have escaped all danger by
Abandoning the locomotive, but as Dawson
said afterward why he did not pursue that
course, they had $4,000 worth Of the
company's property in their charge, and
they were determined to save it if possible.
According to the engineers story Of the
| Incident, be saw that there was to be
race for life between him aud his engine,
and the flaming cars under no control.
He said that when the oil cars struck the
one in which the horses were the poor an
imals actually screamed with fright The
heat was unbearable. Dawson pulled the
throttle valve wide open, aud he declared
that they flew down the eighty-foot grade
so fast that the engine could not pump.
The keepers in the car next the oil cars
climbed up to the opening in the end of the
car, and with faces pale as death, begged
the engineer to, "giye her more steam"
They could sec the blazing oil cars through
the broken end Of their car, and il seemed
to them that they were gaining at every
turn Of the wheels. The engineer said
that when he struck the sharp curves at
the lightning speed at which he was going
he expected that his engine would leave
the track and be hurled down the noun
tain side The night was very dark The
engine thundered along faster than any
engine ever ran in this country before or
since, through woods and deep rock cuts,
and on the edge of high precipices. The
horses were stamping and neighing with
terror in the box ear, aud only few feet
in the rear was the flying mass Of fame
rushing down the mountain like tire.
mendous meteor. The blaze from the
thousands of gallons of burning oil was
more than sixty feet 10 height, and lighted
up the woods aud rocks and crooked roads
for miles, The whole heavens were illu-
minated, and from Brocton the sight Of
the great cOuaagration, apparently flying
through the air now hidden for a second
by cut or piece Of woods, and then leap
ing out again aud up toward the sky Ike
a huge fountain Of FIRE, is described as
having been awful In its grandeur.
The idea of Engineer Dawson was to
call for the opening of the switch for him
at Brocton junction so that he could run
on to the Lake Shore track, where the
grade was ascending and where he could
soon get out Of the way of the burning cars
through their having lost the propelling
power of the decline Of the Summit grade,
1t happened, however, that the Cincinnati
express on the Lake Shore road would be
due at the junction when Davisons engine
reached there. To add to the terror Of
the situation, west t-bound Lake Shore
freight train was at that moment running
to pass the junction before the arrival of
the express. There was only one thing to
do, aud that was to whistle for the switch
and take the chances Of the freight getting
out Of the way, aud the express being flag
ged or late, The engineer knew that he
must have been seen from the Rrocton
junction, by the light Of the burning oil,
in his life or death race down the noun
tain, aud that the railroad men there un.
derstood the peril Of the situation and
would be prompt to act He whistled for
open switch. He and his fireman babe
each other goodbye aud awaited the re-
suit. The freight train gained the siding
out Of their way, The switch was opened,
and they tore up the bake Shore track,
past the depot aud through the village,
and were soon out Of the way Of the burn.
ing cars. The latter gradually came to q
stop. The engine and box car were stop
ped within hundred yards Of the Lake
Shore express, which vas both late and
signaled, When Dawson and his fireman
found they were out Of danger they faint.
ed on their engine. The horses iu tho
box car were ruined, and their keepers
we're taken from the oar unconscious.
The oil-tapks burned for three hours after
they were stopped. The most fortunate
circumstance Of the whole affair was she
uncoupling Of the passenger cars from tho
oil cars at the SUMMIT. They we're filled
with passengers, and II they had remained
with The burning tanks would have been
wrapped in flames IN very short time,
and there would have been no escape for
the passengers from q most horrible fate.
IL was just uine o'Claok when Dawson
pulled out FROM MayyilIe Summit. Whom
he was laken from bis engine, sixteen
miles from The starting point, il was not
yet twelve minutes past the hour.
James Keenan, Davison's 6resnah. was
killed about three years ago. He was on
his engine, when he saw q child plaVjnp
oa fho fr.ot .....n .lt.t..a4 .l1 rt.t