Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-04-03
AN ENGINEERS STORY.
The Wonderful Experience Of an OLD
Engine-Drfver.

The Wonderful Experience OF an Olo
Engfne.Drtver.
Louisville Times
Il suppose l must have the lmaeln.
airy nine lives of cat" remarked
Engineer William J. Hammett TO a
reporter for The Times. Mr.. Hammett
recently sued the l. and N. Railroad
company for damages sustained in an
accident, and, after seven days aelib-
Grafton, the jury was unable 10 agree
and was discharged. Il have been
killed twice, and still l live NV body
is covered with bruises and scalds
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..
Hammett at his residence in the rear
of a grocery at the corner of Preston
and Caldwell streets. The person to
be interviewed looked thin and defect
ed. He was the hero of nearly
dozen fatal accidents and two miracu
lous escapes. Flashing blue eyes wer2
the only features that gave animation
to his face. Mr.. Hammett enjoys the
distinction of making the fastest time
on record on the L. and n. road.
1.-The first time l ever ran an engine
was in January, 1867, on the Memphis
division of the l.. and n. road. MIR.
James Gutherie was president at 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
others there were 156 schoolgirls on
board. We were approaching Dud-
ley'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 |
recognized that there was but one
thing to do, ana that was 10 jump the
track. told my fireman to leap out,
as there was only room for one of US
in the cab at such a moment, and 1t
meant certain death TO me or him if
he remained. He had hardly reached
the ground when the engine left the
track, and a stream Of boiling water
came rushing upon me from the boil
er. After that l remembered nothing
for several days. When l recovered
| was told that the boiler had explod-
ed, and that l had been hit on the
head by a piece of fyihg cylinder;
also a spike had pierced my hand"
AS proof of this Mr.. Hammett ex
hIbited terrible scar on his right
hand, The thoughtful engineer after
ward received 1884 from the passen-
gers for saving the train.
''The time made nay fastest run"
continued Mr.. Hammett, his blue
eyes lighting up, "and the fastest in
the record of the road. was in 1870,
hen | brought Victor Newcomb, DR..
E. D. Standiford, and Col. Fred de
Funiak from Nashville to Louisville.
| was oiling the engine when Col. de
Funiak told me thatthe party was due
in Louisville at certain hour, and
asked me if 1 didn't think I could get
there2 lie added taa: the way was
clear, and if my engine was any &C
count to turn her loose.
This was as good as wanted. |
ran sixty miles the first hour, AID
after that they made me go slower
until we reached the city"
This was memorable ride. After
ward Mr.. Newcomb said of DR..
Stamford that the latter became so
badly frightened 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.
Ny last ruu, resamed 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 train of
freight-cars on the track just ahead.
1t was too late to stop the train, and
she dashed on; then a deafening
smash, and / was thrown through my
window and killed for the time.
The next day when l recovered
was told that my fireman had been
killed with ethers in the wreck"