Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-02
AN ENGINEERS STORY.
The Wonderful Experience of an Old
En@ine-Driver.
Louisville Times

Louisville Times,
Il suppose I must have the irnaoin.
AIRY nine lives of a cat" remarked
Engineer William j. Hammett to
reporter for The Times. Mr. Hammett
recently sued the L. and n. Railroad
company for damages sustained in an
accident, and, after seven days DELHI
Grafton, the jury was unable TO agree
and was discharged Il have been
killed twice, and still live. Ny body
IS covered with bruises and scaIds
from head TO foot. To tell the truth,
there is hardly sound spot as large
as silver dollar upon the whole sur
face of my flesh"
a reporter had called upon Mr..
Eammett at his residence in the rear
OF 3 grocery at the corner of Preston
and Caldwell streets. The person to
be interviewed locked thin and defect
ed. He was the hero OF nearly q
dozen fatal accidents and two miracu
lous escapes. Flashing blue eyes were
the only features that gave animation
to his face. Mr.. Hammett enjoys the
distinction of making the fastest time
en- record on the L. I'd n. road.
''The first time [ ever ran an engine
was IN January, 1867, on the Memphis
division of the L, and II. road. Mr..
James Gutherie was president st the
time. Ny first accident was in 1877.
was then running on the main stem,
and was coming from Nashville to
Louisville, with large number OF
passenger cars attached. Among
al 4 ~,..1e
board. We were approaching Dud-
ley's switch twenty-five miles this
side of Nashville, when I noticed that
the cross-ties just ahead of us had
been removed. I did not have time
to stop the engine. In an instant
recognized that there was but one
thing to do, and that was to jump the
track. I told my fireman to leap out,
as there was onl Y room for one of Us
in the cab at such a moment, and it
meant certain death to me or him If
he remained. He had hardly reached
the ground when the engine left the
track, and stream Of boiling water
came rushing upon me from the boil,
er. After that | remembered nothing
for several days. When [ recovered
I was told that the boiler had explod-
ed, and that | had been Hit on the
head by a piece of f1yiHg cylinder;
also spike had pierced my hand"
AS proof of this Mr. Hammett ex-
h1bited a terrible scar on his right
hand. The thoughtful engineer after
ward received 1884 from the passen-
gers for saving the train.
1.-The time | made nay fastest rum"
continued Mr.. Hammett, his blue
eyes lighting up, 'and the fastest in
the record of the road, was in 1870,
when I brought Victor Newcomb, DIR.
Z. d. Standiford, and Col. Fred de
Funiak from Nashville to Louisville.
| was oiling the engine when Col. de
Buniak told nae that the party was due
In Louisville as certain hour, and
asked me if didn't think could get
there? He added that the way was
clear, and If nay engine was any &C
count to turn her loose.
This was as good AS [ wanted. I
ran sixty miles the first hour, and
after that they made me go slower
until we reached the city"
This was memorable ride. After
ward Mr. Newcomb said of DR..
Standiford that the latter became SO
badlyafrightened while the train was
speeding along at lightning motion
that he got down on his knees and
prayed. The violent motion of the
train, as it rounded a sharp curve,
threw Mr.. de Funiak from his seat
and inflicted deep scar, which he
will carry with him through life.
"My last rum" resumed Mr.. Ham
NETT, "was on the night of Nov. Is,
1882. The night was dark as pitch.
We had reached Brooks station and
were running at the rate Of forty
miles an hour, when [ saw a train of
freight-cars on the track just ahead.
It was too late to stop the train, and
she dashed on; then a deafening
smash, and I was thrown through my
window and killed for the time.
The next day when I recovered
I was told that my fireman had been
killed with others in the wreck"