The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-10-24

The sneaker was Jim Burton, the oldest
engineer on the Philadelphia Wilmington "
Baltimore Railroad. Jim had been running on
that road lust so years when he retired on a
pension two wears ago, and now he was sitting
in the West Philadelphia round house. with
crowd OF his cronies about him, and eXpe-
riences Of various kinds were being retailed
for The general edifcation. When Jim made
the shove remark it was thoroughly IN order
that Asa Baker who hadn't been straddling
reverse lever more than SIX weeks, should ask,
with more freshness than courtesy:
How do you know, Jim, that you pilot all
the fellows on Onenight accidents"
Because never saw anything in the papers
about any Engineer having more than two, and
in these days that's pretty sure sign that he
amt around"
Did you have more than twOf"
81 ] had three
"ARd col in on time ?"
Yes, ! got in the Susquehanna River on
time"
] know the time you are talking about
now. Jim, because ] was firing for you, re-
marked a. paXon, an Engineer with head as
white as the fluffy roll OF waste with which he
was wiping has hands. more from habit than
because they needed il. Tell the boys about
il, Won't goa. Jim?"
I've 30 objection" replied Jim, provided
they care 10 hear It.
Certainly we want to hear it." promptly
"A
Well YOU must know that when this thing
happened the old p W. q b. Road wasn't ex-
scty IS she is now, but She was run full and
abreast silh all the experience and improve
meuts we had 30-odd years ago. for what I'm
going 10 talk about happened one night IN
July, 1855 Then 81 trains left the big depot
ut BrosG aud Prime streets crossed the Schuyl-
kill over GTay's Ferry Bridge. and crossed the
Susquchanaa on the big steamer Maryland that
is now carrying baggage and freight across the
Hudson NJ jersey City.
Now. putting the train on board the Mary
land was where the pretty work OF the trip
came in. She had three tracks the full length
OF her upper deck and these tracks connect
ed with rising and falling tracks on heavy
bridges on the PcTryyille side OF the Susque-
hanna on the north, aud on the Havre-de-GTace
side on the south. Tie track for half mile
back sl0ped down toward the river. At the
head Of this grade We had TO make double
flying switch, which threw the engine, tender,
baggage and mail on the middle track. and
threw TIE passenger, cars four, on each Of the
outside tracks. il you had that many cars be-
hind yoa.
NoE. mark this: the hightof the tide in the
river was a very important thing 70 know
when you went 70 board that boat for some
times the bridge would have an p-grade Of
three feet IN 30. aud at another il would have
that much 81 "A d0WD-gTaGe. TO prOvideagaiust
accId rs when going south YOU slowed Bp at
Charleston. six miles from the river and the
telegraph operator gave you the state OF the
tide, aud coming north the operator az Aber-
ocen did the same thing. Your dispatch read:
'One-six high or tw0-thTee low As the case
might he, indicating that the bridge sloped up
or down. aud that the track the boat was
one foot six inches higher two feet three
inches lower than the track on which you were
approaching. and you drove ahead or held up
accordingly a. you came 10 the river and cut
loose FOR your double-hy.
q ia the summer Of 1873 was pulling the
foWl line out Of Philadelphia with the Wash
ingt0n. a. fine fiye-fOOt eight driver outside
frame Mason engine as ever hauled on draw
head. We left Philadelphia AT Ills p. IN;
stopped only az Chester Wilmington, Elcton.
crossed tlfe Snsquehanna and were due ia Bstiti-
more nc 2.45. the distance being 81 miles, and
the iime occupied IN crossing the river gener-
ally about oHe hour.
On this particular July night had the bag
gage, mai, express and Eve passenger coaches
behind NE, and had hardly pulled out from
Broad ana Prime streets when tie sky sudden
ly began 10 darker. Tie thunder 10 growl aud
The lightning 70 fash, and ali the indications
showed that a nasty storm was going 20 keep Us
cognpaay part Of the way Al least We had
hardly got across 6ray's Ferry Bridge when
tie storm burst fnriously. There Was not so
much Taiu, bat the wind. thunder aud light
ming we're terrible. while the whole sky seemed
filled Wiih dust. Al PaxOn there was a
chunk 81 boy about p and hadn't been on
the road more than six months. When hc poll
ed tie firc-duOT open ! Eaw he looked white
around Tho giis, aud ! sang ont ia his ear:
Doi.'t he scared. AZ we're not blown into
the n5e4c0ws before we get 70 Wilmington the
hills Wi. break tae wind Of us after that
he SAILED kind Of uneasy grin up az me,
and. Tammlug his friug-bar into the furnace
be gave 81 have dozen yanls that seemed to
relieve his mind good deal. Then he heaved
in some coal aud, looking out Of the cab win
dow, shouted acrOsS 10 me:
- IiFe ~ Marcus Uook!'
looked on his side and saw bright light
geapiup up. 4 building bad been struck by
lightning. We were making about % miles an
hons ou q straight. level track. Of which Until
nov lad IOt been sble % see an inch. The
first glance however showed me a pile Of
something On the track right ahead Before
i bad Time 10 think there was a crash.
a. though We bad struck an empty frame
house, followed by yell from Al Paxon
there ind smashing in Of the front
window Of the cab accompanied by . shower
81 dust, piece Of boards, Shingles and other
debris. u WIS ali over 20 quick that
had not time 10 think Of shutting throttle on
anything else; and when i came TO- az / might
say. Marcus Hook aad the freight were both
behind D. and the old NaEhy was pounding
away for Gil she was worth. Al had pulled the
furnacs coorOpeD little, aud was holding some
Hliitlttz-1 ~ Ats ~ MAXI out NlIal
We lad struck.
80 ~ iiat do YOU make Of it2' called out.
~ roalr y0dy's SIZED kitchen on the track.
CUES Was bis reply.
hbeH Nc stopped az Wilmington. / went
out ln front aud found piece Of four by foui
scauiliae yfBg on the Jumper above the COW.
catcher There was big dent la the smoke.
stack. aHd toe brass knob WAS knOckd OF the
TOP D! illc aBGDoE. in the tender lay piec,
81 nar ~ @hite Notwithstanding. which Geo
Stearns, the EOadmsstes, looked at critically
and iieB SAID:
." Jiu, wish you wouldn't smash up Tho
Ewitch-frnders' boxes along the road. Wher,
did sou ifit this one2'
80 y rcus Hook / replied
"'L.i right says be; ] suppose The wind
showed IL right ia yOur way, 50 can't take 4
OUt Of your wages aud be turned away with ,
Enile-fhe pielsaniest boss and the best railroad
man I ever mat.
80 49, atasrd yelled Rabe lamar, our Con
duciOs, and We were OF again.
90 Tee wind had gone down a little, bot III,
rain WAS coming doIn like a mill-race on ,
spree 1as water seemed 10 fall ia one sole
nsfs. . laiHed 50 terribly that, Of course /
couldn't last long, and by the time we had run
~ m.iesr 20 Newark, Del. the stars were out
aud We could sec things around us pretty well
anG - htd iIitie tine 10 make up / cen
tered her uF and pulled her wide open
we were about four miles below Newark
and 1850 90 eti was just kicking the dirt from
undlr reef III the rate Of about 40 miles "a
gfguF. Ninu EBmef s5ng bq.trau.a 80 -,