Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-09-20
A hoy WITH PssESESCE OF MIND.
The Pluck and Coof,css of n Ncwsbov
and How kse Saved Many Lives.

From the Louisville Courie--Journal
In conversation with prominent physician
the other day the subject Of railroad accidents
and escapes came up. Zone of the most re-
markable instances Of presence of mind of which
have ever heard said he. "was related to me
by Colonel John D. wickliffe not long ago 1t
was on the Louisville and Nashville railroad.
near the Muldraushs HiH tunnel At that time
the science OF runnin. trains was in very ele-
mentary state. The practice was to run them
all one way at time In the morning the
trains would be started from Nashville to Louis
vile. and in the evening they would be run
! back. They went in sections. Colonel WicklifTe
one evening was one of party of officers and
Others VINO made up train to Nashville. They
were preceded by another train and at distance
OF about a nile third one followed. They
pulled out from the depot at a late hour and
maze as good time as possible when fairly on
the road. Everything went smoothly enough
till the tunnel was reached, when the first train
was halted by signal Just before entering
Upon investigation it was found that freight
train had broken down in the passage
Every one VINO has been over the road knows
how steep is the grade of Mudraugh's hill. To
cimb 1t tine engineers put on every ounce Of
steam aud take Off the brakes till the friction is
reduced to minimum. The summit is but
short distance from the tunnel and a deep curve
in the track hides an approaching train till with
in few hundred yards. Up this incline. but
hidden by the curve, was heard the putting OF the
third train. The ponderous engine was labor
ing calamity and drawing the long string of
cars behind her as easily as q trotter the light
sulky OF his driver. The summit was reached
and. with wild shriek of delight the train
sprang around the first curve and darted upon
the trestlewOrk. The momentum gained in the
upward struggle carried it across with race
horse speed and the track quivered and stretched
beneath its eager tread. The cold night air VI
DRAFTED with the putting of the engine and the
hills echoed and re-echOed the shrieks of the
whistle. The train was not two minutes dis
lance from the second section when first heard.
The horror stricken passengers in front were
caught IN a trap The rear train had Geen to-
tally forgotten and it was now bearing down
upon them. bringing death and torture nearer
and nearer.
"At that awful moment newspoy, with a GREAT
bundle of papers. dashed like mad through the
car to the rear The men yielded an instant
passage and he was but a moment in reaching
the rear platform. How he managed it no one
knew, but he had whipped out {, match and had
q bundle OF papers in flames just as the head
iisht OF the advancing engine appeared around
the curve. His entire stock famed uD and he
waved and shouted, his face and form lit up as
perhaps was Casabanca's on that fatal dav at
Trafalgar. The engineer saw him Just in time
He reversed his engine and put on the breaks
SO rapidly that his train simply bumped against
the one in front. The pluck and presence of
mind of the boy had saved scores of lives
About five minutes after the passengers re-
taken up among the officers and the newsboy
was made richer by $500. wish hat | could
recall his name, but it is doubtful il it will ever
be KNOWN