Louisiana capitolian., 1880-08-28
s.,l.!t-!!,! Miles I. s... !

"s's"'j "' ''''''"
81 am railroad engineer Away long
in ~, during the great panic, was
running on the +. aud G. Railroad. The
railroad companies were going under III
all directions. Every day we heard of
new failures, and quite often in quar-
tor where we least expected it. Our
road was generally looked upon as one
of the most substantial in the nation;
nobody seemed to have any fears that
it would fail to survive the general mash
ND but yet ! did not fully share in the
general confidence. Wages were cut
down, arrearages collected, and great
many other little matters seemed to in-
dicate to me that the road had got into
rather deeper water than was agreeable
all around. Among other things, the
master mechanic had told me in the
spring that the company had ordered
-four first quality Taunton engines for
the fall passenger business. The road
was put in the very best condition and
other preparations were made to cu5
down the time and put the trains
Though quicker than WAS ever known
before, when the new engines should
come. Well, there was Ont one one the
engines came.
III said there was but one engines
came; but she was, in my opinion, alto
gether the best ever turned out Of the
Taunton works; and that is saying as
much as can be said in praise Of any en-
gine. She was put in my charge imme-
diately, with the understanding that she
was mine. So"
'It was Saturday when she came out
Of the shop, and was to take special
train up to y. The train was to
carry up the president and several of the
officers of the road to meet some officers
of another road, which crossed ours
there and arrange some important bust
ness with them.
n had no trouble at all in making
my forty miles an hour going out The
engine handled herself most beautifully
We were just holding up at y, when
Aldrich, the treasurer, who had come
out on the platform to put the brake on,
slipped and fell. AS we were under good
headway he was much injured and was
carried of to the hotel insensible
According to the presidents direction
switched off my train, turned my en-
gine and stood ready to start back to
C. at o moments notice.
"Aldrich's presence was Of much i'm
pOrtance that the business could not he
transacted without him; SO i'll those :!
had brought out, except the President
aud Aldrich, went back to CO on the
three o'clock express train. This was
the last regular train which was to pass
over the road until next Monday.
early in the evening lleft the ma
chine in charge of my fireman and went
over to an eating house to see if ] could
not spend the time more pleasantly than
on my engine. The hours dragged them
selves away slowly. l was playing a
game of dominoes with the station agent
when in came Roberts, the President iu
Estate Of great excitement.
"Harry,' said be to me. y want you
to put me down in c. at II o'clock.
Gas it was nearly eleven o'clock then
and The distance WAS seveniy-five miles
thought be was joking at first; bu,
when we got outside the door, he caught
me by arm, and hurried me along so tas
that saw he was in earnest.
"Harry' said he, if yoa don't set mt
down in c. by twelve o'clock ! am ;
ruined man, and this road is ruinet
road. A!drich is dead: but be told me
bofore he died, that he had embezziet
from time 10 time $500, 600 of our money
and his clerk is to start with il On tn
twelve o'clock boat from c. for Can
ada. If we don't have that money o,
Monday morning, to make some pay
ments with, the road goes into othe
hands: and if you put me down IN c.
at the right time, so that l Save tn
money, yoa shall have 5000. Under
stand it, Harry. Five thousand dollars
"Of course understood it. saw nov
the reason why the wages had been Gu
down; understood it all ami my bloo
boiled. felt that l would save tn
road if lived, aud told Roberts so.
kN NJ