The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1890-09-26
A TERRIBLE RIDE WITH A MANIAC
THE EXPERIENCE OF A RAILROAD MAN.
FEMANS FIRST TRIP OUT COMES NEAR BEING HIS LAST ACCOUNT
OF THE ENGINEER

Y BEGAN life on one of the big rail
u ways of the States as a cleaner" in
L an engine shed. / had been employ
ed in the shed at Louisville for about ff-
teen or sixteen months, when / went on
my first trip as fireman.
1t was very near being my last.
firmly believe all the years of flying
about in an express since | was made
engineer have not taken as much out of
me as that single run of an hour and
half. 1t occurred in this way:
One evening the superintendent at
Louisville received wire from Weston
"a station about seventy miles down
the llne-to send on an engine to replace
one which had broken down. He came
to the shed and selected the General
Grant, one of the finest locomotives on
the road. Then he sent word to the en-
gineer and fireman to come on duty, and
start on their journey at 7 o'clock.
The driver, Ben Norris, was there In
good time and busted himself with his
oil-can. But Jim West, the fireman, did
NV bulh UP pulCbudlly'
At last, when it was near the hour of
starting, he came into the shed.
One glance of his bloodshot eyes and
unsteady walk showed me he was the
worse for drink. Poor fellow! Iknew
the cause of this and from the bottom
of my heart I pitied him. The week be-
fore he had lost his little daughter Kate,
and to drown his grief he had taken the
liquor.
| knew he was utterly incapable of 60
ing on duty, and l also knew that if he
was discovered in this state it would
mean instant dismissal.
There was only one thing for it; an
other fireman must be found immedi.
ately. If the matter was referred to the
superintendent, it would be all up with
my friend Jim. From that moment
made up my mind to take his place my
self.
gave him in charge Of one Of my
mates, who promised to take him quietly
home. I thought that in a few hours
he would have slept off the effects Of the
liquor, and l left word to have hin
come on by the night train to Weston
l had to explain matters to the engineer
but he made no objections to my plan
1t struck me at the time that he tool
the thing very coolly; in fact he seemed
perfectly Indifferent as to who went will
him.
Time was up. l took my place in tn
cab. Norris set to work at once and W
moved slowly out of the shed. We've
Off
While in the station | took care t.
keep bending down, as if examining th
fire, so that l should not be recognized
But once clear of the town L stood up
right and looked around.
1t was glorious summer evening. W
skinned past meadows and cornfield
and then dashed along the bridge owe
the river. l. began to think Iwoul
enjoy the run immensely.
next turned my attention to the Ell
CINE. As / ran my eye over the shir
ing machinery felt gratifed to thin
that its neat order was chiefly owing t
my care was proud of the Grant
and wondered if the time would eve
come when l should have charge of
myself.
I was so elated that | thought IN
companion ought to be more lively
Ben seemed to think of nothing but hi
work. He stood with his hand on til
throttle and his eyes fixed steadily upo
the track ahead. l made one or two II
marks, but he scarcely answered IA,
While was wondering at his silence h
suddenly appeared to rouse himsel
He glanced at the steam-guage, mu
tered something which did not unde
stand, then bent down and examined I'll
fre-box.
"More coal!" he cried in voice TIL
almost startled me.
I complied without word. Instea
of throwing in the coal recklessl
which / knew would only deaden Il
lire, I piled it up carefully around Il
sides. Very soon the speed of the q
CINE increased. We were rafting alor
at grand rate. l examined the guas
and saw that the hand pointed to 10
could not see the necessity for til
rapid travelling.
My companions attention was aga
fixed upon the road before him. Pr
sently he turned toward me and e
claimed excitedly:
"Who says the Grant is not the fas
est engine on the road?"
"Moxly declared that the Preslden
was faster" [ replied,
@Then he liedl" cried Norris. ct
President is faster? we shall see, '
shall seel
[ thought his manner very strange,
say the least of it. But L knew h
ways and said nothing. He was alwa
considered rather eccentric. Beside
he was easily excited, and could n
bear to be contradicted Still, the
was not driver on the line better
ouainted with his business.
And Inv the way. / have forgotten