Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-09-21
A STRANGE VISION.
The Singular Story Told by q
Railroad Man.
II Engineers Uncomfortable Experience
with a Fireman, and What He Saw
OH Passing Through u Wild
Piece of Woods.

A veteran engineer on the Psnnsyl.
ania railroad was speaking the other
Nv Of singular sights AVID incidents he
Nj met with in his long experience on
le rail. THE queerest thing ! ever
new," said he, twas the vision tina,
hi Sandusky had few years ago.
here are things that you know have
appened and are still reluctant 10
hi about. because you know you IL be
ughed at and pooh-poohed for your
Inns, and this vision was one of that
hid Bill Saldusky was an engineer
the Philadelphia e. Erie railway,
Id is vet, l think. and lives in Erie.
better engineer never handled the
rottle.
about ten years ago a young fell
" named George Watkins went to
prk on the Philadelphia & Erie as a
|akeman He was a stranger, and
one knew where he came from.
was twenty-one or twenty-five
ars old. but he had much older
bk. H, had very dark complex
j, and he was tall an lean. His
BIS were intensely black AMI deep
hken. He had but little to say to
N Of his fellow-trainmen. 1t came
be com non remark among them
Rt If at any time Watkins peculiar
es were fixed on them for a moment
BY underwent curious variations of
or, and that the person upon whom
gaze was fixed experie ced sensa-
@ns which he found it difficult to de-
tibe, but which were ref FRED to in
General way as decidedly uneom-
Fable. Some of the men said that
ID Watkins eyes on them they
nd it difficult to keep their minds
their work. and some went so far
TO say that they could remove them
yes from the strange influence of
presence only by the exercise of
their will power. Those who had
lrd Of esmerism decided that the
hnger was possessed of powerful
smeric influence, and he was
Plded by timid railroad men as
ch possible.
III was plain from the bearing Of
2iklns that he was either the VIC
OF some great trouble or haunted
unpleasant recollections, and also
ne was man of education and
lllgence. He performed the hard
OF a brakeman with faithfulness.
early attracted the attention of
superintendent. Watkins had
on the road almost three months
Jimmy Green. Bill Sandusky's
man. was killed while saving the
oi little child that was playing
The track. The train was
ping along at the rate
0rty miles in hour when the child
discovered by Bill and his fireman
or three hundred yards ahead as
Tram rounded a curve. Bill
lied for brakes and reversed his
1ne' but there was no possible
zee of stopping the train before it
phed the child, which did not seem
4 aware of its danger. Quick as a
2 jimmy Green drew himself
~ ugll the cab window and ran out
the guard rail to the pilot. He
Pped down fiat and, leaning over
u y as he could. seized the child as
y shs,ne dashed on the spot where
~ caught the littls one. and
Peu II clear of the track. The
I'D was saved. but the brave fireman
III MS mold IN making the effort, and
~ across the rail and was cut TO
s George Watkins was tokcn
'iie brake wheel and promoted to
'aee which immy Green's death
,acant' He got along with the
from the very start as handilv "a
p naa been at the job all his life,
s n oandusky said that the at
nere OF the cab changed the min
"'Aihs set his foot in it. He de-
H. after the first trip with the new
"'' mat Watkins woull hoodoo
lee, so queer when he turns
s""Aeh eyes of his on me- Bill
W say that l darescp't stand
NJ I Nv ,, his gaze. If should stand
d II said. 4 believe I'd let NV
ntn
BEN r 70 on no matter what might
~ 'h"t fireman said The word
~ -, u"easiness under the mystc-
,h '""uence of the fireman was
|SE& en, Nc al last told the superin-
I1Sld h "' ne was sure some hing
an happen some day. unless tbe
Ian, WAS, was 'aken off The superin-
~ sa' laughed 1T what he rai,sI
ass '"'ess' and Watkins staid
j|1ih ~, 'e' lie had fired for Bill A
SS<t r. a., 80 and then the engineer
I'm i" 'he superintendent and told
ip ns that he must remove
<X tina, ~, couldn't give any rea-
RI ha LAW weight with the boss.
I nm s"'u that fireman must st,v
n Ia ha r' nm that his next trim
[f un an n's last He said he woulj
II o'"cr trip with George Wat
Pennsylvania & E,.i. ,o. .
6wes,oo,.'e very wild country in
lld es,ern Pennsylvania n; 80