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

q hOrrid, prolonged 's-h-w-e.e-s-h,' and all over
the engine tender and the two first cars there
came down torrent that / thought at first
might either be starch. soapsuds or pudding
dip, only il tasted like mixture of chalk and
spoiled potatoes and felt rs greasy as turkey
gravy; for it was all over us-in our mouths,
ears, hair, eyes, and up our noses.
What the blankety- blank have we struck
now2' hollered Al. looking like miller that
had Just been tished out of bis own meal-chest.
" IL seemed but two seconds, and i did not
have time TO shut her off before the drivers
caught again, and we were down to our work
full chise once more. We had only ran into
kaoliu bed about Is inches deep, that had
washed down i'm cut. The company years
before had had the sides all nicely sodded over.
but the rain had torn the protection away ana
washed the cut full of the soft, white, greasy
clay, and beautiful-looking objects 1t made OF
my fireman, |, the Washy,' and the whole
front of the train.
BY the time we had slowed up at Charles
ton. and Billy WeStbrooll, the operator, run out
and given me the tide at Perryville, the sky
had darkeuod again for another shower. l look
ed at my orders hy the light of the lantern,
aud they read: Three-eight high
- There's pretty good rush for us on wet
track / said. as Al bent over and looked at tho
paper. Then i put 1t in my inside Jacket
pocket, under my dckey. ] was always care
tui with those tidal orders, for If anything ever
went wrong, and | hadn't my orders, Lord help
poor Jim. For some reason felt uneasy. and
l was hardly under full way again before L
pulled out my orders and looked at them to
make sure; but there it was, Three eight
high ! made Al look at it and read IL out
loud, which he did, aud remarked:
"'Too much fun tonight is making you
nervous
It's not my fault If there's anything
wrong thought TO myself and pulled her
open a couple of notches. Directly we were
out of a mile of dark woods, and | could see
the two big headlights that marked the
boat-landing. Remembering / had heavy
grade 10 overcome on the bridge, gave the
'Washy' a little rush ahead whistled for tho
brakesmen TO cut loose for the double fly, slack
ed 20 loosen the couplings, and then with my
share Of the train rushed for the boat mt the
rate of 10 or - miles an hour, which deemed
sufficient 10 carry me mp the threeiOot eight
inch incline. We were within II yards of the
bridge when ] heard the Old Maryland's bull
whistle blow danger signal, and at the same
moment looked down at the bridge as struck
the end of IT,
GOOD Hcavensi II was inclined down in
stead OF up. bad been given the wrong tide.
80 Brake her!' shouted TO AL. who had hold
OF the wheel of the tender brake, aud at the
same time / shut her of, threw her over and
pulled her open again. all before we struck the
boat; but the Washy rushed right on. The
speed She had on and the impetus down that
three feet eight inches in 80 couldn't be check
ed. The drivers stopped and slid for a second
or two, and / pulled open the sand-box just rs
we few past. the smoke with streak of fire
flying out from the tracks on each side yard
wide.
yelled to Al 10 jump, but he was twisting
on the bTake-wheel for life. When the pilot
struck the big timbers used for buffers on the
out end OF the boat, aud saw them fly through
the air like shingles, jumped of my seat and
grabbed Al by the shoulder aud waist and
showed him OF into space and jumped after
him.
Il distinctly heard the 'Washy's' fires roar
AS she struck the water before / did. l don't
know how lar down ] went, but / was mighty
glad when i came to the surface and heard
Capt. SolIiday aud everybody on the boat hall
iooing ana yelling above me. IL was dead low
tide, aud there WAS little or no current. The
FIRST thing did Vas 10 cali for Al, which did
with ali my might, and lac answered from right
behind me:
Well, / amt hard of hearin'. What is it7'
Catch 20 the rudder chains / said.
a Certainly he replied. and We swan up
and held on there till Capt Sollidsy sent boat
aud took Us of.
then found out that the baggage, mail and
express bad followed the Washy' into the
SusquchanBa, but before SAID a word ] went
into the cugiuc-rOpm on the Maryland aud
pulled off my vet dicky and vest, and gingerly
holding the inside pocket OF the latter wide
open lisled out my orders aud laid them on a
a warm steam pipe TO dry; then opened them
and called Capt Solliday and the Engineer TO
witness that they read:
80 Thrcc-cight high
The pAsscne had been checked up in
good time, because being behind they had the
advantage OF Capt. Solliday's alarm. No one
was hurt and / was e1oneraied. But that
operator was invited 10 change his situation
from Perryville 10 farming, because he had
sent the wrong tide 20 Westbrook at Charles
ton. Ny end Of the train is on the bottom OF
the Susqucianna. As il went over In 30 feet
Of water AZ low tide the wreck was never dis
turbed, except TO fish up the mail and some cx-
press goods with "A diving bell"