West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1882-03-01
Courage and Self-Sacrifice.

courage dHu Sell-SdCrlUCe.
The highest order of human cour-
age is that which compels man in
his cool and reflective moments to
confront approa ching danger or
death, that it may be averted from
others. An act of such cool, DELHI
crate, self-sacrifcing heroism, in
which Mr. R. P Irving, young
engineer on the Chesapeake and
Ohio railway, was the actor, de-
serves, the record. Eleven trains were
blocked at Waynesboro awaiting ar
rival and passage of extras which
were behind time.
These having come up and pass
ed on their way westward, and
eastward bound freights were at
liberty to resume their way The
first of the eleven started up the
heavy grade to the tunnel, but ow-
ing to the sleety condition of the
track, could make no Roadway. Mr..
Irving, the engineer of the train
next behind, uncoupled his engine
and came to the assistance of the
other. Their united forces got the
heavy ladened train under way,
and Mr.. Irving, after helping it
over the heaviest grade, uncoupled
his engine and backed down the
grade to his own train.
He was scarcely In position again
when tho familiar rafting sound of
an approaching train struck his
ears. He looked up, and for an in
slant stood horror-stricken as he
saw a section of the train he had
helped up the grade coming back
slowly now, but gathering speed as
it moved. He realized the situation
in an instant; thirteen heavy-la-
dened cars had by some accident
become uncoupled from the rest of
the train and were now returning
down seventy-fve foot grade,
threatening a collision with the
standing trains that must have en-
tailed an immense destruction of
property, besides the mangling of
human victims.
The young engineer did not hest
tate moment. He saw there was
but one thing to do, and he did it,
although he knew that his life
must in all likelihood be sacrificed.
The approaching section had al
ready gathered considerable
Roadway when he put his en-
CINE in motion to meet and break
the force of the collision. Whatever
might be his own fate the lives and
property behind him would be saw
ed. 1t was terrific spectacle
the heavy cars with their thousands
of tons burden laundering down
grade threatening whatever oppos-
ed their path-the single engine,
under full head of steam, fairly
leaped up the grade as if anxious
for the dreadful encounter. The
young engineer was seen by several
as he passed flying into the very
jaws of death. He stood with his
hand upon the lever, pale but reso-
luIe, as ne WaUcned the approach OF
the descending mass that at the
next moment was to overwhelm
him and his engine and consign him
to frightful death.
The shock came. The intrepid
engineer had somewhat lightened
1t by suddenly reversing the lever
at the last moment. The crash was
awful. The foremost car fairly
mounted theopposing engine, dash
Ing, itself to pieces. A scene of
wreck and ruin ensued. We have
no particulars of the damage or
the loss to the company. Nor are
we much concerned about it. What
does concern us is the fact that the
brave engineer lay in the midst of
the wreck, bruised and stunned, but
heVNnd th of IL I, h11rt Roln;nA h In