Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-05-03
SAVED.
Thrilling Story of a Runaway
Engine. ..
How a Queer Combination of Acct
dents Prevented Loss ofLife.
IDsnver CoOlJ Republican,


miles an hour; nobody on her."
Such was the telegraph message flash
ed over the wire from the operator at
Webster to the train dispatcher at Como
one night during the winter OF 1883
The lispatcher's heart leaped to his
throat, but in an instant he had regain
ed his control. He realized that he
must be cool and self-possessed; human
lives were endangered; by prompt
action they might be saved.
The passenger train from Denver was
due at Webster in five minutes. The
runaway engine was going in an oppo-
site direction down steep grade. a
eollision seemed unavoidable. There
was inst one hope of averting 1t, and
the train dispatcher clutched at it as
the drowning man will at the smallest
object on the water-the passenger
might be late.
fGa, ga, ga,n went the telegraph
sounder. calling the operator at Grant,
the next station below. If the passen-
ger train had not arrived at that point
II was the intention of the dispatcher
10 have the operator throw the switch
and send the abandoned runaway en-
CINE into the river,
"Ga, ga, ga" called the sounder, but
no response came.
The dispatcher looked at his train
sheet. The last report he had from the
passenger train was at Pine Grove; she
was then on time. If nothing had oc-
Cured to delay her, she had already
met the light engine. AS the scene
flashed like a vision over the mind OF
the dispatcher he grew sick and faint.
The messenger train was heavily loaded,
MANY lives would be lost. 1t seemed to
him MS he sat there that he could hear
the terrible crash as the two locOmo-
tiyes met on the heavy grade; he could
hear the shrieks and groans of the
bruised and mangled passengers, and
could see the mass of ruined coaches
piled high in the air.
The operator at Grant was evidently
asleep. Hoping against hope, he agalr
seized the telegraph key and begal
calling the operator at Bailey. "Ba
ba, ba,n merrily cried the sounder, bul
no response came. Again and agar
sounded the call for Bailey, but silence
was the only reply. .,
If the collision could not be averted
the next best thing to do was to care fo
the victims. The foreman of the round
house was summoned. A hot engine
was ordered out. The wrecking crew
was reused from slumber ana ordere(
to report. The company physician ant
surgeon, with his knives and saws, m
lint and bandages, was ordered to tn
depot.
By the time the wrecking train wa
ready to start the operator at WeOste
ANNOUNCED the startling information
that the passenger train was coming
A moment later he announced 1t
arrival.
ANY body hurt?"
"Where is light engine 1902"
"She is here, towed in by the passen
ger"
"Did they get together?"
"No.'
This information was as startling q
II was true. How had a frightful coils
ion been averted? BY what interpos
tion of Providence had the lives of tn
passengers been saved from an impend
ing doom?
train at Como came the sequel.
Light Engine No. 10, in charge
Engineer Jack Hartzell had orders
run from Kenosha Summit to Webste
regardless of the passenger train, Whic
was due there near midnight. Beside
himself and his fireman, Roadmastt
Dan Kelly (now resident of Denve
was i'm the cab, Four section men wei
in the back part of the coal-tank, sep'
rated from the men in the cab by
wooden gate to hold back the COAL
This latter fact was unknown to II
dispatcher.
When half way down the stee
mountain the engineer lost control
the engine. He applied the rever
lever; no effect. The tank and waite
brakes were set, but the speed was n
perceptibly lessened. Some of Il
intricate machinery of the little Maso
engine was broken, and she was plum
ing down the steep mountain inclil
and around the sharp curves at a ra
of speed that threatened destruction
herself and death to her occupants.
Engineer Hartzell jumped and Ian
ed on the ground uninjured, the fiji
man came next, and then the roa
IudSJeTs AAc ihGtCi CSSoPSu "Aoii o''5
bruises.
By this time the section men in Il
coal-tank began to realize that t
engine was running at frightful ra
ofspeed, and one of them remarked
his companions: eff Jack Is going
run like this am going to get off" ]
climbed over into the cab only to fl
1t deserted. His face blanched and
was SO terror-stricken that for sevel
moments he did not move. Then
went back to his companions. T
engine by this time had attained su
velocity that to attempt to get
meant certain death.
On rushed the engine down the ste
grade with its four frightened oct
pants, who sat motionless In the fe,
full anticipation of a momentary coll
ion with the overdue passenger trai
Crash!
The little engine was motionle
The occupants were unhurt. Th'
was no jar--could collision have
Cured? One of the section men leap
to the ground. The engine was star
ing in little sag In the track with
hundred feet of upgrade ahead. Sol
more of the intricate machinery b
broken and had caused the sud-
stop.
The passenger train! The thoul
flashed through the mind of the sect
men, and with q promptness born
u. Ia nnsw In !.