Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1888-01-27

each other, and fast asleep or dead. At
that same moment the passenger train
on the other roai whistlcd for the
crossing.
7 am telling you, sir, that lived a
year for every minute in the next five or
six. knew very little about an engine,
though | had seen how they were re-
vered and how the throttle was worked
II anything was done | must do it, and
do it quickly Why did not pull ahead |
do not know. 1t struck me that | must
back up, and flung over the bar, gave
her steam, and she began to move. The
steam had run down, and we moved at
snairs pace, and even when pulled
her wide open, the engine scarcely had
power to back the heavy train. We did
move, however, although it was foot by
foot. could hear the roar Of the
passenger train, and knew that every
second was fastening terrible calamity,
but did not leave the engine. Back
backl back we crawled, and Of a sud
den great light flashed in my eyes,
there was a crash, and | saw cars NOV
ing in front Of nc and disappearing into
the darkness What had happencd3
Well, had backed tha freight until the
locomotive Of the passenger train only
carried away the pilot as it crossed our
line. That was all the damage done,
and no passenger had a suspicion Of his
narrow escape from m awful smash-rp
when the train had disappeared and
could realize the situation, | began to
investigate. IAN back to the caboose
but no one was to 5e found shouted
AMI screamed, but soon found that |
was ali alone. Then, climbing back
into the cab, sought to arouse the en-
giueer and his fireman. Dead} No.
Drunk as two Lordil Yes, sir They
were drinking men, though the com
paay did not know it. They had been
taken oil another run two weeks before
aud coming down the line on this trip
had brought a bottle with them AT
the station above they had reached the
init, and in their drunken dcviltry hat
suddenly pulled out and left all the
train crew behind The conductor
could not readily find the station
agent, and when lie did rout
him out and get him to the
Office was out Of mine and did not
answer his call The two men had let
the steam so down, aud the train had
crawled down to the crossing aud been
s-as~nl where | found it, The men
1T tiiat titnes a-a
up, and had grabbed each other and
rolled on the floor 10 sleep. | was yet
in the cab, trying to kick some sense
into them, when the conductor aud his
two brakemen arrived on a hand car,
and after getting up steam we got the
train over the crossing to the station.
The two druukards ought to have been
sent to state prison, but for fear of the
story getting into the papers they were
allowed to skip
1t was with this same night freight
| had startling adventure the next
summer | had gone TO bed and to
sleep before it came in. 1t was exactly
1l50, as shown by the clock, when |
got call on the instrument, and as |
sprang out of bed heard the operator
at K, station eighteen miles be
low me, clicking Off For Gods sake
stop aud side track No. 0! There's a
runaway engine coming up the liner !
got this by ear, you understand, and
gave him an 90 X. as soon as he was
done. In three minutes was out doors
and had my Danger -Stopp signal set
for the first time in months, and as !
started down the track with my lantern
could hear the rumble Of No. 9 as she
crossed the bridge three miles above.
She was on time and booming right
along, but it was clear and the red light
would stop her,
4 should have told you that there
were two tracks in front of the station.
One was the main track, of course, and
the other long siding, with switch
at either end. No 8 had the right of
way at night and, instead of side track
ing her, l proposed to switch off
the runaway. | went down over the
ties as hard as | could run, and Just as
reached the switch | heard No. 8
blow for my station While | was un-
ocking the switch, the engineer called
'or brakes, and then | knew he had
seen the light and would stop. l pulled
-he bar over, and then picked up my
antern and ran back, reaching the sta
ion just as the heavy freight was
coming to a standstill My purpose
vas to run down and open the other
switch, and thus let the runaway out
IN the main track again, to run until
ler steam went down, but / had scarcely
moved a hundred feet when | heard her
'omiag. 1t was then too late,
md stood on the platform
70 see her 90 past. She
vas truly runaway. She had broken
away from the accommodation train,
which came no further up than c.,
md was coming up with full head Of
'team and everything roaring. There
vas gross carelessness in bringing about
jas accident, tu. it was covered up and
lept out Of print. We could hear the
milo off, and we could locate
ler as she came through the woods by
he shower Of sparks flying from her
mokestack. On she came, and as she
truck the switch it seemed as if she
must go over. There was clickety-