The National tribune., 1879-11-01
The Brakeman's Story.


stove warming his numbed hands after coming in from
orakeng "People hhlk as they sit here in their warm
seats and only hear call the different stations that
we nave nice, soft easy time. But we know better
imagine yourself out flat car all night with the snow
dashng into your face your hands cold brake
and think If that's easy up on top of q Freight car
running along, the wind cutting as knife dark as pitch
ana watching for fear you may rush suddenly under a
bridge and be swept Oft and perhaps left TO die in the
snow Is that easy? Does that look like soft Job To
be sure when transferred to passenger cars Che
WORK nice enough but the dangers 90 through
or generally we have to go freight rs entitle
us to something better passenger car and we an't
sorry when we get orders to take the head end of such
train.
There is very few brakemen who can't tell some
beforgoten incident connected with their life on
the rail 70 EXPLAIN let me tell you story of my own
experience.
remember one night, it was fearfully cold right in
the middle of winter and showing hard was brakeman
IN the middle OF freight train 1t running along
SLOW tne that night and two three miles from
the satlon was standing by the brake of fiat car try
ing TO get warm by stamping, wishing We're at the de-
pot so that could back to the caboose out of the bit
ter cold, when suddenly felt the train humping and
jumping as wheel had broken, and knew something
was wrong The whistle blew for brakes, and mighty
short time we had the train stopped.
With the rest of the went back to see what was
che matter think that might get chance the stove,
for nearly frozen Going back about three hundred
feet found that OF the rails had go loose and was
out of place, but had been going slow we had run
over me spot safely Our conductor looked up and
ing me- said, hurriedv:
Jim get back and signal the passenger train. She
wiz De along in short time, now; and take this he
can come along with the other train
with THAI all hands got board and there was
nothing but myself and the lantern left. cold gust
brought me to myself with quick turn and then re-
membered what had to do. Holding the lantern up
saw the light tickerng and shaking it found it almost
empty.
Then began to feel the responsibility Of my posi-
tlon lamp without oil in it. the train due in min
utes with the chances of being thrown from the track
ana no telling how many people killed wounded In
case or TINS KIND sir every brakeman will do his best to
save human life although he sometimes looses his
the tempt aud all he gets for it having his name in
the paper aud being brave fellow.
Quicker than tell it, | made UP my mind that the
Tram must be slgnaled lamp lamp. But how to do
it was the question IF ran ahead without light the
engineer might think wanted to stop the train for rob
beryfor such things have often been done You know
ana would not only dash right faster than ever but
maybe try to scald me the locomotive rushed by.
tell you | felt like praying just then-but brakemen
are not selected for their religious feelings so did mt
pray much but looked around and light shining in
window some distance off. laid down my lantern care
tuy on the track and made bee line or the house. and
soon soon brought woman to the door, who looked more
frightened than was at my excited appearance 1t was
useless TO ask for sperm oilthe only sort we useso
cried out
For Gods sake give me some straw
She seemed to realize the position and quickly brought
bundle Feeling in my pocket found three matches
ana graoong the straw, made my way back to the track
Laying the straw between the rails l struck a match
ana showed 1T into the bundle 1t cered an instant and
then Went OUT felt and found the straw damp Just
lnen uuil, ianI rumbng sound came down the wind
there
- 1 struck the second match and it touched off the
straw. blaze, little smoke, and it was dark AGAIN
ah raising my eyes the headlight of the approach
ing tl'n away in the distance. But trains don't crawl
and the buzzing along the rail told me to be lively The
red light burning but family five minutes more and
IL would go out For an instant stood parayzed when
shTll scream from the engine brought my senses
ana saw that inside of two minutes more she would be
on the spot
Seizing the lantern with hand struck the last
match and bending down. laid it carefully inside the
straw, and then dashed forward waving the red light
ihe glare from the headlight shoue down the track and
the engineer saw me- but did not notice the red ghthe
sudden waving had put out-ony screeching She came
straight When the train was almost on me- jumped
one side, and singing the lantern over my head dashed
It INTO the cab The engineer the lamp as it broke
on the floor and seeing the red glass and battered lantern
whstied the danger signal and tried to check up
Looking down the track, almost screamed from ex
element The last match had found dry spot and the
straw was blazing up brightly The train came to a
standstil She was saved; that's all | remember.
. The next knew was in the baggage car They
said they found me lying by the train dead faint and
excuse me- we are going to stop now. Stamford - he
ont