The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-09-01
A Runaway Train.

had himself received it from an Office
of one of the great railroads tina
cross the Allegheny Mountains.
"There," said the officer to my in
formant, as they were both goins
about great central station wher
cars and locomotives were made, re
paired and kept; "there is the yer,
man. lfhe wants any favor of tn
road he has only to ask for it. Tn,
rest of us come and 20; but he-h'
stays and may stay, service or he
service, till death removes him. Thu
road Is grateful to him and will al
ways hold him in honor"
Many years have elapsed since thu
incident happened; many more sinc'
the telling of the tale to my friends
The details and the coloring vary
somewhat as they pass from mouth
to mouth. No doubt, when you have
finished the story, you will say, "Why,
/ that was the very thing l would
have done myself" But would you
have done it? Here is the story:
Puff Puff Puff 1t was hard work;
for the grade was steep and the train
long and heavy. The engine painted
as if it's strength was failing. And
no wonder. For miles and miles UP
the slopes of the Allegheny Noun.
tains it had been Juggling It's precious
burdens, and there were many more
niles before it should reach the sum-
NIT and tarry awhile to regain tie
strength.
Much of the way was little more
than shelf cut into the mountain
sides, with rising walls of rock on one
hand and deep favines on the other.
And far up among the mountains, Of
ten on the opposite sides of huge and
gloomy chasms, the observant travel
,r would catch glimpses of what
seemed to be the curves and embank.
ments of another road. Later he
would be himself borne over these
very chasms and whirled around these
very curves.
These changing scenes kept the
passengers in a tremor of half joyful,
half anxious excitement.
|. "How beautiful that wooded slope!"
Shall we ever get to the top Of the
ridge?"
down here among the treesl See
this silvery cascadeP'
"Ah, here we go through a tunnelp
THAT great boulder looks as
# the slightest jar would bring it
down upon usl"
What If the roadbed should give
way here like an avalanche"
"Oh, here comes some trestle-workl
How frail it looksl And what dig
~ height! fit should break under
us-oh, dearP'
just then a quick, sharp whistle
was heard, To those who heard It,
it said imperatively, Down brakes
and be quick about it, toop' in
stantly the brakemen were strairing
at their posts as if every life were
threatened. Indeed, it was stheir
duty on these hard, treacherous
grades to stand by the brakes and
use them at O moments warning.
People thrust their heads out of the
ar windows, and some hurried to
the platforms, and there was q deal
of nervous questioning. What was
the matter? Had an accident hap
penedf Was there any danger7 No
Body seemed to know. Not even the
brakemen were informed. And it
vas the gift of blessed Providence
that the cause was not revealed, else
that moment of uncertainty and
mbdued alarm would have been one
Of anguish and disaster.
'Free the engine from the trainl"
he shouted to the fireman. The en-
CINE was uncoupled, and the train
was left behind. "Now jump for
your life!' There was no time for
parley. The fireman leaped, fell and
scrambled to his feet again. Then
the engineer put on full steam. Freed
from its burden of coaches the loco
motive responded at once.
"Now fight the battle for usl" ex-
claimed the engineer as he sprang
from the steps. His quick eye had
chosen favorable spot on which to |
alght. Though thrown headlong
with some force, he was on his feet |
promptly enough to see his train roll |
by q lessening speed, under the full |
control of the faithful brakemen.
That something serious had hap
pened or was about to occur began
to be clear to the passengers. One
or two had seen the firemen Jump,
two or three, the engineer; and larger
numbers from the soiled and bruised
and dazed, were trying to raise to
their feet by the side of the track. All
was excitement and tumult. Some
began to leap from the cars. Fortu-
lately there was little danger now, or
the motion of the train had nearly
eased.
Up the track, meanwhile, went the
ron monster to meet the foe alone.
Down the track, into full sight, came
5he wild freight cars with a speed SO
great that they almost rose from the
'ail as they rounded the curve. Near
IT and nearer, the speed of each in
,reasing. When they flew at each
other in a Almighty, tiger-like rage, as if
here were blood to be shed and nerves
20 he torn asunder. The crash shook |.
jhe hills. A great, roaring cloud of
steam burst in the air, while another
)f dust and debris boiled up and
mingled confusedly with it. Then
he shattered ends ofthe cars shot out
here and there through the smoke,
md grinding, cracking mass rose
Up. Quivering in the air moment,
t reeled, and then went crashing
Town the embankment into the
'avine below. When the steam and
lust cleared away there were the deep,
Ugly burrows in the roadbed, the
plintered ties, and the bent and
broken rails, and the nameless frag-
nents of an utter wreck to mark the
Gene of the fierce encounter.
The gallant engine was hopeless