The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1888-01-06

From the Louisville Courier Journal
In conversation with o prominent
physician the other day the subject 81
railroad accidents and escapes came mp.
"One of the most remarkable instances
of presence of mine of which ] have
ever heard" said he, ''was related to
me by Colonel John D. Wicklife not
long ago. It was on the Louisville and
Nashville Railroad, near the MUD
raugh's Hill tunnel. At that time the
science of running trains was in a very
elementary state. The practice was to
run them all one way at a time. In the
morning the trains would be started
from Nashville to Louisville and in the
evening they would be run back. They
went in sections. Colonel WickliHe
one evening WAS one Vi u party Of
officers and others who made up
a train to Nashville. They were
preceded by another train at a distances
of about a mile o third n followed.
They pulled out from the depot at q
late hour and made as good time as pos
sible when fairly on the road. Every
thing went smoothly enough till the
tunnel was reached, when the first train
was halted by a signal just before en-
tering. Upon investigation it was
found that a freight train had broken
down in the passage.
Every one who has been over the
road knows how steep is the grade OF
Muldraugh's Hill. To climb it the en-
gineers put on every ounce Of steam and
take off the brakes till the friction is re-
duced to a minimum. The summit Is
but a short distance from the tunneland
a deep curve in the track hides an APP
preaching train till within q few hum
dred yards, Up this incline, but hid
den by the curve, vas heard the putting
of the third train. The ponderous en-
CINE was laboring gallantly and drawing
the long string of cars behind her as
easily as q trotter the light sulky of his
driver. The summit was reached and,
with q wild shrek Of delight,
the train sprang around the
first curve and darted upon the
trestlework. The momentum gained
in the upward struggle carried il
across with race-horse speed and the
track quiyered and stretched beneath
its eager tread. The cold night air VI
brated with the pulling of the engine
and the hills echoed and re-echoed The
shrieks of the whistle. The train was
not two minutes distance from the
second section when first heard. The
horror-stricken passengers in front
were caught In a trap. The rear train
had been totally forgotten and it was
now bearing down upon them, bringing
death and torture nearer and nearer.
cat that awful moment O newsboy,
with a great bundle OF papers, dashed
like mad through the car to the rear.
The men yielded an instant passage and
he was but q moment in reaching the
rear platform. How he managed il no
one knew, but he had whipped out q
match and had a bundle of papers in
flames Just - tho headlight q tth5 s&
vancing engine appeared around the
curye. His entire stock famed up, and
he waved and shouted, his face and
form lit up as perhaps was Casabianca's
on that fatal day at Trafalgar. The
engineer saw him Just in time. He re-
versed his engine and put on breaks SO
rapidly that his train simply bumped
against the one in front. The pluck
and presence Of mind Of the boy had
saved scores Of lives.
about FIVE minutes after the pas
sengers realized that they. were saved,
q collection was taken ND among the
officers and the newsboy was made
richer by $500. I wish I could remem-
Der his name, but it is doubtful if il
viii ever be known