River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-09-13
A STARTLING ADVENTURE.
Pursued Down a Mountain BY a
rrain of Cars.

Train O1 Jars.
A party of sight-seers ha thrilling
adventure on the newly constructed
Northern Pacific line across the main
range of the Rocky Mountains, at Null
len Tunnel, fourteen miles west of He
lena, Mont, on Thursday. The part
the road referred to is known as the
Overhead line" overhead of Mullen
Tunnel, and crosses the summit at an
altitude of about 1000 feet above the
sea level. 1t was built in ord3a that
track laying from the east might not be
brought to a stand still at that point
while awaiting the completion of the
tunnel, which will not be acco mplished
for several weeks yet. Being only in
tended for temporary use, the overhead
line is very steep and crooked, and the
strongest of locomotives are required for
pulling the trains over the mountains.
As yet only construction trains cross
these, and when the steepest points on
the line are reached, have to be divided
and taken ever in sections.
Prof. r. II. HoWcy, of Helena, ac-
tompanied by his wife and five friends,
went out to the tunnel on the construc-
ton train for the hurpose of going over
the overhead lines. Such trips despite
the danger, are quite popular with
pleasure seekers on account of the
splendid view TO be had from the sum-
NIT. No accident occurred in crossing
to the west side, but while coming back
over the range the party had an exper-
fence which they will remember till
their dying day. About half way up the
ntuIn n 40 cd byy{ bo
party was left standing with locked
brakes on the main track, while the re-
mainder of the train was taken over the
mountain, it being the intention to send
special locomotive back after the eX-
cursionists. While waiting a portion of
the darty climbed ON the top of the ca
boose to get better view Of the valley
below. While thus engaged a Swede
appeared on the bank above and began
shouting at them in an excited manner
in his native tongue. Professor
Howey rushed out on the uphill plat
form and saw rounding curve, not
more than a hundred yards up the
mountain, runaway train coming down
from the summit 1t was composed of a
locomotive weighing $4,000 pounds and
eight flat cars, heavily loaded with rail-
road iron. 1t was coming like an ava
lanche. There was no time to get the
ladies' out of the caboose, and to be
struck by the runaway train could have
but one result. the hurting of the ca
boose trBin, which stood at q sharp
curve in the road, into the gorge be-
low.
Professor Howev sprang to loosen The
brake, and the Swede, who had scram-
bled down the bank, grasped it at the
same instant The ca Dose, now free of
restraint started down the mountain.
This was done so quickly that there was
still an interval of perhaps 100 yards be-
tween the runaway and the cabUose oc-
cupied by the excursionists. The grade
was very steep, and Professor Howey
says it was but few moments until they
were making at least mile a
minute. The ladies' were screaming
with fright, and it was with the greatest
difficulty that they were kept from leap
ing from the car, which would have
been certain death. The Swede stood
at the brake, and the other men. re-
straining their excitement as well as
they could, kept watch over the ladies.
The caboose shot down the mountain
around sharp curves and along the cliffs
above deep gorges. while the runaway
train came laundering along behind
with increasing speed. The engineer re-
NAMED at his post clutching the lever;
but reversing his engine WAS of no avail
in checking its wild course, and only in
creased the danger of its flying the track
Soon the caboose was overtaken, but as
il was going almost as fast as the train,
there was no serious consequences, and
all rushed down the mountain together.
Caboose, locomotive, and iron cars all
kept the track, and although the speed
attained was terrific, all reached the val
ley below in safety.