Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-01-17
A RUNAWAY BABY.
Thrilling Chase After a Passen.
ger Train.

ger Train.
Yes, or runaway train with a
baby, as you will, l leave that point
to be settled by the readers of this
true narrative of an occurrence OF
several years ago, when the writer,
then a young man of twenty, held the
position of telegraph operator and
ticket agent in the town of Bruins
wick. upon the Maine Central rail-
road.
There were two of us, the station
master and myself, who divided the
hours of the long day the Office was
obliged to be open, for this Is an inn
portant point on the road, and, dur
ing the hours upon which trains were
upon our division, the instruments
were never left without an attendant
My "trick," or hours on duty, was
from one o'clock in the afternoon I'M
til one at night, and as I relieved the
station-master Immediately after the
principal trains of the day had passed,
was a witness to the events which
preceded the adventure which l am
about to relate.
One summer day in the year 1880, a
certain Bath sea captain. who had just
brought his ship into New York, tele-
graphed his wife at Bath, Me-, to come
at once to the metropolis and join him
prepared for long sea voyage. In &C
cordance with this request, a day or two
following the receipt of the telegram
saw the captains wife embarked upon
the cars en- route to join her husband
and with her an infant of about two
years. At Brunswick the through car
from Bath to Boston is shunted and at
tached to the rear of the train from
Bangor. Selling the opportunity
offered by the short delay at our sta
ton. the mother, leaving her babe
asleep upon one of the seats of the car,
went to the restaurant in the station
to have the baby's bottle refilled with
milk. While she was thus engaged,
the train, which was already late, and
was only waiting for the through Bath
car to get into position, pulled quietly
out of the station. When the mother
emerged from the dining-room the
train was fast disappearing down the
straight stretch of track which extends
westward from the station.
Mothers who read this can best I'M
derstand the CONSERVATION and alarm
of this anxious mother. Hurriedly she
explained the situation to the group of
railroad men and loungers who gath
cred round. Baby and purse contain
ing ticket and money, save a little
change, were on board the fast disap-
pearing train.
''Can nothing be done, gentlemen"
she eagerly inquired, turning to one
and another of the sympathizing by
ISLANDERS. as if seeking the one who
could best aid her, but they were silent.
Old number twenty-three'' was
standing sidetracked at the sta
ton, waiting the passage of the train
just gone before proceeding ''up river"
term applied to all stations up the
Kennebec. 1t remained for the engi-
neer of number twenty-three to reply,
and suggest a way out of the difficulty.
There is one way, madam. come
with me" he said. Then he turned
and grasped me by the shoulder.
bring her along. Bob,' said he to
me, "aud help her aboard number
twenty-three. Wen catch that train
if steam'll do it." He started on a
run for his engine, without waiting
for his fireman, who was absent for the
moment He hastily threw a few
shovelfuS of coal into the fire-box.
while assisted the captains wife to
mount, then with hand on throttle.
and lever thrown back to the last
notch, with body leaning far out the
cab window he shouted some hurried
instructions to the switchman.
"Give us the main line there, Tom,
and hoist the balls, and don't let any
train pass west till you see us back"
Then with rush of steam from
cylinders. and q merry exhaust from
the stock. old ''twenty-three' slid
rafting over the switches upon the
main line, and began the chase.
From Brunswick station westward
for five miles to the small flag station
Of Oak Hill. a continuous rise in the
track forms what is called by railroad
men the ''Oak Hill Grade" An empty
engine. chasing heavy train up this
grade naturally has an immense ad-
vantage, and although the train had
i've minutes the start We counted upon
overtaking it before it reached the first
station from Brunswick. Freeport, nine
miles away.