Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-02-01
"How close did you ever como 70 an

closest thing i ever nau WASH really
close at all, but it took all the sand
out of me for minute. 1t happened
this way. | was coming down from
Albany with Mr.. Bissell. He is Super
intendent of the division between
Syracuse and New York City. had
this engine, and we were jogging
along as an extra and making pretty
good time -forty-fve or fifty miles an
hour. just down the road a ways
there is a sharp turn. Well, | came
I'whooping along and Mr.. Bissell was in
front there reading the papers. just
as we swung around the curve l saw a
red flag waving like mad in the wind.
Now, / knew there was freight train
not far ahead of me and it flashed
through my head that maybe she had
broken down. | couldn't see around
the curve and of course expected that
in about half minute I'd be on top Of
that there freight. | reversed the
lever and threw on the air-brake. The
shock nearly threw Mr.. Bissell out of
his seat. When | had time TO look at
the flag again | found out that instead
of danger signal it was the red petit
coat OF a woman walking alongside OF
the track. She had a lot Of wood in
her dress held up before her, while the
red petticoat was tapping away be-
meath. The freight train was way
ahead on a switch waiting for us TO
pass. Well, | just laughed and went
on, but If there had been any hair on
the top of my head I'm pretty sure it
would have stood on end. But there
amt any there quantity remarked
Nat as he pulled off his cap and re-
vealed perfectly bald Uranium.
You see" continued he, lit amt
so much the running a special as it is
/ in running extra. When you run an ex-
| ira its mighty hard work. You've got to
make the time, because mostly officers
are in hurry, and as you haven't got
any regular time you must look out for
! yourself. Running extra you don't
have any rights at all You just take
what you can get and look out for your
/ self Nobody else will look out for you.
! I've carried Mr.. Buchanan, Mr.. Toucey
| and Mr.. Voorhees, for years an | never
hurt any of EN-. | tell 'em that when
/ hurt any of EN- I'm going TO stop
right there"
just then 522 rushed through Rhine
beck. a little way the other side is
sharp curve. AMI as the car swung
| around the rocks the fast mail from
! Chicago was seen laundering along.
On the track a little ahead of 522 was q
gang of laborers. They couldn't take
the other track be eause the mail would
be over them in a second. For min
ute they hestated, and then dropping
their tools rolled in heap outside the
tracks. 4 big sledge was left standing
in the middle of the track its handle
pointing straight up. The next
instant the edge of the cowcatch-
en- struck the hickory handle
with such force that it was cut of
as clearly as though il had been sawn.
The engine was going over forty-five
miles an hour, and the inertia OF the
handle was great enough to Withstand
the shock for the hundredth part of ID
second by which time the edge of the
cowcatcher had chopped it off.
That's the way with them road
workers. observed Nat IF this had
been an ordinary train or road-engine,
you would have found them sitting up
on the bank by the time the train was
a quarter of mile away. But they
heard our whistle at Rhinebeck and
wanted TO make out that they were toe.
busy fixing the road to pay much atten
ton to their lives. You see this whistle
is different from any other on the road
pitched in a lower key-and all the
employees can tell it as far as it can be
heard. As | generally carry one or
too superintendent the passage of this
engine generally causes a fit of work.
all along the road and the shrewd old
fellow chuckled at the scare he had
given the road gang.
On went the special and Nat, with
his eyes steadily fixed on the track
ahead, told about the loyalty of the,
Centrafs employees during the labor
troubles of 1877, and how there was not
a man on the road who wouldn't take
off his coat any time, night or day, to
get through in hurry any work that
Mr. Toucey or Mr.. Buchanan wanted
finished rapidly. II man works hard
and takes an interest in the road he's
pretty sure of promotion, said Nat, "Of
course, every engine-man-we don't
call 'em engineers on the road-has got
TO serve as long rs fireman, but he's
sure 10 get chance If he deserves il.
That man there" pointing towards
Mr. Buchanan, who sat in the observa-
ton cab, has made more engine-men
than any other railroad man in the
country. and they are generally good
ones if do say it that is one of EN-"
added he modestly. just then Mr.
Voorhees, held up his hand, and Nat
slowed down and stopped in front of a
station, where the telegraph operator
handed a lot Of kilograms TO the Off
Gals, and the next minute 522 was
hustling along around the base Of big
mountain, with the capital building of
Albany looming up few miles in adj
vance.
Hardly had the big engine stopped in
the depot at Albany than Nat was out OF
his cab rubbing little here and oiling
little there and evidently as fond of
his engine as a lover of his mistress.
Standing on the platform Mr.. Buchan-
an. who was going TO take the special
over the line to Syracuse, Rochester and
Buffalo. said: Yes Nat is great fell
low He has been an engineer on our
/ To- Gt-., ii &.