The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-08-06
the scheme provides for escape as well al
SuccnSS.
THE BRAKEMAN'S STORY.
Life on the Rail-How q Passenger Train
- MAG Saved .vEE .

Life on the Rail-H0w q Passenger Train
was Saved. 7.
eyes sir,' said the brakeman, as he
stood by the stove warming his numbed
hands after coming in from braking.
'People think, as they sit here in their
warm seats and only hear us call out the
different stations, that we have a nice,
soft, easy time. But we know better.
Imagine yourself out on a fat-car all
with the snow dashing into your
face, your hands on an cold iron brake,
and think if that's easy; or, up on top of
a freight car, running along, the wind
cutting like a knife, dark as pitch, and
watching for fear you may rush suddenly
under q bridge and be swept of, and per
haps left to die in the snow. Is that
easy? Does that look like a soft job2
To be sure, when we are transferred to
passenger cars the work is nice enough,
but the dangers we have to 60 through
(for generally we have to go on freight
cars tirst,) entitle,us for something better
on q passenger car, and we amt sorry
when we get orders to take the head of
such a regular train.
"There are very few brakeman who
can't tell some never-to-be- forgotten in
cident connected with their life on the
rail. To explain, let me tell you a story
Of my own experience. .rl.r
II remember n e night, it was fearfully
cold right IN the. middle of winter and
showing very hard; I was brakeman in
the middle of a freight train. It was
running along On slow time that night,
and we were two or three miles from the
station. I was standing by the brake of
a flat car trying to get warm by stamping,
wishing we were at the depot, so that I
could 60 back to the calaboose out of the
bitter cold, when suddenly I felt the
train humping and jumping as if a wheel
had broken, and I knew something was
wrong. The whistle blew for brakes, and
in a mighty short time we had the train
stopped. ! II -.-.
"Wlth the rest Of the men I went back
to see what was the matter, thinking that
1 might get a chance at the stove, for I
was nearly frozen. Going back about
three hundred feet, we found that one of
the rails had got loose and was out of
place, but, as we had been going slow,
We had run over the spot safely. Our
conductor looked up, and seeing me, said
hurriedlY.
"'Jim, get back and signal the passen-
ger train. She will BE- along in a short
time now; and take this; he said, hand
ing me a red-light lantern; we'll 90 on.
You can come along with the other train
"With that all hands got on board, and
soon there was nothing but myself and
the lantern left. A cold gust brought
Inc to myself with a quicktu1n, and then
I remembered what l had to do. Hold
ing the lantern up, I saw the light flick
ering, and shaking it I found it almost
empty.
Then I began to feel the responsibility
of my position. A lamp without oil in
it, the train due in ten minutes, with the
chances Of it being thrown off the track,
and n O telling how many people killed
or wounded! In a case Of this kind. sir,
every brakeman will do his best to save
human life, although he sometimes loses
his own ia the attempt, and all ne get
for it is having his name in the paper and
being a brave fellow. ..
"Quicker than I tell it, I made up my
mind that the train must lie signaled,
lamp or no lamp. But how to do it was
the question. If I ran ahead without a
light, the engineer might think I wanted
to stop the train for robbery-for such
things have often been done, you know
-andswould not only dash right on faster
than ever, but may be try to scald me as
the locomotive rushed by.
"Tell you I felt just like praying then,
but brakemen are not selected for their
religious feelings, So didn't pray much,
but looked around and saw a light smil-
ing from a window some distance of. 1
laid down my lantern carefully on the
track, made a Decline for the house and
o my knock brought a woman to the
door, who looked more frightened than I
was at nv excited appearance. 1t was
useless to ask forsperm oil-the only sort
we use-and I cried out:
"'Give me a bundle Of straw, quick,
for heavens saker
"She seemed to realize the position,
and quickly brought a bundle. Feeling
in my pocket I found three matches, and,
! grabbing the straw, Imade my way back
to the track. mi r.. e.
!, *Laying the straw between the rails,
Z struck a match and showed it into
5 the bundle. 1t flckered an instant
and then went out. I felt and found the
t straw damp. Just then a dull faiu'
rumbling sound came down the wind.
+. and I knew she was coming. The train
would soon be there.
II struck the second match, and II
touched of the straw. A blaze, a little
smoke, and it was dark again, and raising
NV eyes, I saw the headlight of the
approaching train away in the distance
But trains don't crawl and the buzzins
: along the rail told NE to be lively. Th'
e red light was burning family; fv'
minutes more and it would go out. Fo
an instant I stood paralyzed, when
!. shrill scream from the engine brought M
!; to nv senses, and l saw that inside O
two minutes more she would be on tn
spot. - aa
e "Seizing the lantern with one hand
e I struck the last match, and, bending
: down, laid it carefully. inside the straw
J, and then dashed forward, waxing the rex
: light. The glare from the headlight
t shone down in the track, and the enginee
t saw me, but he did not notice the ret
light-the sudden waving had put it out
4 only screeching he came straight on