The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-04-12
A BRAVE ENGINEER.

The highest order of human cour-
age is that which impels u man, IN
his cool and reflective moments, to
confront approaching danger OF death,
that it may be averled from Others.
An act OF such cool, deliberate. Feli-
sacrificing heroism. in which R P.
IrVing,a young engineer on the OHIO
and Chesapeake Railroad, was the &C
tor deserves the record. On Wednes-
day Of last week eleven trains were
block at Wsynesboro, awaiting the
arrival and passage CT extras which
we're behind time
lhess having finally come mp and
passed On their way Westward The
esstwsrd-bound freights were at lib
erty to resume their way. Inc hrst
of the eleven started up the neaVy
grade toward the tunnel, but rwlDg
to the sleety condition OF the track,
could make no Roadway. Mr.. Irving,
the engineer of the next train behind.
unooupled his engine and came to the
assistance of the other. Their united
forces got the hesvily-laden train
under way, and Mr.. Irving, after
helping it over the heaviest grade,
backed down 30 his own tain. he
was scarcely in position again when
the familiar rafting sound OF an ap-
preaching train struck his ears. he
looked up, and for a moment stood
horror-stricken ss be saw a section OF
the train be bad helped up the grade
coming slowly back now but gather
ing speed az 1t moved. He realized
the situsLiou in an instant Thirteen
heavily-lsdeD cars had by some acct
dent become uncoupled from the rest
of the train and were now returning
down aseventY 6vs-foot grade, threat
ening collision with the standing
trRiD4 that must have entailed an i'm
meJse destruction of property, besides
thu mangling OF human victims.
The young engineer did not hest.
tate d moment. He saw there Was
hut one thing to do, and be did it,
hough he knew that his own life
aust in all likelihood be the sacrifice. |
The approaching section had already
gathered considerable head way when |
be put his engine in notion to meet
It and break the force OF the collision.
Whatever might be his own fate TIE
ives and property behind him would
DE saved. 1t Was y terrible spects-
,le-the heavy cars with their thous
Inds OF tons burden laundering down
ne grade and threatening to lmmo-
ate whatever opposed their path
be single engine, under a foil head
# steam, fairly leaped up the grad
IS II anxious for the encounter. The
'oung engineer was seen by several
g be passed flying into the Jaws Of
cath. He stood with his hand upon
le lever. pale, but resoIute. slightly
coping SIS he watched the defending
ass that at the next moment was to
erWhelm him and his engine nDd
: nslgn him 10 frightful death.
The shock came. The interpiG
: glneer had s0me~hat iighteutd i,
5 reversing his lever at the last mo
5nt. The crash was awful, The
'emost Car fairly mounted the op
sing engine, dashiug itself 10 Etico
scene Of wreck and ruin epsued
4 t have no particulars OF the extent
a the damage or the loss to toe COM
e Dy; nor are We much concerned
SOut that. What does concern u
II fact that the brave engineer 10y
"A the midst OF the wreck bruised End
nned, bat beyond that uuhurt
hind him stood the long train OF
8 which be had saved from wreck,
A around his PROSTATE form stood
F. Sc whose lives he had saved by u
= which has few parallels of sold
= ;, promptitude and deliberate self
'ihce.-RichmOnd Ea.) Whig.