The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-12-08


In these days of magnificent coihs
sions and holocausts the travelling
public exhibitsan astonishing ainOulf
of interest in railway concerns, toAif
great scorn and Indignation Of all Oh
Nc1afs c0ffnected.
"You have nothing to fear" said
the conductor. who passed through
the car, superb in gold buttons and
official dignity. 1--WE have struck
an up gra, where an oil train stop.
ped an hour ago. The tracks are oil.
ed and the drivers won't take hold
We shall get the sand running in hall
a minute"
1t was, doubtless, clear enough tc
those who understood such matters,
but to me his explanation was mere
jargon. AS somebody said Of Cole.
ridges commentary upon his poem
"Christabel," | wish he "would ex-
plain his explanation"
The gentleman who occupied the
seat Immediately in front of me, q
fine. middle aged man, with an erect
military air. seemed to have no diff.
Guilty in making out the state Of af
fairs He smiled and nodded with
an exceedingly knowing look, and
was preparing to settle himself com.
fortably in his seat again, when ]
tapped him upon the shoulder and
said:
"EXcuse me, sir, but what has hap.
pened? The conductors explanation
is Chinese to me. What does he
mean by the tracks being oiled ?"
The gentleman turned about so as
to face me.
alt is a simple matter" he said
courteously, "to those who have an
idea Of railroad affairs. The powe,
Of an engine depends upon the fric.
ton of the drivers on the tracks
taking hold as it is called. If there
is oil upon the rails, especially upon
an up grade, there is no friction, con
sequentIy the wheels simply spin
around upou the tracks without moy.
ing the train"
"Ah," said I, II comprehend"
81 could illustrate the case by an
event which occurred to me upon this
very spot some years ago. | have al.
ways thought it a rather remarkable
incident, and perhaps you may find
it so. The circumstance / refer to-
he continued, "t0Ok place during the
war. | was at the time an adjutant
on Gen. Thomas staff during the
exciting and mOmentOuS campaign
in the mountains of Tennessee. II
you remember, there were many
times when it was feared that Our
last hour had come. Our communi
cations were repeatedly cut off, and
our whole command in danger of in.
slant destruction. 1t was at one
of these times that the event | will
relate occurred.
1--WE were at this time intrenched
upon spur of the Hills around Chat
tano0ga, whittier we had been driv.
en- by tie desp crate courage of the
Confederates. Our own men had
fought brave!y and well, but they
were exhausted with long marches
and constant action. Our stores had
run low, and but one line of cOmmu-
nications was left open to us-that ci
the railroad into the eastern part oil
the State. BY brilliant flank move.
ment, the Confederates succeeded in
throwing line across this one high.
way and there we were, hemmed in
like a woodchuck in his burrow
Starvation or surrender stared us in
the face. One or the other of these
alternatives we must accept in a few
days at most, unless some, unex.
pected change took place very speed.
lily.
ut is, perhaps, difficult for us tc
comprehend the feelings of com
mander, hitherto successful, and witf
the fate, perhaps, ,ota a nation depending
upon his action, placed in such posi-
tion asourgeneral then was. saw hi,
face grow hourly more pale and des
pairing, his step slower and more
feeble. and his whole air that of {
man whose heart aud spirit were
breaking under the strain. But Gen
( Thomas was not the man to yiplC
until every resource had been sound
ed to the bottom, Aud there wa'
still one recourse yet left-a very dies
perate and almost hopeless one, it il
true.