The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1880-06-03
PERILS OF THE RAIL.

Several years ago I was an attentive
listener to two old Erie engineers, slack
cy'' Westcryelt and "Abe' Carpenter,
who were comparing notes about the
pcrllous adventures they had previously
had while running on the road. Both
OF these engineers were widely known,
and both are low dead, the former diving
OF consumption, and the latter by being
struck On the head by plank projecting
from car of lumber in passenger train
between Goshen and Chester. At the
time these wcllknown engineers were
running the opposite sides OF the ''rcgu-
lar conf between Port Jcrvis and this
city, their trains being the first to bring
coal to tidc-wa here at the then new
works of the Pennsylvania Coal Com
panY. Both were good conversational
lists, and the stories related We're remark
able aud interesting. Both were seated
in the cab at Wcsteryclt's 'mogul.' the
six wheeled locomotive, 243, one of the
first hard coal "moguls' placed upon the
road, and which was then undergoing re-
pairs at the Port Jcrvis shop. Carpen-
ter's engine was 245, a companion engine
OF the same class. The most thrilling
part Of the storytelling was when Il
turned npon the numerous objects such
as horses and wagons, COWS, fowls, sheep,
hogs and pcoplc-they had, during their
experience as engineers encountered upon
the track, while running over the road.
''That was said Carpenter, ''probably
the closest shave that I ever had from
gong dsWn the bank when struck that
drove OF COWS just this side Of the second
bridge west of Salisbury, on the Newburg
branch. There was dozen or fifteen OF
them, and all we're on the track. I had a
train Of twenty loaded coal dumps be-
hind me, and was blazing away the best
40 knew how, to get over Pine Hill with
out stalling. I had good start over the
straight line just west, and when we
poked our nose around the curve between
that and the bridge was going with the
heavy train all Of twenty-five miles an
nour. As we turned to the left, the fire
man seen the cattle first, and, in sudden
burst Of the worst fright :evcr see, he
shrieked, My God, Abe! see what's On
the track Shut oil, quick' 1 took the
situation in at a glance, and see that ]
was too far on top of 'em to stop so !
pulled her out, and hit 'cm as hard as ]
could. OF course twas the best thing ]
could do to knock 'cnl off, and moi
let 'em get under us; so we went through
'em like pistol ball would 90 through
paper. Horns flew one way, hoofs an.
other, tails were like meteors flyino
through the air, and when we pulled vi
to see who would get the finest set Of
horns with which to adorn the engine an6
memorizc the occasion, as we'll as thu
incest chuck-steak, there were fourteen
down the bank-seven on each side
Some had their heads partly of, some
their legs broken, and the rest were bad.
~ manglcd, so that all but two had to be
killed. My engine was little besmeared
but no damage done. It was fortunate
crack gave, for II any one of 'em had
gone under, down the bank we'd went
sure, and laundering big wreck made. y
"That reminds me-" said Westeryelt.
lot the time ploughcd through that big
flock OF sheep, 'tother side of the Otter
hill crossing. was going down the
grade east OF Goshen with full loaded
train, and a good clip, making, should
think, thirty miles an hour. There was
at least forty or fifty of the t1eecy animals,
and didn't think they were dangerous
to hit, and couldn't stop if I did, / Just
let her whiz, and looked out to see which
way they went. Twas the most novel
sight I ever sec. One of 'em noticed
went clean through q rail fence, and
took the fence with it. Another one !
see strike o big rock, anu I tell you he
tlattened out like some Of the copper
pennies the boys put on the track for Us
to run over. But the most of them took
wings and upward they went, some TWEEN.
ty and more forty feet high. YOU'D
think it was raining sheep to see then
come down. They were strewcd al
around the road and fields adjoining thu
track, and the owner, when he founc
them, must have thought dynamit,
mine must have blew 'em up.'' Thi.
spot is where poor Carpenter afterwart
lost his life, as above stated, by being
truck by plank on passing train.
"Telllng DIGGING through this drove o
sheep, at this crossing,' cont1nucdJack
ey, f'calls to mind-indced I can neve
forget 1.-THE time ran into that hors,
and wagon, with man and two ladie
in it, at the crossing between Greycour
and Oxford. It was the most ha,rowin:
spectacle I ever witnessed on the roae
and God forbid that shall ever see an
other one. was westward bound dow,
that Oxford grade, one OF the worst OF
the road, with full train of cmpties, an,
going like the dickens. All Of a sud
den my eyes lit on the man trying to ge
his horsee over before reached him.
blew and footed, and rang the bell, an,
and as ] neared him my heart went up
The horse baked or was frightened,
don't know which, and for once I ADM
I lost my balance. My nerves complete
" left me, and I was as helpless as
child: knew ! couldn't stop that b1,
train had behind, but I called 70