Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1882-03-04
A Fearless Engineer.
AN ACT OF COOL, DELIBERATE,
sELF-sACRIFICING HEROIsM.
Richmond Wing.

age is that which impels man in
his cool aud reflective moments to
confront approaching danger and
death, that it may be averted from
others. An act of such cool, delib-
crate, self sacrificing heroism, in
which Mr.. r. p. Irving, young
engineer on the Ohio and Chesa-
peake railroad, was the actor, de-
serves the record. On Wednesday
of last week eleven trains were
blocked at Waynesboro, awaiting
the arrival and passage of extras
which were behind time.
These having finally come up and
passed on their way westward, the
east bound freights were at liberty
to resume their way. The first of
the eleven started up the heavy
grade toward the tunnel, but owing
to the sleety condition of the track,
could make no Roadway. Mr.. 1rv-
ing, the engineer of the next train,
uncoupled his engine and came to
the assistance of the other. Their
united forces got the heavily-laden
train under way, and Mr.. Irving, af-
ter helping it over the heaviest
grade, uncoupIed his engine and
backed down the grade to his own
train. He was scarcely in position
again when the familiar rafting
sound of an approaching train
struck on his ears. He looked up,
and for an instant stood horror
stricken as he saw a section of the
train he had helped up the grade
coming back slowly now, but gath
ering speed as it moved. He realiz-
ed the situation in an instant.
Thirteen heavy-laden cars had 10y
some accident become uncoupled
from the rest of the train and were
now returning down a75-foot grade,
threatening collision with the
standing trains that must have en-
tailed an immense destruction of
property, beside the mangling of hui
man victims.
The young engineer did not hest
tate moment He saw there was
but one thing to do, and he did it,
though he knew that his own life
must in all likelihood be the sacri-
fee. The approaching section had
already gathered considerable head
way, when he put his engine in mo-
tion to meet it and break the force
of the collision. Whatever might
be his own fate, the lives and prop
erty behind him would be saved. 1t
was terrible spectacle-the heavy
cars with their thousands of tons
burden, laundering down the grade
and threatening to immediate what
ever opposed their path-the single
engine, under full head of steam,
fairly flying up the grade, as if an
xious for the dreadful encounter.
The young engineer was seen by sew
eral as he passed flying into the jaws
of death. He stood with his hand
upon the lever, pale but resolate,
slightly STOPPING as he watched the
descending mass that at the next
moment was to overwhelm him and
his engine and consign him to a
frightful death.
The shock came. The intrepid
engineer had somewhat lightened it
by reversing the lever at the very
last moment. The crash was awful.
The foremost car fairly mounted
the opposing engine, dashing itself
into pieces. A scene of wreck and
ruin ensued. We have no particu-
lars of the extent of the damage or
the loss to the company. Nor are
we much concerned about that.
What does concern us, is 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 cars which
he had saved from wreck, and
around his PROSTATE form stood
those whose lives he had saved by
an act which has few parallels for
holiness, promptitude, and deliber-
ate self-sacrifice.