Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-05-15
AN ENGINEERS "REMINISCENCES.

"Well, I've had little experience in
running an engine" said long specimen
of the genus Yankee, putting one elbow
on the bar counter and holding his whisky
straight up to the light, "and if it would
amuse you I'll spin you yarn or two."
''Stave ahead" said his companion.
"but I've been there myself. / used to
run an engine from New York to Philadel.
phia.
"Oh, you did," said the Yankee
"Well, that Just amounts to nothin'. I've
been special engineer for the last ten
| years, and there amt mile O track atween
here and Frisco haven't travelled over
You see US specials are obliged to be ready
| for anything ct a moments notice, and
when We travel we just get right over the
ground, and don't you forget it. -
I've made some pretty good time my.
self, said the second engineer. '' took
train through from New York to Phila.
delphia in eighty minutes"
oh, that's child's play" said the first
engineer. Why, man, I've made that
run myself, and with one piston rod gone
at that. It was lively trip and don't you
forget it. I'd just got back from special
run up through the coal regions, when
word came that one of the big guns of the
company wished to start ct once for Phila-
delphia. l knew what that meant, SO /
jumped aboard long-legged Jim, hitched a
construction car behind the tender, and a
drawing. room coach behind that and re.
ported 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 out
for all he was worth at the start. In less
an FIVE minutes you couldn't accounted the
telegraph poles they flew by SO fast.
had two firemen, and just made 'em earn
their passage from the word go. Old Jim
must have eat up two tons o coal inside of
ten miles" z
"What" CALCULATED the second en-.
gineer.
"Sure said the first engineer "And
we hadn't been out of the station fifteen
minutes before every blasted boiler pipe
was red hot, and we had to keep flooding
the cab with water to keep from burning
the darn thing up. On, we was Just get.
tin there, my boy, and l didn't let up
pound. Every time we took curve the
outside wheels would be at least foot up
in the air, and once or twice the tender
jumped clean on to the ties, but old Jim
would yank her back again, and"
Amt you kind of stretching point :"
asked the second engineer.
Not bit of it, said the first engineer.
"Why, afore we was half way to Philadel-
| phia both o those iremen was down on
their knees praying, and had to do the
feeding myself until | swore 'em back to
their senses again. Well, everything went
well enough the first two thirds of the run,
and l was Just a-whistling to myself over
the record | was piling up, when there
came report like rife, and | knew one
of the blasted piston rods had busted.
There was nothin' to do but stop, and l
lost ten minutes fxin' up. The big gun
left the coach and came down to see
what was up. What's to be done -
said he. I've got one piston
through on time. He knew me, and he
just lit fresh cigar and walked back to
the coach as contented as a lamb. Well, /
just set those praying firemen to work for
all they was worth, and l had her up to
Sixty pOunQS over tne lInlI IN less an no
time. Then I let her slide. Lord Harry,
l thought old Jim would jerk the stuffin'
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 hundred
dollars or nothin', and l was after that
check. Well, those firemen got to praying
worse an ever, and / had to swear I'd
throw EN- overheard afore they'd ceme to
time. l tell you we was just movin. Why,
the towns got runnin' all together, and we'd
no none an get squint at enc station
afore we was five miles past the next
one"
"Hear! hear !" said the second en-.
engineer, "that's laying it on too strong"
True as you're here" said the first en-
gineer. "Id introduce you to the praying
firemen, but they cut the business after
that run, and I kinder lost sight of em.
Well, we got within ten miles of Philadel-
phia and began to stop her.
"Stop her %
eyes. 1 knew l couldn't stop her d.
side of ten miles, and l didn't quite fetch
it at that, for when we ran into the sta
ton we smashed in the bumpers and ripped
up about twenty feet OF the platform be-
fore old long.lcgged Jim would agree the
run was over; but l got the check" and
the Yankee engineer thoughtfully drained
his glass, as his friend ordered the bar.
keeper to "set 7em up again. II Brooklyn
Eagle.