Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-11-25
AN AWFUL RAILROAD RACE.
JoHN DAyISoN'S WoNDERFUL FEAT oN
THE BUFFALO. CORY AND PiTTSBURG
RNLRoAp.-SNrEEN MILEs IN LESs
THAN TWELVE MINUTES.

BY a locomotive explosion on a West
cu railroad few DAYS ago, the engineer,
John Dawson, was killed Dawson was
one OF tine oldest engineers in the couu-
/ try. and wa, for several years on the
. Buffalo. CORY and Pittsburg Railroad,
where hc had one of the most terrible
experiences that has ever been recorded
in the history of railroadinE His death
recalls that night of peril TO every one in
. that part of New York State, although it
/ ha, never ceased to be related in minut-
st detail at all gatherings of railroad men
where the dangers Of the tootboard have
been the topic.
From Mayville Summit to Brocton
Junction of the Lake Shore Road the
distance Is 10 miles, but owing to the
numerous sweeping curves in the railroad
the distance by rail is II miles The
grade for that distance is nearly so feet
to the mile. The Cory Road extends
into the Pennsylvania oil regions, and 10
years ago carried large quantities of pc
troleum. On the night of Aug. Il,
500. Davison's engine was at the Sum
nit with train OF one box car, six load
ed oil cars, and two passenger cars. The
/ box car was next to the locomotive, and
the passenger cars were at the rear OF the
train. The engineer had started the
train. and it had attained good headway,
when he discovered 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 un-
coupled from the box car. The engineer
then pulled on down the hill, to get out
of the reach of the burning cars, in order
/ to save the locomotive and the other car,
I in which were two valuable trotting horses
and their keepers on their way to Cleve-
land. He supposed the brakemen would
put the brakes on the oil cars, but in the
excitement 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 a curve. They crashed
into the box car, knocking in one end OF
it, but, singularly 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 when asked after
ward why he did not pursue that course,
they had $40, 900 worth of the company 5
property in their charge, and they were
determined to save it if possible Ac-
cording to the engineers story of the
incident, he saw that there was to be a
race for life between him, with 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
animals actually screamed with fright
The heat was unbearable. Dawson pull
ed the Unbelievable wide open, and he
declared that they flew down the S0-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 a:
death, begged the engineer to give he
more steam" They could see the blaz
ing oil cars through the broken end o
their car, and it seemed to them that they
gained at every turn of the wheels. The
engineer said that when he struck tht
sharp curves at the lightning speed a
which he was going, he expected that hi!
engine would leave the track and b
hurled down the muuntain-side. Th,