The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-01-16
a MIpNIeHT.RIpE on An ENeISE.

a MIDNIGHT'RIDE On AN ENGINE.
The ride of hundreds of miles over mo-
nQtOnOus pTairies had become very weaT1-
some. 1t was midnight, and the train
was flushing along at the rate of forty
miles an hour. Nearly ell the passen-
gers, in number about 300, were sleep
ing. Two sleepers were full, ard IN the
five other cars the passengers were rest
ing in seats. None appeared 20 have
any thought of anxiety FOR their safety,
and yet the thermometer had fallen to
157 below zero the rails were icy; the
moon was about setting, and soon the
train would be rushing on through in
tense darkness. Thoughts of broken
rails and bridges. rendered brittle by
the cold. made nervous chills run over
me. Then ] thought Of the man who
held the lives of al these unconcerned
passengers in his care, the engineer, and
a great curiosity arose in my mind to
know how man with such an immense
responsibility upon him felt, looked, act
ed, and talked.
at the next stopping-piace / succeed
ed in getting q reluctant permission
from the engineer to ride on the engine
only until the moon should set the
reason for this being that. after it be
came dark. he could not have his atten-
tion diverted by the presence Of any
one.
Very soon the train was again thun-
dering along al its highest rdtc OF speed.
It seemed perfectly fearful, sitting in
the cab OF the engine. The cold wind
rushed past our ears with q cutting
whizz; the monster engine seemed al
most leaping from The rails In It's frantic
efforts the monster driving wheels
seemed 40 spin round ike tops. So ter
rife was The sensation that / would
gladly have retreated 10 the 5hClotr Of
the passenger car, but I dared net J.
the journey with the train az such
Tho engineer. @ great, stalwar
lool-i,,.- -. t-ept his eve s'
cd on the track a. The moon
was bright, and the track lay like
black line. visible for miles ahead O.
the prairie. Noticing my. evident peri
turbation, the engineer said:
'-Oh, this is nothing, q straight track
and "a clear moonlight. The strain
comes when the night is pitch dark,
when the track runs over an uneven
country; when there are curves and
cuts and bridges and embellishments /;
when it rains Cud the track is slippery
OF may be wasted away; when the rails
are icy or brittle with cold 80
And do y0u rush on Just Lhe s}me2'
''ju5c the same. Ill travelling pub
lie would complain loudly ii time were
lost for storm o. Hood.
Are You never afraid p
I've do not think about fear. IL ne
do we are lost. It IS like mau walk
ing narrow plank ut a dizzy height.
7 f he begins TO think of his position he
is lost Engineers 90 express trains
don't dare TO lose their nerve II they do
they are gone up.
How so ?
s'An engineer who begins 90 lose his
nerve soon shows il In his train. IL he
brings his train in behind time for few
times in succession De is called 10 ac-
count. IL it is found that he Is getting
afraid to run 50 fast ne is deprived of
his position and put on a freight engine
+ An engineer who once loses his nerve
never recoveEs Ii.
do engineers dead such reductions
in r=uk p"
f '.Of course no one likes TO be degrad-
lI in rank. There Is pride ia the
. courage and bravery of our profession
that impel1 us all TO seek O. maintain
. our positions at the top. more especially
as the position OF express train engineer
is only attained after long. years Of ap-
premiership, and service in running
freight engines. Bnt occasionally. af-
ter having been promoted 10 hrst-class
positions, engineers fDd the STRATA too
great ON their irnervesa audvoluutarily take.
positions on freight trains or short To-
cal accommodation TRAINS.
The moon was noW just sinking be-
low the horizon. 1ehind as thmdered
the long train Of cars- The engineer
asked me not TO talk 10 him any more.
There lie stood. mis- hand on the throttle
OF the engine, his ere pcering eagerly
into .he darkness thatwaE falling thick
er around g7. soon only such portions
Of the track as were lighted by the head
light OF the engine VAS visible. What
an aWth TeSpc15i5iiiy were ali Those
300 sleeping men, women and chilHren.
The engineer seemed To me like one OF
the gods OF the old nlEtlcloey, controll-
ing in his single, siuCwy. hand such q
mighty force. and performing such q
wOndr0us task. But there be stood,
calm and collected, although it seemed
rs though every nerve must be in the
highest state Of tension. 1 thought OF
the thousands Of express trans rushing
ali over the land In every direction at
this dead hour Of the nigh; at the im-
mense number Of passengers whose lives
were in the care and Keeping of these
, faithful workers. and IreGlizl rs new
! er before the wonderful degree Of per
fection 10 which railroad service has
/ been brought. that 20 fev accidents
, happen and So few liges are lost in pro
= portion to Che uunit- ct trtve els. Al
: honor 80 the railroaf companies. and es-
f, pecialiy all homer o the brave express
train engineers. Yhcy gre "a more I'M
+, pcrtance and yaiut & s5ci 81 and ciFib-
> Zati0n than Presto ntS or tforernors OF
: generals or the ulA1silsi.i ol the
world -- frs..r1 ~ =
S EVERY time tLehm5l boy ie2>s Al
). his skates ami Thugs anout the Alaine
woudeY. bov-aDvbg}- can he srsl q fool
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