St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1890-11-01
A TERRIBLE RIDE.

A TERRIBLE RIDE.
ae~ The Passengers On : VIVA Esgia,
Were Saved ~ a oiled Track.
Talk shout fast time, said . rail
road man on tho Missouri 9eci6c trail
the Other day to Ifs 'companion. '''but
have ver-hsarA oft:a trip that would
beat one made myself some years ago
nor q any half 20 exciting. ] formerly
lived At Garrett Ind. the terminus .o
the Central division-of the Chicsgo di
vision Of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad
had little to do. and madc the railroad
yards my loafing headquarterA ttha,
time the sBilly-O had an arrangement
with tho Wabash to transfer all New
York freight at Auburn FUNSTON, nine
miles distant to tho east of us. Thi,
Was done by the old switch ON,
CINE. the 642. which madc two
trips to the junction daily. Well,
ono day / climbed aboard . box cal
when the engine loft with few cars oil
merchandise to transfer. There were
six of US in the party-four yardmen
another fellow and myself We had =
jolly time going down; made the trans
fer. and were to como back Eight that
Is will, nothing but the engine. We
had all crowded on tho tender; the sig
nal was given, and Gent Potter. the en-
gineer, threw himself forward. pulled 1t
the trottle-valvc. and the engine jumped
forward as If shot from catapult We
did not think much of this ct tho Cline.
rs Gent was . fine engineer and handled
the engine TO suit his fancy. We Gcre
tearing over the railroad crossings and
frogs in . manner that Was frightful.
The tender rocked Is il ON hinges
Something must be wrong. We thought
as Gent was placing our lives in ieop-
ardy. Climbing over tho coal. we
found the cab full of steam and Gent
and tho fireman hanging At the side Of
the engine.
Jump. boys said they. Jump. for
Gods sake! Tho Unbelievable il
pulled clear out and tho engine is run
ming Wild 4.
ITO jump would have been sinstant
death. As one OF tho boys said after
ward. the telegraph poles looked like
fne-tooth comb The mile posts few
by with unseemly rapidity. Tho yard
foreman claimed that a milo was COW
cred in thirty-eight seconds. and not
one would doubt his word. St Joe was
in sight Would the track be clear?
Only three miles to Garrett with its
network of.trscks. switches AID spurs!
The steaM-guage registered ninety
pounds There werc no hopes OF the
engine dyipe gut u Ave essi1 Hinutes.
With presence OF mind the foreman
dashed on . few words:
. Engine wild Telegraph Garrett to
clear track -
This he dropped as we, passed St
Joe. and the operator, clear to compre-
hcnd tho situation. sent IL to. the dis.
patchef on the east end, without CALL
rs We learned aftcrward. There was
Garrett in sight, with its tall chimneys
forth smoke; there were the
yards filled with freight cars and en-
gines As We got closer we could see
men hurrying hither and thither. Tho
other yard engine was rushing madly to
the west end Of the yard. We passed |
the depot like . pursued victim. Pale
taces watched us in our mad flight We
passed the railroad shops. and hundreds
anne running 70 see the cause of the |
The engine was in !. q |
luiver; tho bell was ringing wildly
With each Hvnys Of the engine; the U.s. |
;aping steam whistled as If demented.
md fires blazed from the hot boxes. |
Then We saw something that made US |
hink We were doomed. Tho switch
q the coal chute vas open,
nd the long ascent could only |
md in our destruction We
ooked again, saw men working on the
rack, and then We knew We weresaved.
What werc they doing2 Why. bless
~ soul, friend those fellows wctc oil
NJ the track up the chute. We struck
be ascent and slid up about one hun
red feet and then the old 642 stood
till and the wheels dew sleand; sparks
anne from beneath them like from an
merry wheel. Gradually the engine
i'd down, the wheels still in the for
ard motion, and thus tho engine died
ut We all suffered severe shock to
ar nervous system. but had it not been
" the presence of mind Of the master
who ordered the oil poured
a the chute track, might not have :
cen here to-day"
And how fast did you 20 p
well, the first six miles were made
less than i've minutes; the last three
ere made in much slower time as tho
rha. g. Il