New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-14
AN OLD ENGINEERS STORIES.
SOME NARROW ESCAPES FROM DEATH.
RUNNING DOWN A HORSE ON A nR1pGE-cAuGHT
UNDER A FIREBox-JUsT MISSING BEING
SMASHED TO PIECES.

UNDER FIRE Box-JUST MISSING BEiN"
SMASHED TO PIECES.
Old James Peterson. jimmy. his friends call MN
yet as they always have done once one OF uo
best engineers on the Delaware Lackawanna and "es'
ern Railroad. lie Is too old to run an engine now
and has retired 10 live In comfort for the rest oil MS
days on the savings from his long years OF toll ao
lives In little cottage the mob Of Bergen nm
back OF Jersey City, where the whistng OF the loco
motives, the ringing of bells, the rumblng OF Wheels
and the snortng Of exhaust through the SMOKE
stacks compose barbaric symphony to lill MIN "
sleep at night and TO interest him during many OF te
long weary hours OF the day. lie Is an active OH
fellow STILL and If it not for his falling VISION nc
says, would feel confident on the foobOard OF his
engine a. ever
That part of Jersey CITY where he lives is much lke
village. The houses far apart with large gardens
around them. and the corner grocery IS tho
rendezvous Of the congenial spirits, just as IL
is in the more rural towns far from the metropolis
The old engineer great favorite with the spirits
who spend their evenings in little room hack OF 'o
grocery, and evening seldom passes when lie Is o'
in the midst Of jolly group whose members. WHO
slipping their beer exchange stories OF their advente''
Most of them are jimmy was. railroad NEIL.
and their tales rule, relate to startling or unusual
episodes In their perilous vacations. Jimmy
stories are always listened to with close attention.
much his stories known to be true as be-
cause Of the respect and veneration In which he Is heid
by his fellows The story which he told the other
night Of the narrowest escape from death tic hau Ca
pcrlcnced is worth repeating.
at was about twenty years ago. he said that thc
company swerved its main line by way oil Paterson
and Boonten to form outlet for its through iresn'
and passenger traffic, and relieve the Morris and Essex
division Of the heavy business caused by its own trac
and that OF the main line which II up to that time
had been compelled to handle. l was running he
fast night express at that time and as the ne" rVau
strange to we kept a closer lookout ahead tha
usual on every trip. There was long and very ME"
wooden bridge the Roclaway River al Boontoh
which is the hlllcst and 'gorgiest place ever saw
The river at the point where the bridge crosses is
narrow stream but the current exceedingly swift
and the waters dash urously the big rocks In the
bed OF the stream at the bottom OF deep gorge III
is uncanny place at any time, and especially so az
night. There are, or we're then, no llghts on tho
bridge and the gorge much wider than the strea
1t seemed at night when approaching the spot
as If we running into great black hole. al
ways felt uneasy when crossing the bridge and in
variably went 1t at less than half speed I'd nave
run even slower, but there was heavy upgrade
from the western end and when going in that direction
we had to have considerable Roadway on. 1t was a
double track bridge with narrow unrailed passage
way for pedestrians between the tracks, where only the
employees of the road expected to walf
One night when VIC approached the bridge. felt
depressed than usual. and every sense was
kceny alert. We were behind time, and were on
regardless ORDERS so didn't dare to reduce speed
very much Half way across the bridge l heard the
fireman yell:
".For Gods sake, Jim, there's horse the
footpathp
"The streaming glare from the headlight had pre-
vented me from seeing anything on the left side OF
the track and glanced through the ireman's side.
hundred feet ahead gray horse standing, looking
at the approaching engine He could not turn on the
walk. and knew that If lie tried to turn. his
hoofs would slip between the ties. throwing him like
wedge in front of the train II should strike him
while running slowly, would surely be thrown OF
the rails while il could get speed enough we might
rip through him and be safe All this flashed through
my mind like streak Of lightning Jumping TO the
throttle pulled it wide open, and we sprsng ahead
with jerk that must have made some of the passen-
gers necks ache. As expected the animal became Wild
with terror and tried turn around to away from
us, and In doing down he went right In front OF the
engine. bump, a crash wild, mad shrek. and
then to my horror felt the engines forward trucks
pounding ON the ties. We of the rails, and We
had gone off the side nearest the edge.
"'shes going over, jump for your lifcp screamed
the fireman, and l felt topping, swervng motion
/ leapcd from the cab the freman's side. As
Jumped / felt the engine falling, and II dragged mo
Il
to say fell fiat on my face upon the msngled carcass
Of the horse. The coupling between the engine and
tender broke the former topped Pll never
forget the fearful crashing aud kissing the engine
fell upon the rocks in the stream below. was a
little stunned, but scrambled to my feet Every
body thought almost dead, but luckily hadn't
a scratch. Had been fraction Of second later In
jumping wouldn't have been here to-day. The horse
had strsyed from pasture in the night and had
wandered upon the bridge
Have i ever had other narrow escapes! Yes, lots
of them. DO you the the palms of my
hands Well, I'll tell you how got them. We camo
into collision with coal train between Boonton and
ponviile on deep curve one night and and
engine had broken loose from the tender and
/ thrown between them. linen as there soiuo
reco the engine backed far enough to throw under
the fre-box, pinning fast by the legs. TO my
horror saw the hot Goals from the furnace dropping
Which had been thrown open by the shock. l knew
that the fire would soon overflow the pan and then
fall out upon to alive. l closed the flap
and held 1t firmly with my hands, meanwhile shouting
for help. Men were running about with lanterns,
of serpcns, and frightened passengers screaming
and crying. 1t was nearer a conception Of he'll
than anybody can get who hasn't been in such a
position. Finally discovered by some train hand ),
who shouted encouragement. 1 needed 1t, for my
hands were beginning to roast as were also my legs
under the ashpan and using tie for furlcrm. twenty
threw their weight upon the lever, of them
legs were free. As was pulled out the ash pan
opened and the hot Goals that would have roasted
went on the track was laid up for long time after
that and when went back TO running again, was
transferred by request 10 the NJ and T. division had
prejudice against the main line after those two es
capes.
." But all roads and divisions present chances for
close calls and i had one not many years
before retired that I'll never forget. We were run
ming about thirty miles hour Morristown when
the connecting rod broke between the drivers on my
side OF the engine. had Just gotten OH my seat to
lean over and say something TO the fireman when tho
broken end Of the rod flew around the driver
and smashed my side Of the cab 70 sphnters. I'D
been on my box, there wouldn't have been anything
left of me but Jelly.
"In spite OF all mlshaps. the life of an engineer
is fascinating one. 1 suppose the fascination Is
I'm the danger. Every engineer feels his response
bility and realizes the risks he runs. Yet when
man once becomes engineer he seldom
leaves his calling until lie Is either killed
or dies naturally know OF whole families who have
been engineers There is notable instance OF this.
william Osborn. the master mechanic OF the Morris
and Essex division, few years ago engineer,
and his only two sons Jake and Billy are
ming fast trains. They all trustworthy men and
stand high In the estimation of their superiors They
never drink liquor when run. ] never did
and no engineer ever should. No man need ever
want a greater stmulant than is found in the nero
running of a train fifty miles hour through dark