The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-08-01
A MAD RIDE.
How the Passengers ON a Wild
Engine We're Saved.

Talk about fast timei'' said a railroad
man on the Missouri Pacific train the other
day TO his companion. but have never
heard of q trip that would beat one l made
myself some years ago, nor of any half so
exciting l formerly lived at Garrett Ind,
the terminus Of the central division Of the
Chicago division Of the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad / lad little to do and made the
railroad yards my loafing headquarters. At
that ttmethe Billy o. had an arrangement
with the Wabash TO transfer all New York
freight at Auburn Junction, nine miles dis
tant. to the eaSt~Of' us This was done by.
the old switCh-engiue, the 642, which made
. two trims: to the. junction daily, Well,
one DAY ! climbed. a99sId box
car when the engine left with
q. few cars Of 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 transfer, and
were to come back light that is with
nothing but the:engine: We hadail crowded
ou.the tender; tie signal was given and
Gent Potter, the engineer, threw. amseltH
forward. pulled at ther. thTottl6=yaEEe, an d:
lie engine unped forward. al If shO t.trom:
a ,catlp0lt.@ Wedid:nQt think lnuchzQt, this,
at the.tifie,>aS Gent WaS.a fne:engtneer and
handled the enEiTe 10. suit:hfs fabcX*%AEe
went tearing OTeF.the rIir0ad: crossing and:
frogs in 4; manner that. was. frIghttu fle.
tender rocked as. if on: hinges Scmeth1ng*
mist be :.wIeTg; We: thought. as :GentM
placing our. lives: in JEOPARDY Climbing,
oyer. tile clal,e we found tle:ca0 llilI 81,
steam and.Gent and the fireman hanging. az
the.siGe OF: lIeengine: ~, =.
-" Jump, Boys said: they. jump. for
Gods sake! 'The4 throttle-xalye IS .:pflled,
clear out;:and ting engine-is Ei1fnlng:wI ID ::
= =. -. .. Eo jump would have. been. instant.
death. AS: 6ne~of the boys said.afterwaTd,
Ihe,telegraph poles looked: like a:tine-toolh
cOrb. Ihe: .lnlle-pOSts fey" by with; uu.
sRenlyTlllQltV The yard foreman claimed:
. that a :niile:- was covered IN :tliHty-elght:
Seconds and nOt<One would dOu6t:hiS:wQfd:
.St..J6e.. WAS: in sight: Would the. track be,
5cieaf? -Only:.thfee miles: to Garrett, with
:. its.ne t-woI of tracks switches and spHTs:-=
Ihe:stean-gauge registered nlntty pounds S..
= IleTe* Were:nQ. hopes OF the engine dying:
out in five or%siX. minutes: With: presence:
6fmiGd the foreman dashed off afew words ):
-: Engine Wild sTelegraph- Garrett TO
= clear track - ,; !: =, o..
80 This e:droJ ped as we passed st. joe,
j. and the:OpeFatOrEcl clear to comprehend the
situation: sentIt to tie dispatcher % the
east. end,:.without a Call, as We learned:
afteEwaTd: There was Garrett in sight
y With.itS. tallChimneys he1chingfOrth smoke;
there, were tie yards filled. with freight cars
and engines As:We got closer wec0uld
see men hurrying hilher and thither. I:he
OIheT-Yafd:e ugine was rushing nladly to the
clear. We passed the depot Ikea pursued
victiin!+. Pale faces watched US in: our mad
flight We passed the Tailroad shops and:
hundreds came rushing To- see the: cause.
of the. c6mmOtion. The engine was: IN a
culver; the bell was ringing wildly with
cea3n sway of the engine; :: the: 'escap-
Ing. steam whistled as If demented and
fires blazed ;ffom the hot boxes. Then
we saw . something that made us
think we-weTe doomed. The switch to.
the coal chute was OPEN, and the long
e. ascent could only end in our destruction.
We locked again, saw men working on the
track. and then we knew we were saved.
! What were they doing 2. Why. bless my
soul, friend, those fellows were oiing the
track up the chute. We struck tile ascent
and slid lip about 100 feet and. then the old
e42 stood sun and the wheels few around;
. SPARKS came from beneath them like from
an emery wheel Gradually the engine slid
down.. the wheels still IN the forward
motion, and thus the engine died out. We
all suffered a severe shock to our nervous.
system, but fad it not been for the presence
of mind ofthe master mechanic, who, or
:dered the oil poured on the chute track; Il
might not haye'been here to-day"
'And how fast did you go'ED~'
= well, the first six miles were made IN
less than five minutes the last three were
made in much slower time as the steam was
eXhaustlng rapldly.-GlObe Democrat