The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-10-25

iageS ana Iar1n houses, snoring over the
road crossings and crashing by empty
stations, all of which / knew by instinct,
for there were no lights to tell us.
"As we drew near the Susquehanna
the air became clearer. and when we
came within sight of Duncannon the
great flaming stacks of the iron works
shone ahead of us like immense torches.
We were again on schedule time when
we passed through the town, and as we
ran along the bank Of the Susquehanna
I slowed down little. Away across the
water / could see the tail switch signals
on the Northern Central tracks. BY and
by | caught glimpse Of headlight
and then the faint glow of car windows,
although so far distant that the train
was scarcely visible through the slight
mist rising off the river. called the
fireman's attention to the train, remark
ing that the Northern Central cot aection
of four was late, and that no doubt we
would get the red at Rockville tower, as
the other train should clear us at least
seven minutes, but Jimmy after taking
a long look, said he couldn't see across
the river on account Of the fog.
"As you all know. the old Northern
! Central bridge was then standing, and
the tracks of that road cut right through
ours at Marysville and entered the
bridge Just after crossing our west bound
rails The bridge, now torn down, was
even then considered unsafe, and was
rarely used, the through passenger trains
on the Northern Central being run on
| the east bank of the river to Rockville.
! then ON our tracks to Harrisburg, and
then over the Cumberland Valley bridge
| to their own road again. Well, as /
drew near Marysville | kept my eye on
the other train, which l could see dis
| tinctly. thinking that we would let it
have good start, so as not to get
blocked when we crossed the river. We
were not running more than twenty-five
miles an hour, and when finally the
Northern Central train was hidden by
the long covered bridge concluded she
would reach Rockville before we got to
the west bank of the river
"The bridge crossed the river diagonal
ly, and we had not yet reached its mouth
when my frame stiffened with horror
and my eyes fairly burned in their sock
cts. Right in front could see the head
light of an engine flashing through the
bridge, and almost at the same instant |
caught glimpse of well filled passen-
ger train coming over the crazy old
structure at full speed, l knew instinct
lively that it would reach the crossing
but a moment before us, and that nc
power ON earth could avert collision.
Absolutely paralyzed with fright can
still remember seeing Jimmy leaning
out of the cab and pulling the bell rope
as unconcernedly as though there were
no such thing as danger | closed my
eyes in horrible suspense. In an instant
the crash came. l felt the engine reel
and shake; | heard the grinding of the
timbers and the roar of escaping steam
while on the air rose such wall az
never before or since met my ears,
"The next thing knew was when
felt some one shaking me and heard the
fireman. shout: Shut her off, Johnny
shut her off. Do you want to get III
both laid Off With an effort brought
back my senses and grasped the levers
In front of me, When l looked arount
we were under the shed at Harrisburg
heard passenger ask brakeman
Has the N. c. train come INF and TIN
reply dazed me; Yes, sir, come in tel
minutes ago.
II resigned the next day, boys, and
wouldn't run the risk of going through
that experience again for the who'll
road" The old mans last words wer
drowned in the roar of an incoming
train, and ere he had finished first sec
ton of No. had come rumbling int
the station from the west-Philadelphi
Times.