The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-06-12

man and one Of my brakemsn none Of u
had the least suspicion that II meant on
Anderson. Why, sir, II we'd seen an al
t1daVit 10 the effect that he'd ever 20
drunk, we'd have called II PERJURY, Oh
the night Of the day the story appeared
we were to go out as usual on an all night
run. It was in May, and as fine weather
as one could ask for. While the train wa
waiting her time in the depot l cauRh
sight Of Anderson two or three times, and
1t struck me that he acted the least BIZ
strange. He seemed nervous and ILL al
ease, and twice he came forward to the
engine as II TO speak, but turned away
without word.
The train that night consisted Of two
sleepers, two coaches and mail, express
land baggage cars, making just q fair drag
Tor No, 80, which was one OF the sWiftest
locomotives on the road. Our leaving
time was 10 o'clock, and most OF the occu,
pants Of the sleepers were in bed when we
pulled out, Our frst stop Of consequences
was twelve miles out, 1t was a two.
minute stop, but we waited two, three,
four, five minutes tor AndeFson's CHEEKY
"All aboard !" and the swing OF his lansern,
and when It was the head brakeman who
signalsd US, As atterwRrd learned An.
derson never got off the train at all when
we stopped, but sat with his head bowed
down, as II in great trouble. The next
was our tWenty.mile stop, aud here An
deTson got off and came forward TO the
cab. He looked in, Just as II he had sus.
peCted that was giving some one q free
ride, turned away, came back, and in o
hesitating way remarked:
"Oharley, there's speCiul coming up
road, and No. % freight has been Cancelled,
You must make four minutes between
here and Red Bridge, for we are 10 side
track at P for the special"
Red Bridge was twenty.eight miles
away, and p mile beyond. No. 20
freight always side-tracked for US at the
Bridge, and was allowed about six min
ltes, As she run in on the upper switch
this was abundance Of time, There was
nothing queer about the order, for the
conductor is the only one who is notified
by telegraph OF any changes In the run
ming time OF trains, / had two more stops
to make, and 1t was an easy thing to pick
up the four minutes. went ahead with
out thought that anything was wrong,
and at the next stop Andersons voice was
heard crying out as usual. II was the
same at the next, though he came for
ward before we were off and said:
"Better send her right along now, for
the track Ia clear to P"
It was nine miles more to Red Bridge,
and l had picked up the four minutes
lacking about eight seconds II was q bit
down grade, q beautiful piece OF track, and
I oon1I aouiINy RtNr thn nlVa F,atlna T., tN,,
minutes. The side track was to the woods
and we had TO round curve to make. l
hadn't the iaintest suspicion Of the dread.
full tragedy about to take place as gave
her steam and started out. After tho first
mile she got her metts up and, good
Lord, how she did AyI The Clckety-
click OF the wheels striking the end OF the
rails became steady roar, and we seemed
to be sailing through the air. 1t was
enough TO make your hair stand up TO see
the country tipping past US the other way.
We were doing at least 6fty.hye miles an
hour when we struck the curve, and | had
Just gripped the throttle to slow down
when the great white light Of loComo.
live stared me In the face, and at the same
time my fireman shouted:
"God save US, but that's 23W
It's hard TO tell you what happened dur.
ing the next minute, but | know | shut
OF steam, reversed her, put on the air
brakes hard, and | remember OF seeing
the fireman grinding away at the engine
brake. No. % had not been Cancelled.
There was no special on the road. Tho
conductor had gone clear daft over his
troubles and had imagined II all, Some
Of EN- said aiterward that he wanted to
die, and, with that devilish cunning that
sometimes seizes lunatiC, he was de.
termined to send US all to kingdom come
with him.
We were running all OF City miles an
hour, and No. % had pulled elk cars in on
the switch when we struck her. We hit
the seventh car, which was loaded with
hogs, and the only thing | remember was
an awful crash, flashes OF fire aud the
shouts Of men. An hour alter that woke
up, as 1t were, alongside the worst rail.
road wreck you ever saw. / had this left
arm and two ribs broken, and was terri.
bly, banged about the head. Poor Tim,
my fireman, was crushed to death as were
also the conductor, two or three train
hands and six or eight passengers. Every
one OF our cars except the last sleeper was
of the track, and -four or five freight cars
were smashed to kindlings. To make sure
Of being killed, the conductor had taken
his stand on the front platform Of the bag.
gage car, aud he was crushed and man.
gled in the most dreadful manner The
papers made great sensation over the
accident, but they did not state the true
cause. 1t was agreed that tho conductots
watch was otI.time, while went oil In a
fever and couldn't set EN- right.