Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-06-13

the bearing OF man bent on some oes'
narats deed. This was at station elgn-
teen miles from. Columbus, and on
gloomy April evening. l was due there Of
7.2s and II was q two-minute stop. a
mixed freight always side-trscked there
for ms to pass snd then followed Us down
the line.
Well, 1 was there on this special evening
on time, as usual, having baggage, express
and three coaches. 1t began to drizzle
inst before we reached the station and
saw we were in for dark night and q slip,
merry track. did not see Roby, nor did
snv one tell me that he had shown up
there. noticed that the freight train was
upusually long and that it was pulled oy
one of the biggest engines on the road.
Three or four people get of and perhaps
as many got on, and We we're on on tne
second. 1t WAS run OF seven miles TO the
next stop and my schedule was thirty-seven
miles an hour. We had not yet come toa
stand still at the next stop when the teie-
graph operator, whose face was as white as
snow, ran along side and called to me:
"There's o wild engine behind you-fcr
heav-" :
He ran back to the conductor, and In
ten seconds that official rushed up and
shouted to me:
Its a runaway engine-pull out at
once" -, at.
BE yelled all aboardl' spraHg for the
steps of a car, away he went, some OF the
neople getting of or on being huag down
as ,bev ;ostled each other. After we LETT
the station where the freight was eide
tracked a brakemen ran down the track to
omen the switch. AS he did 80 Rooy
mounted the engine with cooked revolver
in hand, and drove the engineer
and fireman off. He had pre-
yiously uncoupled her from the train with
ont being detected. He ran the engine out
on the main line and half mile beyond.
Then he filled up the fire box, saw that she
had plenty of water, pulled the throttle
wide open and jumped of. That was how
we came to have a runaway engine oeoino
US. As soon as the engineer was driven
from the cab he ran into the station and
informed the operator, and about the time
the runaway engine started we got the
ness We we're about six miles ahead Of
her. That meant abous ak minutes.
When | pulled out supposed the pro
gramme was for some OF the station folks
to run down and open the switch 80 tha'
the runaway would be ditched, but 1t ap
peared that the agent was 80 dreadtullI
ratified that he did not attempt this steI
until too late. The switch was forty ROD
from the station, and just as an employ
reached it the runaway came roaring past
Nv next stop WAS ten miles distant.
reasoned it out in about minute that
the runaway was ditched the fact would Of
telegraphed ahead. It she wasn't tina
fact would also be clicked over the wires, ant
I would get some sign or signal a
we passed. If she was following us there
would be no time to switch in and my hal
stood up at the idea Of trying to outrul
her. | made the ten miles in twelve min
) utes and a half. A mile away | begal
: footing the whistle, and as we neared tn
station, still flying, leaned out to look 10
the agent. He was on the platform. |
be held up his hand | would stop. But b
did not. On the contrary he waved hi
arm down the line for me 10 keep on, an
knew that we were in for it. The runa
way could not be over three minutes be
hind, and there would not be time TO turl
! her in on the siding here.
The next stop was eleven miles away
and it was good piece OF track. littl
by little | gave her more steam aud ate
the first mile knew that We were reelini
off a mile O minute. There was trail
enough to hold US steady, and the tract
was straight, and but for the awful roar
would have been easy to imagine we wer'
hying. The agent ahead would let mi
know by signal, as the other had done
He was on the platform with grea
crowd behind him, and he motione'
me on. The runaway was still after us
She must have gained some, but how mucl
I could not say. 1t was eight miles and {
half to the next station, and could not d.
better than forty-eight miles an hour oil
the up grade. The runaway must catcl
us in the next six or seven miles. We hat
gone abouu6ve miles when got the sigma
on the bell rope to STOP and as soon as
had slowed down o little brakeman cam,
over the tender with instructions to stop O
the station
The conductor, knowing that we coult
not outrun the wild engine, and that Their
,, was no show 10 ditch her, could think o
, but one plan to save the train. He called
the passengers from the rear coach ant
cast it off This was on the eleven mil,
, run and the coach had about two minutes Il
+ lose its momentum before the runawa
struck it. The pilot ran under the plat
!, form, the end Of the coach was lifted up
and next moment engine and car were il
the ditch. Neither one Of them was eve
repaired, the wreck being too complete
nor did the officers of the law ever succeed
in laying hands on Roby.