Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-07-11
A LOCOMOTIVE HERO.
BY His Goodness and Nerve he
Saved q Hundred Lives.

Well, gentlemen, if you wish it, I'll
tell You the story. When I was q
youth OF nineteen and lived with my
parents in a Pennsylvania town, I had
"a taste for railroading and boyish
ambition to become driver, although
/ had been educated for loftier pur-
suits.
During my college vacation I lounged
about the station almost constantly,
making friends with the trainmen, and
especially with driver named Silas
Markley. became much attached to
this man, Notwithstanding he was forty
years old and by no means sociable
fellow.
He was my ideal Of brave, skillful.
thoroughbred driver. and looked up
to him as something of hero. He
was not a married man. but lived alone
with his old mother. I was frequent
visitor at their house, and think they
both took quite fancy to me in their
quiet, undemonstrative way.
When Markleys fireman left him, I
induced him to let me take his place
during the remainder of my vacation.
He hesitated for some time before he
consented to humor my boyish whim,
but he finally yielded and I was in
great glee. The fact was that in my
zdleness anc the overworked state of
my brain / craved the excitement as
confirmed drunkard does liquor, and.
besides, had such longing dreams of
the fiery ride through the hills, mount
ed literally ON the iron horse. So I
became an expert fireman, and liked it
exceedingly, for the excitement more
than compensated for the rough work
was required to do.
But there came a time when got
my I'LL of excitement. Mrs. Markley
one day formed plan which seemed to
give her a good deal of happiness. 1t
was her sons birthday, and she want
ed to go down to Philadelphia in the
train without letting him know any
thing about it and there purchase a
present for him. She took me into
her confidence and had me assist her.
I arranged the preliminaries, and got
her into the train without being no.
ticed by Markley, who, of course, was
busy with his engine.
The old lady was in high glee over
the bit of innocent deception she was
practicing on her son. She enjoined
me again not to tell Silas, and then I
left her and took my place.
It was midsummer day and the
weather was delightful. The train was
neither an express nor an accommoda-
ton, but one which stopped at the
principal stations on the route. On
this occasion, as there were two
specials on the line, it was run by tele-
graph-that is the driver has simply to
obey the instructions which he receives
at each station, SO that he is put as a
machine in the hands of one controller,
who directs all trains from a central
point and has the whole line under his
eye. II the driver does not obey to
the least little his orders, it is destruc-
ton to the whole.
=: Well, we started without mishap and
up to time, and easily reached the first
station in the time allotted to us. As
we stopped there a boy ran alongside
with the telegram, which he handed to
the driver. The next moment l heard
a smothered exclamation from Mark
ley.
go back he said to the boy; ''tell
Williams to have the message repeated;
there's mistake"
The boy dashed of; in ten minutes
he came flying back. Had it re-
peated, !" he painted, Williams is storm
ing al you; says there's no mistake, and
you'd best get on" He thrust the Sec
ond message up as he spoke. 49,.
Marley read it and stood hesitating
for half minute. There was dismay
and utter perplexity in the expression
OF his face as he looked at the tele-
gram, and the long train behind him.
His lips moved as if he was calculate
ing chances, and his eyes suddenly
auailed as if he saw death at the end
OF the calculation. was watching
him with considerable curiosity. I
Eentured to ask him what was the mat
ter, AMI what he was going to do.
I'm going to obey" he replied,
.cur.iy. The engine gave . long shrek