The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1882-03-29

A, At az Oool, Deaibeeese. seh'
secriAoang ucgphm.

m. hi~heet order Of human courage
Z. 80 vSioh innpeb q man In his COO!
er6 an6 re6ecfive moments to CONFRONT
snnroochi19 danger Of death that It may
& averted ffom others. An act OF eocn
eool. deliberate, selEsacri6ctng herO1m'
I'm which r. p. Irving, . young en9In,
eer ON the Cheopeake and Ohio h@lII01u
~ the actor, deeerves the record. On
Wednesday Of last week eleven trans
we're blocked Ut WayuesbOrO, awainng
the arrival and passage Of extras whlcn
were behind time.
These finally having come up ana
passed on their way westward, the east
vard-l,ound freights were at liberty to
reoume their way. The first Of the elev,
en- started up the heavy grade TOWARD
the tunnel, but, owing to the sleety con-
dition Of the track, could make no head
way. Mr.. Irving, the engineer OF the
next train behind, uncouPied his en-
cine and came to the assistance OI the
other. Their united forces got the
heavy-laden train under way. ana MI:
Irving, after helping it over the heaviest
grade, uncOupled his engine and backed
down the grade to his own train. lie
was scarcely in position again when the
familiar rafting sound OF mn approach
ing train struck his ears: lie looked up
and for moment stood horror-str'cKen
~ he saw q section Of the train he had
helped up the grade coming slowly back
now. but gathering speed as 1t moved.
He realized the situation in an instant.
Thirteen heavy-laden cars had by some
accident become uncoupled from the rest
of the train and were now returning
down q seventy-five-foot grade, threat
ening q collision with the standing
trains that must have cntailed an inl-
mense destruction of property, besides
the mangling of human beings.
The young engineer did not hesitate u
moment. He saw there was but one
thing to do, and he did 1t, although hs
knew that his own life must in all like
lihood be the sacrifice. The approach
ing section had already gathered con-
siderable Roadway, when he put his en-
CINE in motion to meet 1t and break the
force of the collision. Whatever might
be his own fate the hives an property be-
hind him would be spared. 1t was .
terrific spectacle the heavy cars with
their thousands of tons burden thunder
ing down the grade and threatening TO
immediate Whatever opposed their path
the single engine, under full head Of
steam, fairly ieaped up the grade Us If
anxious for the encounter. The young
engineer was seen by several ~ he pass
ed flying into the jaws of death. He
stood with his hand upon the lever,
pale, but resolute, slightly stopping as
he watched the descending mass that ut
the next moment was to Overwhelm him
and his engine and c0nsign him to u
frightful death.
The shock came. The intrepid engin
neer had somewhat lightened 1t by re-
versiDg his lever ut the last moment.
The crash was awful. The foremost car
fairly mounted the opposing engine,
tlashing itself to pieces. A scene Of
wreck and ruin ensued. We have no
particulars If the extent of the damage
or the loss to the company; nor are we
much concerned about that. What
does concern US isthe fact that the brave
engineer lay in the midst Of the wreck
bruised and stunned, but beyond that
unhurt. Behind him stood the long
train Of ears which he had saved from
wreek, and around his PROSTATE form
stood those whose lives he had saved by
an act which has few parallels for bold
ness, promptitude and deliberate SELF
sacrifice.-RiclmOntl Tu.) Wing.