The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1880-07-02


| days. said railroad man at the Union
depot the other day, as he pointed to an
engineer who looked as sour as any dys-
peptic.
"How off ?''
s+Go and ask him.
1t took quarter OF an hour and cigar
| to clear the cloud from the engineers face,
'lnl then in reply TO the query he said
81: is a queer thing. There's my en-
gine, one of the best on the road, in per-
feet order. only twelve years old. and able
to run or pull with the best OF them. A
month ago hadn't the least bit OF trouble
in making time, no matter how the track
was or the weight of the train. She was
ready at the word, held her steam beauti-
fully, and she seemed to understand every
word said. To-day she is down in the
rouud-house, growing and sputtering and
acting as if she wanted to pick fuss with
a gravel-pit." !"
Anything ont cf gear ~
''Not thing. She's been looked over
twice, and we can't find the least excuse
for her conduct. She'll get over it in
day or two. perhaps. II she don't we'll
punish her,
"How 90
''Put her before freight or stock train.
I've seen 1t tried a dozen times, and 1t
most always works well. Here she is now,
bright as new dollar and as handsome
as picture, and I'll bet fifty dollars that
there isn't the least thing out of order.
She's simply sulkying the same as a child
or woman, and know what started it.
Three weeks ago, while on my run in with
the night express, she just wanted TO light
right out for all she was worth. She took
the bit like running horse, and II had
not choked her off she'd have beaten her
schedule time by twenty minutes. She
acted mad right away, and in running
twenty miles she gave me more trouble
than | ever had with her in a run of three
hundred. She lost steam, tried to foam
over, choketl her pipes, and when want
ell more steam she'd slide on her drivers.
She went right back on me that night, and
has been sulking ever since"
''Do all engine do this 90
mot all, but many OF them do. Some
of 'etn begin to cut up and get on their
high heels the first day out OF the shop, as
If determined to be master willie others
will be as obedient as you please for two
or three years, and then, all at once, play
you some rusty trick. People say that
horse is next to man i'm point OF intclli-
gence, but sometimes think a locomotive
ought to have that place. We engineers
do not look upon them as machines, but
almost as companions, and I've known
drivers to talk to them by the hour.
''Is this your first experience with
sulking engine ?''
mo it's my third. Six years ago,
when was cunning out of Chicago, west,
had ten years added to my age i'm about
two minutes. had fine passenger en-
gine, and we were the best of friends for
over year. One day, when we were
booming over the country at forty miles
an hour, saw a farmers team stalled at
a highway crossing. He had big load of
wood on his wagon, and the :eapa was
pair of young horses. When I first caught
sight of them they were dancing up and
not trying to pull pound, and the old
farmer was Oh top of the load and putting
on the whip good and strong. Now,
honestly believe that the engine wanted
to smash things. She suddenly increased
her speed, and when reversed and put on
the air-brakes she plunged and kicked and
almost jumped the rails. When started
mp again she was sulkfng, and l had all
could do to make time. She was "off-' all
next trip, but 1 wouldn't give in. On the
next trip she showed her teeth. and they |
had the gleam Of a lantern of death.
''You see had orders to side-track at
certain station for the Atlantic express to
pass me, and my engine sulked and growl- I
ed and threw me several minutes behind
time. There was little time to spare when
we reached the station. had drawn the
train about half way off rhe main track
sir-stopped dead still. and that without |
being reversed or brake applied, and
with steam enough to blow off. L was
dazed for a minute, and the firemaHy OPEN
ed his eyes like one seeing terrible pict- |
ure. just then the Atlantic whistled. |
Jumped down and ran to the pilot, expect
lug to see barricade, but the track was |
clea:. leaped into the cab and gave her |
more steam, but not wlIeel moved more |
yet, but she stood there like rock ! Con-
ductor. brakeman and passengers were
shouting TO me, and the yatchman howled
like panther. On came the Atlantic,
and pulled the throttle open wide. Bless
You, sir I'm in shiyer now at the rec
ollection.
''The Atlantic always passed US on the
fiy but that night she had party of
stockholders aboard who W. nted TO get off
at this station, and she came to stop and
saved such slaughter as would have pnt
the Ashtabuia disaster nowhere. She'd
have gone through two sleeping cars as
slick rs bullet. There we stood. my
engine growling and threatening and Il.