Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-03-31
Miseellaneons.
Experiences Of Railroad Engineers

The other night when the Western ex-
press arrived at the Broad Street station
from New York, Engineer Vandegrift
discovered blood trickling down the
spokes of the COW catcher. He knew
some deadly work had been done. but
was at loss to tell when and where it
had occurred He told Harry Feaster,
the conductor of the train. what he had
discovered. and Immediately word was
telegraphed all along the line to make a
search for any one who might have been
struck BY train. Shortly after midnight
the dead body of man was found near
Bridesburg station with the head crushed
in. In the meantime the conductor and
the engineer mad gone to their homes.
Conductor Harry Feaster told fellow
conductor the next day that he had passed
a sleepless night. and the engineer re-
ported similar experience.
An old engineer said to a Press report
err the other day: The public, taken col
lectively, think that an engineers hard
hearted wretch, and that he thinks no
more of running over human being than
he does of killing a COW or bog. I've
heard people say that we become hard
ened to it and don't mind it IA bit; but
that's a mistake and very grave one. l
remember killing man some five years
ago and know that couldn't sleep for
month, except by fits and starts. used
to have the most horrible Nightmares that
ever worried mortal man.
'-One night, had horrible dream.
That was an awful night. My wife woke
ne up. had my hand on the foot rail of
the bed. Just as if had hold of the throttle
and the beads of perspiration were standing
out all over my face. My wife told me
how had yelled, For Gods sake. jump
and how it had wakened her; and then
she sprang out of bed shaking with fear
and when she shook me and saw where
was. told her my dream. It's a mean
thing to accuse US of not minding killing
people," said the engineer, AS he took his
oil can and started to oil his engine.
Not long ago. Engineer Edward
Knowles stood examining his engine in
the broad street station; he had ust
brought the owl train from Jersey City.
There was busy scene all about him:
two Southern expresses and two Western
trains were standing in tie station. 1t
was Just four o'clock in the morning, and
n very sharp, biting, chilly dawn; bag
gage porters and men laden with great
bundles of Philadelphia morning papers
fresh from the press were hurrying to the
trains The electric light was spatting
and Missing weired fantastical shapes and
shadows about the engineer, who stood
apparently gazing at nothing. A press
reporter opened conversation with Engi-
neer Knowles, and, after good deal of
talk ne said, as he leaned forward, with one
foot resting on the hub of a driving wheel:
1--we been running ten years and never
met with a mishap until here short time
ago, and then everything seemed to come
all at once. I killed an old peddler at
Princeton junction one day. He was
crossing the track by the station in his old
wagon. think he must have been asleep.
for he paid no attention to the whistle when
blew, and of course he was killed out
right. The old fellow was well known in
Trenton. Then | struck a man over in
the meadows, and right on top of that
killed Il man at Newark
Another engineer out in West Philadel-
phia yard told the reporter he knew of a
few instances where engineers had gone
crazy from killing people with their en-
gines. IL knew poor fellow" said the
engineer, ''who was on the New jersey
Central. He killed a woman up by Gin
ton one night. and that night heard him
tell the train master, Billy Smith, at Eliza
beth, all about it. He seemed to grow
insane right there, and had queer look
in his eyes. A week after that he was put
in straight jacket and he's in an insane
asylum to-day, nothing short of maniac,
and that happened nearly fifteen years
AGO - pIiI0deLDHia Press