Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-11-28

rA1TlsONs LUCKY srAK.
A Mlraculsas Escape From Doa&h-An Incl.
0eot oG the Campo1Gn.
Phiiadelphia Times
On Friday morning, October q, Con-
trOller Pattison and his companion cam
paigners left the Broad street station at Z
o'clock in the morning for trip to Pitts
burgh and other points in Western Penn
sylvania, including tho famous coke region
OF Westmoreland and Fayette counties.
Mr.. Pattison had expressed some restless
ness at what seemed the too frequent alb
sence from his official duties and Chairman
Hensel, in order that every moment of
time might be fully utilized, made his
schedule of the trip an exacting ono. The
arrangements for the first day contemplated
meetings at Huntingdon, Tyrone and Al.
toona, at which place the night was to be
spent. The second day provided for .
much more laborious work, to meet
which every energy had to be strained
both on the part Of those who participated
in the excursion and the facilities for
transporting them. A meeting at Johns
town, q stop at Latroba and mass con-
ventiOn ut Greensburg made ample provi-
sion to prevent ennui during the forenoon.
Two hours in Greensburg was allowed for
speeches and dinner and then, by an ar
rangement with the South Pennsylvania
railroad, the party was conveyed through
tho coke regions Of Westmoreland county
to COnnellsville, in Fayette county, the
central as we'll as the pioneer city OF that
mense proportions held the gubernatorial
ov,Ai iAoto <ha~o fn,, ~rIo nf hO,pvr
that the shadows of evening were impend-
convey the party to Pittsburgh, there to
meet an engagement in the evening.
Hensel doubled back to speak in Greens
burg ut night meeting. aud assigned the
management of the party to J. n. Guffey,
of Titusville. John Sampsel, master
mechanic of the road, had charge of tho
train, aud Thomas Johnston, train master
took seat with the engineer in the cab.
Time was pressing, and as the programme
provided for stop for lunch at the Guffey
homestead and for salutes at McKeesp0rt
and Braddock's considerable concern was
felt as to the probability Of reaching the
destination on time. The train officers
were confident, however, snd pulled out
with hopeful hearts. The engineer was
one of the most trusted employees on the
road. His pride in tho iron horse over
which he presided was stimulated by
Democratic enthusiasm, and he soon
struck q lightning gait, bounding over the
rails at the rate of nearly . mile minute.
Tho speed attained inspired confidence In
the doubling minds, and tho best of humor
prevailed among the passengers.
Thus happily situated, no special inoi-
dent occurred until Buepa Vista was
reached. At that point tho road makes q
sharp curve as the bed winds around
bend in the MonOngahela river. As apre-
cautiOnary measure the speed was slack
ened to a rate of forty miles an hour in
stead of nearly sixty, which was previously
being made. Suddenly the signal of down
brakes was sounded three times in
shrill and quick succession, and the
train was brought to stand with neither
town nor crowd in sight. To all inquiries
as the cause of this the officers of the train
remained silent. Ominous looks and
hasty movements betrayed unusual excite
ment, however. The delay was brief and
in q few moments the motion was re-
sumed. 1t was still two miles to Gutfey's
and that distance was covered at q snail
like pace that implied some difficulty, but
no one could learn the real trouble, and,
for that matter, no one had any cOncep-
ton of it. The train men kept their own
counsel and the passengers were ignorant
that they had just passed through CAN
ger from which escape was miracle.
To explain As the curve was reached
the parallel rod on the upper side of the
locomotive had broken in two. The ends
fell, and with each revolution OF the driv-
ing wheels struck the ties with such force
that, to empty the expression OF MIR.
Guffey, the cross-ties were splintered into
toothpicks. For an eighth of mile every
tic was thus broken into fragments and
the track torn up in frightful manner.
On the first revolution Of the wheel after
the break ono of the pieces struck tho iron
seat upon which the engineer sat with
such force that he was thrown backward
out of the cab and lit in the tender on top
of the coal heap. Recovering, he fastened
back to his post, reversed the engine,
whistled down brakes and stopped the
train as speedily as it was possible.
Few persons were acquainted with
the facts, but the writer was among
versation with tho officers of the train sub
sequently he was informed that the escape
was simply miraculous, tho engineer re-
marking that in all his experiences of
railroading no such incident occurred. On
the one side was the precipitous bank Of
the river. According to tho theory Of
railroaders, if the break had occurred on
that side the end of the rod would have
fallen perpendicularly and at once derail-
ed the flying train, throwing 1t over the
embankment. If the break had occurred
five minutes sooner the same result would
heve been inevitable. But on tho curve
as it fortunately occurred and on the de-
cline side, tho broken ends Of the rod
maintained by force of circumstances an
angle that saved the train from q disaster
that must have been fatal to all on board.
NILSSON SEKENADED.
E,ny 0svA