Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-09-29
ANNAPOLIS. MONDAY EVENING. SEPTEMBER 20 $780,

Huntington we fairly hummed along the
canal, depending altogether on the tow
ers, for it was so dark we couldn't see
even the Juniata right below us We had
no further trouble as to delays. The
east bound freight and coal trains were
all side tracked, and we did not even get
a green light until we reached Lewiston
Junction Somehow or other was not
feeling myself that night, and don't
believe the fireman and / had half a
dozen words in the first 100 miles. AS
we ran through the narrows leaned out
of the cab and kept an eye on the track
for rocks 1t was impossible to see any
distance, however, and as turned
around to look for the tall lamps on the
rear sleeper | thought of the scores of
people behind me riding in fancied Sc
curity, while the only safeguard from
wreck was in Providence. Straight up
on the right rose the mountains for
nearly 1000 feet, and on the other hand
was the Juniata, dark and unreal in the
wavering glare of the headlight
"On and on we went, past little viii
lagos and farm houses, shooting 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 drewnear the Susquehanna the
air became clearer, and when we came
within sight of Ducannon the great fam
ing stacks of the iron works shone ahead
of us like immense torches. We We're
again on schedule time when we passed
through the town, and as we run along
the bank of the Susquehanna | slowed
up little. Away across the water
could see the tall switch signals on the
Northern Central tracks. BY and by
] caught a glimpse of headlight and
then the faint glow of car windows, al
though SO far distant that the train was
scarcely visible through the slight mist
rising from the river. called the fire.
mans attention to the train, remarking
that Northern Central connection 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
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
lust after crossing our west bound rails.
The bridge, now torn down, was even
then considered unsafe, and was rarely
used, through passenger trains on the
Northern Central being run on the east
bank of the river at Rockville, then on
our tracks to Harrisburg and then over
the Cumberland Valley bridge to their
own road again. Well, as drew near
MarysvilIe / kept my eye on the other
train, which could see distinctly, think
ing that we would let it have a good
start, so as not to get blocked when we
crossed the river We were not running
more than % miles an hour, and when
finally the Northern Central train was
hidden by the long covered bridge con-
cluded she would reach Rockville before
we got to the west bank of the river.
"The bridge crossed the river diagon-
ally, and we had not 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 l
caught glimpse of a well filled passen-
ger train coming over the crazy old
structure at full speed. l knew in-
stinctively that it would reach the cross
inc but q moment before us, and that no
mower on earth coukl avert a collision.
Absolutely paralyzed with fright, can
still remember seeing Jimmy leaning
out of the cab and pulling the bell rope
rs unconcernedly as if there was no such
thing as danger. / closed my eyes IN
horrible suspense. In an instant the
crash came. felt the engine reel and
shake; heard the grinding of timbers
and the roar of esca. ing steam, while on
the air rose such wall as 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 us both
laid off, With an effort brought back
my senses and grasped the levers in
front of me. When looked around we
were under the shed at Harrisburg.
heard a passenger ask a brakeman:
HAS the n. C. train come inY and the
reply dazed me: Yes, sir, [. me in 10
minutes ago.
Il resigned the next day, iuys, and |
wouldn't run the risk of going through
that experience again for the whole
road. The old mans last words were
drowned in the roar of an incoming
train. and ere he had finished the first
section of No 4 had come rumbling into
the station from the west.