St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-04-17
AN ENGINEERS STORY.
Hair-Breadth Escapes and WONDERFUL
Experience of an Old Enuineer.

Hair-Breadth Escapes and WONDERFUL
Experience of an Old Enuineer.
sI suppose I must have the imaginary
nine lives of cat" remarked Engineer
VIM. J. Hammett to a Louisville Times re-
porter. Mr.. Hammett sued the Louisville
g. Nashville railway company for damages
sustained in an accident, and, after seven
days. elaboration, the jury was unable to
agree and was discharged. II have been
killed twice and still / live. My body is
covered with bruises and scalds from head
to foot. TO tell the truth, there is hardly u
sound spot as large as silver dollar upon
the whole surface Of my flesh"
A reporter had called upon Mr.. Hammett
at his residence in the rear Of grocery at
the corner of Preston and Caldwell streets.
The person to be interviewed looked thin
and detected. He was the hero of nearly
dozen fatal accidents and two miraculous
escapes. Flashing blue eyes were the only
featues that gave animation to his face.
Mr.. Hammett enjoys the distinction OF max
ing the fastest time on record on the Louis
vile & Nashville road.
s'The first time l ever ran an engine was
in January, 1867, on the Memphis division of
the Louisville IL Nashville road. Mr.. James
first accident was in 1877. l was then run
ming on the main stem, and was coming
| from Nashville to Louisville with a large
number of passenger cars attached. Among
others there were $50 schoolgirls on board.
| We were approaching Dudley's switch,
! TWENTY-FIVE miles this side of Nashville, when
noticed that the cross-ties just ahead of US
| had been removed. / did not have time
to stop the engine. In an instant recog-
nized that there was just one thing to do,
and that was to jump the track. l told my
fireman to leap out, as there was only room
| for one of us in the cab at sucn moment,
| and it meant certain death to me or him if ne
| remained. He had barely reached the
ground when the engine left the track, and
q stream of boiling water came gushing upon
| me from the boiler. After that reInem-
bered nothing tor several days. When re-
covered was told that the boiler exploded,
| and that | had been bit on the head by a
| piece of fying cylinder; also spike had
pierced my hand"
AS proof of this Mr.. Hammett exhibited a
terrible scar on his right hand. The thought
| full engineer afterwards received 1854 from
| the passengers for saving the train.
ssThe time made my fastest rum" con-
tinued Mr.. Hammett, his blue eyes lighting
M. land the fastest in the record OF the
road. was in 1870, when / brought Victor
Newcomb. DR.. E. d. Standiford and Col. De
Fuuiak from Nashville to Louisville. / was
oilipp the engine when Col. De Funiak
| told me that the party was due in Louisville
| at q certain hour, and asked me if didn't
tbiukI could get there. He added that the
way was clear, and that If my engine was
| any account to turn her loose.
isThis was as good news as l wanted.
ran sixty miles the first hour, and after that
| they made me go slower unlil we reached
/ the city,
| This was memorable ride. Afterward
Mr.. Nevcomb said of DIR. Standiford that the
latter became so badly frightened while the
train was speeding along at tightening mo-
/ ton that he got down on his knees and
PRAYED. The violent motion Of the train. as
! it rounded sharp curve, threw Mr. De Flu
MAX from his seat and inflicted deep scar,
which he will carry with him through life.
sAfylast run" resumed Mr.. Hammett,
sswas on the night of Nov. Is, 1888. The
night was as dark as pitch. We had reached
| Brooks station, and were running at the
rate of forty miles an hour, when saw q
| train of freight cars on the track just ahead
| II was too late to stop the train, and she
dashed on: then a deafeniug smash, aud
was thrown through nv window and killed
for the time. The next day when l recov-
| cred was told that my fireman had been
/ killed with others in the wreck