The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-05-12
Running n Locomotive.

wen, I've had little experience in
running an engine" said long speci-
men of the genius Yankee, putting one
elbow on the bar counter and holding
his whisky straight up to the light, "and
II 1t would amuse you I'll give you n
yarn or two."
"Slave ahead" said his companion,
"out I've been there myself. | used
10 run an engine from New York to
Philadelphia"
"Oh, you did," said tie Yankee.
I've been special engineer for the last
ten year, and there amt a mile of track
atween here and Frisco | haven't trav-
eled over. You see us specials arc
obliged to be ready for anything at a
moments notice, and when we travel
we just go over the ground, and don't
you forget it,"
I've made some pretty good time
myself" said the second engineer. |
took train through from New York
to Philadelphia in eighty minutes"
"Oh, that's child's play" said the
first engineer. "Why, man, I've made
that run myself, and one piston rod
| gone at that. 1t was lively trip, and
uont you forget IL. Ia Just got back
from special run up through the coal
regions, when word came that one of
the Dig guns OF the company wished to
start at once for Philadelphia. knew
what that meant, so jumped aboard
long-legged jim, hitched construc-
tion car behind the tender, and draw
ing room coach behind that and report
ed for duty. | knew my engine, and
ran up forty pounds of steam more nor
she was marked to carry. When the
word came | let everything slide and
the old boy just jumped in the air.
Then he settled down TO his work.
Everything was clear in front of us,
and let him cut for all he was worth
at the start. In less ZEN five minutes
you couldn't counted the telegraph
poles they flow by us so fast. | had
two fireman an | Just made 'em earn
their passage from the word 60. Old
Jim must have eat up two ton o'coal
inside of ten miles.
"Whatv' eiaculated the second engi-
neer.
"Sure! !" said the first engineer.
"And we hadn't been out of the station
ten minutes before every blasted boiler
pipe was red hot, and we had TO keen
flooding the cab with water 10 keep
from burning the darn thing up. Oh.
we was Just gcttln' there, my boy, and
L didn't let up pound. Every time
we took curve the outside wheels
would be foot up in the air, and nee
or twice the tender jumped clean on to
the ties, and old jim would vank her
back again, and"
"Ain't you stretching the point?"
asked the second engineer.
&c =
neer. "Why, afore we was half way
10 Philadelphia, both O. those stokers
was down on their knees praying, and
l had to do the feeding myself until
swore 'em back to their senses again.
Well, everything went well the first
two thirds o the run, and | was Just
whistling to myself over the record
was piling up, when there came q re-
port like rifle, and knew one of the
blasted piston rods had busted. There
was nothin' to do but stop. and lost
left the coach and came down to see
what was up. whats to be done?'
said he. I've got one piston rod left.
says |, 'and I'll take YOU throrgh on
time lie knew me, and he lust lii n
fresh cigar and walked back TO the
|
lust set those praying fircmcn TO work
Tor all they was worth and had her np
10 sixty pounds over the limit in lessen
no time. Then let her slide, Lord
larry, thought old jim would Jerk
the stuflin' out of everything behind
him. We just played hop scotch, and |
don't believe we touched the rails more
nor four or five times mile. | knew
it was a 500 check or nothin, an |
was after that check. Well, those fire.
men got to praying worse 'cn ever,
and had to swear Id throw 'em over
board afore they'd come to time.
tell you we was Just movin.' Why,
the towns got runnin' all together, and
we had DO more'cn got squint at one
station atore we was five miles past the
"llear! hear!' said the second cnsi-
neer, CHATS laying it OH too strong"
True as yon're here" said the first
engineer. "pd introduce Won TO the
praying firemen, but they cut the bnsi-
ness after that run, and [ kinder lost
sight of 'em Well, we got within ten
miles of Philadelphia and ! begun to
stop her."
"Stop herr
"Ies; knew couldn't do it inside
o'ten miles, and l didn't quite fetch it
at that; for when We run into the sta.
tion we smashed in the bumpers and
ripped up about twenty feet o. the plat
form before old long legged Jim would
agree the run was over, but | got the
check" and the Yankee engineer
lhoughtfully drained his glass as his
friend ordered the barkeeper TO "set
'em up again"